Family Law Attorney Janet
Reed publishes third article in a series about Technology & the Legal Profession
As technology reshapes
all of modern personal and professional life, the Family Law practitioner is
not exempt, explains Janet Reed, Esq.
In
fact, proactive communications with clients may be an effective marketing tool,
such as an alert to a client about regulatory actions that are about to affect
them, or changes in child support requirements.
In
this third article in a series, attorney Janet Reed discusses the
advancements and impact of technology upon the Family Law practitioner, and how
it is being utilized to enhance the client experience in terms of satisfaction
and customer service. As technology reshapes all of modern personal and
professional life, the legal profession is no exception.
The
complete articles will be published on the blog of Ms. Reed at https://janetreedesq.blogspot.com/
Technology
is advancing, and the legal profession must keep up with these technological
and societal changes. Many of us still remember when they first saw a personal
computer, when cell phones became widely available, and when cell phones turned
into smart phones that have become indispensable for many.
Incorporating
technology into a law practice can make the practice more efficient and
increase client satisfaction. In fact, technology may enable the practitioner
to exceed client expectations. Here are a few, simple-to-implement options.
Phone Systems
Phone
systems have advanced greatly. A wealth of call forwarding technologies enable
clients to call a central number to reach an attorney anywhere. Skype enables
you to conduct video conference calls during which you can share a screen and
exchange documents.
But
with phone forwarding, you may even have a remote answering such as Ruby
Receptionists (www.callruby.com), which then takes a message or forwards the
call to a specified phone number. Other services with great flexibility include
Ring Central (www.ringentral.com), Ooma (www.ooma.com) and Jive (www.jive.com).
Suddenly
a physical office or geographical distance are less important. It has become
almost normal for clients to work with law firms at a greater distance from
their home or business location. Having an office close to your clients (or
close to the courthouse) is suddenly not as critical.
Janet
Reed notes that this also benefits clients, as they may decide to hire an
attorney whose office is not nearby. It affords clients access to much greater
legal talent and improved access to quality representation than was once
available to them in smaller towns/markets.
What
used to be an in-person consultation can now be done by email or a video
conference. Since the number of in-person meetings is reduced, the cost to
clients is reduced as well.
Virtual Meetings
Getting
together for face-to-face meetings with clients can sometimes be difficult,
especially when it includes travel. Skype (www.skype.com) and EZ Talks
(www.eztalks.com), www.GoToMeeting.com and other video systems allow
you to offer the experience of a live meeting, which can be much more
productive and stimulating than a simple phone call, since human beings
communicate to large extent non-verbally, through gestures, facial expressions,
etc. Numerous Web-conferencing tools provide such visual and human elements of
a live meeting. They allow attendees to communicate, collaborate on documents
and even give presentations in real time.
In
fact, there are free (or almost free) services with a lot of functionality that
are useful for sharing and discussing on-screen documents, giving a
presentation, recording and chat capabilities.
Client Portals
Online
Client Portals are an option especially for a high-volume practice such as
bankruptcy or Family Law law. Instead of answering innumerable phone calls with
questions such as “What is the status of my case?”, the firm offers access to a
Portal where clients can see their exact case status in real time. In fact,
password-protected portions of a law firm’s website may be a more secure
alternative to email. Clients can access their case information day or night,
comment on drafts and get updates on court dates. Examples include Practice
Panther (www.practicepanther.com) and One Hub (www.onehub.com).
Still
somewhat expensive due to the cost and complexity of implementation, client
portals will undoubtedly proliferate further as the technology matures.
Social Media
Whether
you like it or not, Social Media has become inescapable. Review websites like
Yelp! or Avvo list Attorneys regardless and allow anybody to post reviews and
comments about one’s practice. Further, Facebook creates “inofficial” Facebook
pages for professionals, which in effect may force them to set up actual
Facebook pages and join their platform. In many cases, the best option for the
legal practitioner may be to embrace Social Media and claim the profile to use
and control it to their advantage.
Google Maps - Locations
In
past, even small problems like “I cannot find your office” could interrupt a
client relationship. No more. Today you can put “Directions” on your website to
ensure that all clients can find your office easily when they have to. Google
Maps can be customized for clients, and also shows the way to related locations
to one’s Practice (i.e. Courthouse, Government Offices, etc.). Google
Streetview also can show clients what your office building looks like from the
outside.
Case Reminders
Everybody
is busy. We all receive too many emails. Thus, many messages get lost in the
shuffle. Providing communications or updates via email, text message, or
voicemail can remind clients of upcoming appointments, deadlines, court dates,
etc.
Sharing Information
with Clients
Here
at our law firm, at the commencement of services, we fully discuss
communication preferences with clients. This includes discussing methods for
exchanging confidential information and their preferences for receiving other,
general communications.
In
fact, proactive communications with clients may be an effective marketing tool,
such as an alert to a client about regulatory actions that are about to affect
their business.
To
be continued.
The
complete articles will be published on the blog of Ms. Reed at https://janetreedesq.blogspot.com/
*NOTE:
The inclusion of a technology or app in this article does not mean an
endorsement or approval. The listed technologies are just for illustrative
purposes. None of these particular technologies are endorsed or recommended by
this author.
About Janet Pittman Reed,
Attorney in North Carolina
Janet
P. Reed is an attorney in Jacksonville, North Carolina, and handles Family
Law cases such as Divorce & Separation, Personal Injury, Traffic, Criminal
Law, Driver’s License Restoration Services, and Civil Litigation cases.
References:
Website:
https://janetreedlaw.com/
Attorney
Profile: https://solomonlawguild.com/janet-p-reed
Twitter:
https://twitter.com/leglone?lang=en
*** Janet Pittman Reed has been licensed for more than 16 years and handles cases in Divorce & Separation. This attorney works in Jacksonville, NC and attended University of Florida, Fredric G. Levin College of Law. She was admitted in North Carolina.
