North Carolina Family
Law Attorney Janet Reed publishes first article in a series about technology
& the Family Law practitioner
Incorporating
technology into a Family Law practice can make the practice more efficient and
increase client satisfaction. In fact, technology may enable the Family Law practitioner
to exceed client expectations.
In
her first published article in a series of four, Janet Reed focuses on Family
Law Case Management by software. The complete articles will be published on the
blog of Ms. Reed at https://janetreedesq.blogspot.com/
Family
Law is constantly changing and technology is advancing. Family Law attorneys
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. Today computers and cell phones are inescapable.
Incorporating
technology into a Family Law practice can make the practice more efficient and
increase client satisfaction. In fact, technology may enable the Family Law practitioner
to exceed client expectations. Here are a few, simple-to-implement options.
Case Management
Software
Today
it is virtually impossible to manage a Family Law practice without software.
Forms are too long and complicated, and change often as courts update them and
impose additional requirements. It is almost a full-time job keeping with all Family
Law, Child Support, and all other law and regulatory changes. Long gone are the
days of paper routing slips, desktop inboxes and consecutive reviews by
paralegals and attorneys during which papers and files are shuffled back and
forth. With Family Law case management software, incoming documents are
reviewed in a pre-determined sequence or as authorized, and files or documents
are updated the same way. The staff has real-time access to documents and
status reports. Important dates are automatically entered into a calendar. Case
Management Software also enables legal teams to focus on a pre-set process,
thus saving time and energy, and greatly reducing the stress in this
deadline-driven profession. Case Management Software can also greatly reduce
costs for the law practice and the clients by standardizing and accelerating
document creation and maintenance.
There
are many different kinds of Case Management Software, some general ones such
as:
https://www.capterra.com
https://www.clio.com
https://www.mycase.com
https://www.trialworks.com
https://www.cosmolex.com
But
such general case management systems do not specifically address Family Law
matters. For that, there are management systems more tailored for Family Law
matters, such as www.clio.com
and www.mycase.com,
and www.smokeball.com.
These
are just a few examples, and should not be considered endorsements of any of
these products. Each Family Law practice should make sure to test them
carefully before buying, and take advantage of the free test versions or
consultations that many software providers offer as part of their sales
process. Find the right software to fit your own needs and your client’s
expectations.
Research and Mobile
Technology
Subscription
research services such as LEXIS and Westlaw have been available to attorneys
online for decades, gradually rendering hard copy law libraries obsolete. The
internet has done for law what it has for every other area of modern life,
providing instant access to information.
To
be continued. - The complete article will be published on the blog of Janet
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 in 1997.
