Issue link: https://epubs.iltanet.org/i/43390
• More cost-efficient • Capable of performing benchmarking • The best at making staffing decisions • Proactive at providing legal advice to the business to help lower and manage the company's risks With the help of an outside consultant, we were advised to implement a solution that combined e-billing, matter management and reporting, which was a fairly new concept a few years ago. Selecting, designing and implementing an e-billing/ matter management solution can be tricky business. We implemented two different solutions in the span of three years. Bridgeway's matter-management offering, eCounsel, was our second solution and was a success due to many factors, but there is no question that lessons were learned from the first implementation. Based on the lessons learned, our team determined that there are four major factors that contribute to the overall success of these projects. FOUR KEYS TO SUCCESS Set a proactive tone from the top. Getting buy-in from our own general counsel and other law department leaders was the first step in becoming an information-enabled department. Clearly articulated expectations, vision and supportive direction by our general counsel helped guide our team and helped us communicate goals to colleagues and to our outside counsel. Internally, it is critical to set expectations and to let management know that key staff will be spending a considerable amount of time supporting the new implementation, even though it is a temporary situation. Externally, it is important to set expectations as well. For example, we held firm on the decision that if a law firm wanted to do business with us, they needed to comply with our billing requirements. Well-prepared and well-planned communications, particularly those endorsed by the general counsel, are essential when contacting your law firms about your project. Once your requirements are established, you must insist or make sure that firms adhere to them. For example, out of almost 150 firms that we instructed to submit e-bills, only one firm refused. We no longer use that firm, and we've never had another one decline. Don't rush to establish custom business and invoice rules. While organizations may attempt to make the system perfect on day one with every requirement in place, it pays to be more pragmatic. For instance, we went live with the matter management and e-billing solution using the predefined rules, knowing we would add custom rules in the following months. Taking the time to decide what you can use out-of-the-box, and agreeing to fill in any remaining requirements with custom rules at a later date, is often the best solution, particularly because the standard rule set will meet most of a client's needs. The more diverse your practice groups, the tougher it is to build custom rules that will work with them. Now, a couple years post-implementation, we have implemented 16 custom rules and integrations that further automate and enhance our solution and maximize its value. www.iltanet.org Corporate Law Departments 29