Most people think that the best lawyers are those who best understand the law. However, as many successful attorneys will explain, another vital component is being able to access and scour the right information to make persuasive arguments and sound decisions. This kind of information may include any number of different documents, from details about property lines to past claims to business relationships and more.
Many of these critical documents are right under the firm’s roof. Attorneys constantly need to reference old cases or other client-specific information they’ve kept secure. This need for such a vast sum of documentation is why law office file management has become critical in this field.
6 Reason So Many Firms Invest in Law Office File Management
While running a successful law firm requires several important elements, file management is undoubtedly among them. Here are the six main reasons firms all over the country have optimized their law office file management systems.
1. Storing Documents in the Cloud
The most significant benefit to digital law office file management is that all of those important files go into the cloud. After that, each firm has numerous options for customizing their digital filing cabinet, so it best suits their needs. It also makes possible the next five advantages listed below.
2. Keeping Documents Organized
Organizing legal files with a document management system has become the standard across law firms because the alternative can’t compare. Maintaining important documents in filing cabinets may work for the first year or two of a firm’s existence. However, as time goes on, trying to house all of those filing cabinets will become nearly impossible. Most firms have much more pressing priorities for their budget than buying extra office space, filing cabinets, and other materials necessary to organize and store files.
With a law office file management system, documents are converted and stored as digital versions in the cloud. No more finding room in the budget to pay for more room for documents.
3. Making It Easy to Effectively Search Documents
Managing legal files with a document management system is also far superior to the outdated alternative. Once the documents are converted and stored in a virtual law office file management system, attorneys and paralegals can access them with a search that’s about as simple as using Google. For large cases that required equally large collections of files, tracking down all the right documents could take hours. Often, it was a task that was spread out over several days. Most large firms employed people whose job description included being able to search out a plethora of documents ASAP.
The days of these long waits are over. With a file management system in place, even the most ambitious requests can be answered in seconds.
4. Improving Security
Keeping files inside a law firm inside a special room for said files may seem extremely secure. Unfortunately, a natural disaster or accident with the building could destroy them. Someone could also remove the files and simply forget to put them back, perhaps losing them in the process. Now, those important documents are gone forever.
On the other hand, the cloud is extremely secure. No natural disaster can destroy it. No burst pipe or electrical fire can get to it. Law firms trust the cloud because it’s the best possible place to keep sensitive information without limiting its accessibility.
5. Sharing Documents for Greater Collaboration
That last point is important because law offices often thrive on collaboration. They may need to work with a partner counsel. The judge, opposing council, regulators, or some other third-party may request documents, too. In any of these situations – especially when time matters – being able to access such legal files through a document management system is extremely convenient.
When collaborating on a case, it can make all the difference to the result. Many attorneys have to go offsite for several days or even weeks at a time. As cloud accessibility is easily shared with authorized parties, they’re never limited to the information they can access for a case.
6. Becoming Eco-Friendly
Every company needs to embrace the challenge of reducing its carbon footprint and making an effort to take an eco-friendlier approach to its initiatives. While there are plenty of benefits to adopting a paperless office, saving the planet is probably at the top of the list.
Many law firms have already gone green, and one of the most common ways they’ve done so is prioritizing digital documents and uploading them to the cloud.
