Issue link: https://epubs.iltanet.org/i/13683
According to Mancuso, the driving factors to automate legal processes are twofold. “First, documenting the process is extremely important for purposes of defensibility,” he said. “Second, data ages, and one of the best ways to manage that whole effect is through software.” Next, it is important to evaluate the gaps in your process. If you’re looking to cut costs in review, for example, perhaps you should look into an early case assessment (ECA) tool. If you’re looking to streamline the litigation process and coordinate between dozens of applications, people and processes, you should look into a workflow management solution. Although it may not always be timely or easy, Browning Marean, an e-discovery expert and senior counsel at DLA Piper, believes that identifying and proactively addressing process gaps is an important step. “It’s awfully hard in the firestorm of litigation, in many cases, to take a cool assessment of what’s going on,” Marean said. “But if you can follow a process like that, your organization is going to be much better off in the long run.” DEPLOYMENT DECISIONS Once you have identified the need for a solution, the next step is to decide which option best meets your firm’s needs. First, put together a team that includes constituents from IT, legal and practice management areas to ensure all interests are represented and that all needs will be met. While typical IT considerations when choosing a cloud, hosted or enterprise solution focus on resource capacity, performance and storage requirements, legal process management solutions require additional considerations, including privacy, heightened security and accessibility issues. 20 Case/Matter Management ILTA White Paper “For some, the choice is straightforward: High- user entities with capable IT infrastructure invest in enterprise-version legal process management software, while firms or small- to mid-size businesses with lower user volume or infrequent demands choose a pay- per-use SaaS model,” according to Randy Girouard, Manager of Automated Legal Services at Haynes and Boone LLP. “The software selections are plentiful, and now the options to host or not to host allow a firm to decide what is best for business. Price is an obvious part of the equation, but various factors should be considered when debating traditional in-house solutions versus moving operations to the cloud.” When choosing between a cloud-based solution and an enterprise solution the following factors should be considered: • Sophistication of your internal IT infrastructure • Sensitivity to initial capital investment • Complexity of business in process, hierarchy, size and number of employees • Stability of business model and processes, including business growth rate • Need for flexibility to change software to accommodate business needs • Level of integration required with third-party enterprise software applications • Volume of litigation and volume of data • Degree of internal tool usage and adoption