using technology in your law practice - mo sasf

© 2016 Downey Law Group LLC. For educa!onal purposes only.

Using  Technology  in  Your  Practice

Michael  DowneyDowney  Law  Group  LLC

What’s  Your  Tech  Savvy?5 – Written  code  for  my  law  practice4  – Automated  documents  and/or  accounting3  – Practice  Management  Software  – use  it

*  Calendar/communications*  Manage  client  files*  Send  bills

2  – Practice  Management  Software  – have  it1  – Can  create  documents  and  send  email0  – Email  – assistant  prints  them,  dictate/handwrite  response  

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DISCLOSURE

• I  will  discuss  real  products• I  use  – and  will  disclose  use  – of  many  of  these  products

• All  or  virtually  all  these  products  have  competitors• I  am  not getting  paid  to  tell  you  about  any  of  these  products  (or  their  competitors)

Downey  Law  Group  LLCFounded  February  2015Two  (or  more)  lawyers

Raphael  NemesMyselfMelanie  Barker  (contract)

“Devoted  to  legal  ethics  and  the  law  of  lawyering”

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What  Law  Firms  Do

• Seek  clients• Client  intake• Represent  clients– Prepare  documents– Advise  clients

• Bill  clients• Receive  payment  from  clients

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ABA  Model  Rule  1.1  cmt  [8]

• To  maintain  the  requisite  knowledge  and  skill,  a  lawyer  should  keep  abreast  of  changes  in  the  law  and  its  practice,  including  the  benefits  and  risks  associated  with  relevant  technology,  engage  in  continuing  study  and  education  and  comply  with  all  continuing  legal  education  requirements  to  which  the  lawyer  is  subject.

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© 2016 Downey Law Group LLC. For educa!onal purposes only.

Marketing  and  Intake

Seeking  Clients

• Who  are  your  clients?• How  do  you  get  clients?• How  should  you  get  clients?

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What  Works  (Corporate-­‐Focused  Firms)

61% Visiting  clients

9% Firm-­‐sponsored  seminars

12% Organizational  Involvement

3% Speeches

0% By-­‐lined  Articles

2% Website

3% Newsletter

10% Other

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Marketing  Continuum  (AT)

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LinkedIn  Buzz

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SEO  and  SEM

• SEO  – Search  Engine  Optimization• SEM  – Search  Engine  Marketing

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SEM

SEO

SEM

“Old”  Results

(New  Results)

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Nurturing  Clients/Prospects/Referrals

• CRM  (Client  Relationship  Management)  • Email  newsletters  – Constant  Contact–Mail  Chimp– AW  Weber  – and  lots  of  others

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Why  Use  Email  Newsletter  Systems

• Manage  your  list(s)• Circumnavigate  spam  filters• Deliver  attractive  newsletters

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Newsletter  Contents

• Videos  or  podcasts• Checklists• Survey  results• Client  stories  (or  firm/employee  stories)

• Event  advertisements• Job  posts

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Contact  by  Prospects• Answer  telephone– Staff  (receptionist)– Receptionist  company

• Ruby  Receptionist• Gabbyville• Smith.AI• Back  Office  Betties• Direct  Line• 24x7  Attorney  Answering  Service  (and  many  more)• (Partial  list  at  http://profilesandreviews.com/ruby-­‐receptionist-­‐complaints-­‐reviews/)

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Online  Intake

• Intake  form  on  website– Shorter  is  (generally)  better– Beware  obtaining  “disqualifying  confidences”

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© 2016 Downey Law Group LLC. For educa!onal purposes only.

Represent  Clients

Practice  Management  Software

• Matter  management– Documents  creation/management– Timekeeping– Tasks

• Practice  management– Billing  and  invoicing– Calendar– Communication

Practice  Management  Options

• AbacusLaw• Clio• MyCase• ProLaw• Rocket  Matter• Tabs  III

• TimeMatters• Worlddox

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http://www.americanbar.org/content/dam/aba/migrated/tech/ltrc/charts/pmtbchart.authcheckdam.pdf

Why  Practice  Management  Software?

• Matter  creation• Conflict  checks• Calendaring• Contacts• Document  management  (cloud)– Client  portal

• Timekeeping  and  billing• Communications  – tasks,  email, and  more

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Clio

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Invoicing

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The  "Cloud"

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Terms  of  ServiceGoogle  Docs  (6/2015)

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Terms  of  Service  – Dropbox  (6/2015)

Outsourced  Brief  Printing

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Bates  Labeling

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© 2016 Downey Law Group LLC. For educa!onal purposes only.

Money  Issues

Credit  Card  Payments

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Options  for  General  Processor

• Receive  only  payments  for  past  work  (paid  into  operating  account)  OR

• Track  fees  deducted  from  operating  account  by  processor  .  .  .  carefully

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Legal-­‐Industry  Processors

• Usually  allow  deposits  in  two  accounts:– Operating  account  (normal)– Trust  account  (with  all  chargebacks  and  fees  deducted  from  operating account)

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(Other)  Banking  Tricks

• Use  on-­‐line  banking  to  track  expenses– Credit  card  transactions  on-­‐line– Bank  transactions  on  line

• Receive  account  updates  from  banks

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Accounting  System

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Payroll  System

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© 2016 Downey Law Group LLC. For educa!onal purposes only.

Other  Helpful  Hints

Internet  Access

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(Free)  Conference  Calls

• Multiple  sources  for  free  conference  calls– Personal  dial-­‐in  and  password– I  use  “FreeConferenceCalls.com”

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“Less  Paper”  – Office  Scanning

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• Fujitsu ScanSnap  c.  $400

Scan  on  the  Go  – App

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• Genius Scan  -­‐ $6.99

Business  Card  Scanning

• WorldCard  HD  -­‐ $6.99

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Need  a  “Travel  Monitor”?• Duet  Display  -­‐ $13.99  

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Michael  DowneyDowney  Law  Group  LLC

(314)  961-­‐6644(844)  961-­‐6644  toll  free

mdowney@DowneyLawGroup.com

Thank  You