There’s no questioning technology’s impact on workplace productivity, but given the diversity of emerging tech and software products, it can be challenging to pin down exactly what tools will maximize the success of your firm and in what areas of your day-to-day work.
For solo and small immigration practices in need of an (electronic) extra pair of hands, law firm CRM systems offer tools for increased efficiency, data analytics, and schedule management, ensuring your work is focused on positive client outcomes, not administrative tasks. Below are five essential tech tips to serve as a jumping-off point for improving workplace efficiency and increasing client value: Key to maximizing productivity is prioritizing your casework and adopting an integrated workflow system. Forget sorting piles of sticky notes and searching for one-off emails about case assignments— with a cloud-based, case management software, tasks are collected in one place, accessible to solo lawyers or an entire firm, from a variety of devices. Case work items are clearly sorted and organized based on deadlines and priority, ensuring no tasks are ignored or incomplete. Within a small firm, an office-wide workflow establishes a greater sense of transparency, as associates and assistants can stay up to date on one another’s work.
1. Know what’s in your queue.
Key to maximizing productivity is prioritizing your casework and adopting an integrated workflow system. Forget sorting piles of sticky notes and searching for one-off emails about case assignments— with a cloud-based, case management software, tasks are collected in one place, accessible to solo lawyers or an entire firm, from a variety of devices. Case work items are clearly sorted and organized based on deadlines and priority, ensuring no tasks are ignored or incomplete. Within a small firm, an office-wide workflow establishes a greater sense of transparency, as associates and assistants can stay up to date on one another’s work.
2. Adopt a Smarter Calendar
While practicing immigration law can present an abundance of challenges, a balanced legal calendar should never be one of them. Calendar-related missteps can cause missed deadlines, filling errors, even court absences, all of which can result in malpractice actions against lawyers. Case management software can safeguard you and your firm against disastrous scheduling errors by synching upcoming deadlines, calls, and appointments with existing calendars, allowing you to access the information on the go, from a variety of devices.
3. Create a More Effective Billing Process
In solo practices and small firms, almost 40% of time worked is not billed, reflecting negatively on your bottom line and suggesting that tasks crucial for positive case outcomes are not receiving ample attention. Implementing practice management software can eliminate time spent on non-billable administrative tasks, and record billable activities with more accuracy and clarity. An accurate billing process will reflect the true value of your services and your level of preparedness, as your focus is shifted from non-billable activities to client-focused tasks that strengthen positive case outcomes.
4. Listen to Your Metrics
With case management software in place, your casework and task history will provide a variety of data points that can direct you toward making more effective choices in client relations and workplace practices. Sort and analyze data points about case outcomes, demographics, hours billed and more as points of comparison or as a means to establish a baseline.
5. Use Technology to Stay Client-Focused
A firm of any size will benefit by emphasizing client satisfaction and delivering an attentive service. A client-focused case management system will offer firms a host of methods to attend to specific client needs and reconnect throughout the legal process and after. Keep detailed notes of client information within profile fields, including details that will allow your or a partner to provide personalized communication. Use scheduling tools to set reminders to deliver follow-up calls or emails. Collect standardized documents and resources, allowing you to be responsive to requests and queries.
The size of your law firm should not determine the size of its impact. In the case of legal technology, small firms and solo practitioners are able to leverage practice management software appropriate for their needs, streamlining day-to-day operations and strengthening client relationships.
To learn more about how immigration case management software by Innovation Law Lab can increase the productivity and effectiveness of your firm, discover the LawLab subscription plan best for your legal practice.
