Selecting a new legal practice management application is no easy feat. With your firm’s productivity on the line, the stakes are high and the vetting process should be thorough. One critical step in the selection process is the trial where you, and other future users in the firm, can actually roll up your sleeves and get to know the platform.

It is imperative to stay up to date on the latest technology to keep your law firm running smoothly. However, acquiring current technology and software applications is only one piece of the success puzzle. Most end users use approximately 20% of a software application’s features.

It is critical for your business to align itself with competent and ethical business partners. Mediocre business partners can have a devastating impact on your firm. Every business partner, no matter the size or how often they are utilized, must be transparent, ethical, competent and communicative.

Most legal matters involve hundreds of documents, many of which have numerous iterations along the way. Zola Suite’s robust document management system not only helps firms efficiently manage these files, but also offers interoperability with Zola’s other native matter management tools, maximizing efficiency and productivity.

When a law firm hires an attorney from another firm, certain challenges need to be addressed. It is prudent to address these issues prior to day one, before the lateral attorney becomes an entrenched member of the firm. It is equally important to recognize that each attorney is unique and may have unique needs, therefore each onboarding situation should be tailored to the attorney.

Picture this: a new client retained the firm, timely work was performed, invoices were prepared and sent to the client and yet those invoices remain unpaid. Sound familiar? Many law firms have very high accounts receivable balances that are aged over 120 days and these high and aged invoices directly affect the firm’s overall financial health.

With cybersecurity threats on the rise, it is imperative that firms proactively improve internal and external security protocols. Keeping confidential information and sensitive client data secure means extending such protocols to each software vendor.

When considering starting a boutique law firm, there are many issues that need to be addressed prior to the first day of business. For instance, if a lawyer is leaving another firm, it is critical that the lawyer read any documentation or current firm policies regarding clients and transferring data. The lawyer should make sure that the departure is as transparent and non-adversarial as possible. In some instances (especially with equity partners), it would make sense to engage a business attorney.

With so much technology at our fingertips, IT professionals always have some sort of new technological advancement to tackle. Any time you undertake a project that involves your computers, it is a good idea to have your IT team involved.