Peer to Peer Magazine

PEER TO PEER: THE QUARTERLY MAGA ZINE OF ILTA 32 Recognizing that the ability to effectively budget, manage and reduce defense costs is essential to the bottom line, Littler Mendelson, P.C. created Littler CaseSmart, an integrated solution of technology, talent and legal project management (LPM) that offers immediate cost benefits for the defense of employment matters. TECHNOLOGY The Littler CaseSmart platform provides clients with a transparent, interactive dashboard interface. The dashboard houses detailed information on a client's agency and litigation matters, allowing the company to monitor the progress of a single case or an entire portfolio of matters. This dashboard radically changes how clients approach their legal strategies. Beyond examining the details of a single case in real time, such as status reports and attorney work product, clients use this dashboard to review the portfolio of their company's cases and drill down to litigation trends and data analytics reflecting risk and areas for proactive risk management. With the attorney-client privileged analytics provided by Littler CaseSmart, clients can better identify potential areas of exposure and proactively manage risk to avoid future litigation. For example, an employer examining its legal matters might notice a particular internal policy is implicated in several litigation cases. This would alert the legal and human resources departments that more training is needed on the policy or that the policy needs to be revised. A clearer picture of what is driving current litigation enables clients to lower the risk of similar claims arising. TALENT Littler CaseSmart – Litigation was launched in July 2013, following the success of Littler CaseSmart – Charges, an integrated solution to managing employment-related administrative charges. At the center of our approach is the flex-time attorney (FTA) model, which offers specialized, client- dedicated teams with a focus on quality and consistency. Our litigation teams comprise a combination of local Littler employment attorneys and FTAs who focus on specific tasks within the legal process. Our clients get the best of both worlds — strategic decision-makers local to the jurisdiction and client-dedicated FTAs who are efficient and cost-effective. LEGAL PROJECT MANAGEMENT Supported by the legal project management of Littler CaseSmart Program Directors, Littler CaseSmart's technology-driven efficiency allows clients to control costs, reduce risks and improve predictability. Clients report that in addition to a 10 to 30 percent savings on litigation-related legal costs, the data-driven insights generated from the dashboard enhance the development of companywide business strategies and provide valuable information on employment-related risk. The solution makes managing litigation and deciding upon a strategy easier, which has led to more productive litigation resolutions. Clients also note that the efficiency and technical expertise of the Littler CaseSmart team have saved them time. THE SMART APPROACH Clients are embracing the Littler CaseSmart approach as a long-term strategic asset. This allows us to advance our relationships with clients and serve as true business partners and advisors. CASE STUDIES About the Author Charlotte Main is a shareholder at Littler Mendelson, the world's largest labor and employment firm representing management, and she is responsible for implementing Littler CaseSmart solutions for the firm's clients. She can be contacted at cmain@littler.com. Technology, Talent and LPM: The Littler CaseSmart Approach From simple administrative claims to complex litigation matters, employers face ever-increasing challenges in controlling legal costs.

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