September 11, 2024
The practice of law requires a large amount of documentation. Court documents, business contracts, office memos, and archives — all pieces of paper that need to be copied, scanned, printed, and filed. This includes everything from small two-page documents to massive, 200+ page contracts.
Unfortunately, working with large quantities of documents can be time-consuming. Administrative staff may spend hours away from their daily tasks filing, sorting, or hunting down the right document. Ultimately, costs add up with all of this time spent physically managing your documents. So in this blog, we’ll explore a better way — electronic document management.
Telltale Signs You Need a Document Management System
At a certain point, a formal, electronic document management system becomes beneficial. Here are a few all-too-common scenarios:
- It sometimes takes hours to find a lost paper document
- Someone in your firm got embarrassed in front of a client when they couldn’t find the right contract right away
- Your paper file storage system contains years of client documents, petitions, etc.
- Multiple versions of the same document often create confusion or errors
- Review, approval, and filing processes slow down case progress
- There's no clear record of who’s modified documents
The 8 Benefits of DMS for Attorneys
Finding the correct documentation should take seconds, not minutes or hours. But a document management system (DMS) offers a number of benefits apart from sheer speed.
1. It’s Easier to Find Important Information
Human beings aren’t good at sticking to a consistent filing structure. But document management systems are. They’re also able to find specific files or information — even within PDFs — in seconds.
2. You Can Provide Better Service
With a DMS platform, you can provide your clients with secure access to their case files from anywhere and answer complex questions faster. It’s also easier to share files with opposing counsel when needed.
3. Collaboration Is Less Frustrating
With real-time document sharing and editing features, plus version control to track changes, it’s easier to share knowledge without worrying about who might change what and when.
4. You Increase Productivity Firm-Wide
Are people’s desks where important contracts and workflows get stuck? DMS platforms help you automate complex workflows. Plus, many of them integrate with other specialized legal software.
5. Document Security Is More Convenient
These systems allow you to control who can see what, so it’s easier to protect sensitive information and meet client confidentiality requirements. And should you ever need to demonstrate compliance, you’ll now have audit trails for every document in your system.
6. You Save Money and Space
It’s amazing how much space paper documents can take up at a law firm. Not only can you free up a tremendous amount of space by using a DMS platform, but you can also slash print costs.
7. It’s Easier To Repurpose Work
There’s no need to reinvent the wheel when you’re creating a similar document to one that’s already been drafted — which, thanks to your DMS platform, you can find easily.
8. You Can Meet Green Initiatives
If your law firm hasn’t yet focused on meeting green initiatives, recent statistics indicate that you might be losing clients:
- 87% of legal industry members say they now receive requests for proposals asking about their environmental practices, initiatives, and results
- 53% said their clients think environmental sustainability is very important
It’s a rare thing that one simple upgrade can save money and time, increase security and convenience, and also help your business become environmentally friendly. However, far too many firms don’t make the switch for one reason — it seems like a big change. If that’s what’s getting in the way, here’s what to keep in mind…
DMS Implementation Tips
While change can be challenging, switching to an effective document management system doesn't have to be. In the long run, the improvements are what will be remembered.
Consider Your Needs
When you are ready to consider a document management system for your law firm, first assess your unique needs. For example:
- How quickly do you need to be able to retrieve documents?
- What kind of documents are you retrieving?
- How long do you need to keep documents archived?
Once you've answered these questions, you'll have a better idea of what an effective document management solution will look like for you.
Pinpoint the Right DMS Solution
No single tool is the right solution for every business, but we’ve had a lot of experience serving clients in the legal field. And the solution that seems to bring the most long-term satisfaction is M-Files.
How M-Files Solution Improves Law Firm Efficiency
The M-Files application works by allowing you to find documents based on metadata, rather than your current method of searching through network folders or paper folders. So you can search for a document by its metadata — such as client name, case number, opposing firm, or case date — and find it in a fraction of the time.
Click the link below to learn more about M-Files and access helpful resources.
