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Technology is revolutionizing practice management and clients are reaping the benefits

Issue May/June 2016 By P. Tyler Summers

Slowly but surely, technology is revolutionizing the practice of law. At the solo and small firm level, the law offices of just a decade ago bear little resemblance to those of today. The proliferation of mobile devices and widespread use of "the cloud" have streamlined practice management, allowing for enhanced client collaboration, decreasing the need for administrative support and eliminating costly overhead.

At my divorce and family law firm in Newton, I utilize a slew of ingenious cloud-based services and apps to manage my operation. The heart of my practice is Office 365, an inexpensive, cloud-based subscription service from Microsoft. It hosts e-mail, provides browser-based access to the programs we are so familiar with (Outlook, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint) and offers a terabyte of encrypted file storage. Not only does this service eliminate the need for my office to maintain its own server, but I can also access all of my case files remotely, whether at court or on the beach. It should be noted that Google offers a similar product, utilizing the Gmail interface with which we are all so familiar.

The cloud also offers a secure platform for client collaboration. With a simple link and a password, clients can access their files securely, allowing them to review court filings, correspondence and the like. For clients who prefer a "hands on" role in their representation, I can even permit them to redline draft pleadings, resulting in more effective advocacy. Client reaction to enhanced collaboration has been wildly enthusiastic - particularly from those who worked with other counsel prior to retaining my office.

As a family law litigator, I often work with mothers and fathers who juggle parenting responsibilities and full-time careers. Due to professional demands, their ability to meet with me during normal business hours is limited. For them, being able to remotely access their case file at times of their choosing is a game changer. In fact, I recently represented an executive who travelled to Asia two weeks of the month. Given the 12-hour time difference, one would imagine that lawyer-client interaction was an insurmountable obstacle. However, by employing cloud technology, the client could review documents and collaborate on various aspects of her case from her hotel room after work; when I would arrive at my office the next morning, I received notification of the client's collaboration. Without such cloud-based tools, my representation would be far less efficient and costlier for the client.

It's 2016; clients should have remote, on-demand access to their case files. While more lawyers are adopting this view, many law firms continue to employ older technology, requiring lawyers to take a more manual, time-consuming and costly approach to representation. Microsoft Office 365 and Google Apps for Work are great tools for lawyers to utilize before making the jump to more comprehensive practice management software, such as Clio or Rocket Matter. For those who have just hung their shingle and are trying to minimize overhead, the inexpensive options are more than sufficient.

P. Tyler Summers concentrates his Newton-based practice in the negotiation and litigation of complex divorce and family law matters. Prior to founding his own office, Summers honed his skills at a prominent domestic relations firm, served as a criminal prosecutor (Rule 3:03) and worked with judges at multiple trial courts, including the federal court.