It is no secret that the legal industry is behind other professional industries technologically. Last fall our office attended a legal conference to change that. Technology to advance the legal system and accommodate law firms is developed every day. We brought back a wealth of knowledge, and earlier this year we implemented measures to ensure we are operating a modern law firm. These measures streamline our office, making our attorneys more efficient and saving our clients money. We have effectively used technology to assist numerous out of state clients without them ever stepping foot in our office.de:
Examples of some of our new practices include:
- Online intake. Our potential clients fill out an online intake form, specifically formatted for their specific legal issue. This form is submitted electronically and allows the attorney to review important aspects of the case prior to the consultation to ensure they are fully prepared for the meeting. The forms also include everything we would need to complete the appropriate pleadings if hired at a later date.
- Virtual meetings. We have always offered telephonic consultations for out of state, or otherwise unavailable clients, but now we offer video-conferencing via Skype or Zoom. We accommodate our clients to meet and discuss their legal issues however they are most comfortable.
- Online Chat. Not everyone feels comfortable speaking about sensitive legal matters initially, and we understand that. We now offer online chat to speak with an attorney, or representative, prior to a consultation to answer basic questions and to set up further communications however the client feels most comfortable.
- Online Scheduling. Our clients, and potential clients, can view the attorney’s schedule online to schedule an appointment at a time most convenient for them. No need to call, or e-mail back and forth trying to find a date that works. Once they select an appointment slot on the calendar, they are e-mailed a confirmation and the appropriate intake form, or documents necessary for the appointment.
- DocuSign. We can provide all documents requiring a signature to clients via e-mail for an electronic signature. Very few documents require an original signature of the client and this allows us to file pleadings and other motions without an in-person meeting with the client.
- Document Automation. Although every client has a unique situation, some documents require the same basic information no matter the specific case. We use document automation to automatically add this vital information to documents and save our attorneys time. This saves our clients money by reducing billable hours and allowing the attorneys to focus more time on vital legal issues.
- Security. With a large increase of exchanging personal information via the internet, we knew we needed to ensure our cyber security is top notch to protect our client’s personal information. We hired an IT company to evaluate our current securities and recommend the best practices for our needs. We implemented these recommendations and increased our cyber security and insurance.
Because of the technological advances made to accommodate the legal industry, we are able to implement all of these practices and run a complete virtual law firm during this critical time. We are still operating and fully functional, the only difference is we are now taking preventative measures for COVID-19 and have suspended all in person meetings. The Law Offices of Kerri Cohen is here for your legal needs during this time. Please contact us if you have any questions or read our COVID-19 FAQs here.
