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.