Team Stress Reduced Through Adoption of Legal Case Management System

The benefits of a legal case management software system are far reaching. Broadly, they include:

* Time saved in document production, storage and retrieval and disseminating documents to relevant parties
* Saving on the costs connected with manual systems
* Creating standardized procedures across a team
* Concentrating on the value added of your professionals


Does legal software deliver the functionality it claims to do?
Oh yes, if deployed in a systematic, structured fashion. Success depends on:

Realistically scoping out the project and setting objectives
Whether you work in the public sector or private legal department you will need to demonstrate value when in investing in case management software. Select a supplier who will help you draft a clear vision of what is achievable within the project, together with a return on investment strategy and project schedule.

Capturing your Organization's Requirements

Have you communicated to all the people within the organization why the new system is being implemented? For example:

* Whose time will it save?
* Will it make more work for some people initially?
* Have you considered whether this will put them under increased pressure?
* Successful communication and hand holding before and during implementation will increase the likelihood of its success.
* Will your supplier support you in demonstrating the software's benefits to key decision makers?

Ownership of the project
Does your organization have a named person who is responsible for the implementation and ongoing success of the case management solution, or is it left totally to the Case Management Software?. They must a skilled communicator with all levels of the organization If you do not have such a person available internally, a consultant would be an alternative.

Staff Training
Who will provide the training to your staff? Will they work closely with the case management software supplier or can your supplier also offer training?

* Will any training be well planned or will it be on an ad hoc basis?
* How easy will it be for staff to adopt the new software??
* Will the software supplier and trainer work well together at both the planning and implementation phases?
* Does training schedule extend to other systems which interface with the new case management software?

Making sure your new case management software is right for you now
How adaptable is your new software and is it the best fit for your organization? So much case management software requires professionals to change their working practices to fit the system instead of the other way round! Can it be adapted for your organization so that the software matches your working practices? Flexibility is not necessarily a low cost option but in the long run it will pay for itself. Providing fee earners with case management solutions that match their working practices means they will enjoy using it, buy into the new system and it will make their lives easier. They will be able to complete work more efficiently and handle larger case loads, earning their organization more revenue. Ask for references and case studies from your supplier.

Will your System still be what you need in two, five or ten years' time?
Are there software updates available from your vendor? With technological advances, software needs to be adaptable. What future costs are there? Can you bolt-on further functionality (such as matter management) to your system at a later date to meet the changing needs of your legal work?.