The most efficiently and effectively run law office in operation today is one in which legal office procedures are systematic and organized and the attorneys take advantage of the latest technologies available. By developing law office procedures in this manner, a legal practice can better serve its clients and reap more profit in both the short and long term.

New Client Management

Develop a comprehensive system for new client management. Have a standardized process through which you glean necessary information for firm records both about the client personally and about her case specifically. This can include the client responding to a questionnaire when engaging the firm.

Utilize client management software that you either create yourself to meet your specific needs or which you purchase from a reputable vendor. This helps to preserve necessary data you can access easily.

Docket Management

Establish a reliable docket management system as part of your overall legal office procedures. The frightening reality is that each and every week cases are lost because a lawyer or law firm did not appropriately docket a due date for a filing or a court appearance. In such a situation, not only does a client end up without his day in court (literally) but a lawyer or law firm faces the prospect of a malpractice claim.

Long gone are the days when docket management is undertaken using a card file or some other type of antiquated system. Rather, there are dozens of different types of docket management software applications that you can select from and utilize as part of your overall system of legal office procedures.

Billing Management

Instituting and maintaining an accurate and efficient billing management system is crucial to the success of your firm. Your law practice is a business and you must profit from your efforts.

The typical lawyer maintains a full schedule handling the needs of her clients. There is very little time to devote to dealing with billing matters. Therefore, the most efficiently run law practices take advantage of technology in the form of software applications that allow you to easily record time spent on a client file.