Peer to Peer Magazine

28 PEER TO PEER: THE QUARTERLY MAGAZINE OF ILTA | SPRING 2016 Electronic Document Management To Go Paper-Light Document and Paper Challenges It is common knowledge that law firms are document-heavy. The vast amounts of paper a firm normally produces must be retained for a significant number of years, and paper storage has had to expand to keep up with the growth in email use, making adequate management cumbersome. Rather than simply changing our document management system, as many firms do, we implemented an electronic filing solution. Evaluation and Selection Early buy-in from the business was crucial. We put together a project board of 11 people that included partners, solicitors and secretaries who undertook a comprehensive review of document management, realizing this would be a core component of introducing our broader electronic filing effort. The project board assessed seven systems and narrowed it down to three. Aer request for proposals and in-house demonstrations, these three systems were scored on 17 criteria. Ultimately, the internal project team chose the technology they thought was right for the firm. In addition, we asked our business analysts to talk with firm users and determine how people worked with files and what their paper file needs were. From their reports, we assembled requirements and an approximate look and feel for the new native cloud document management system. The Proof Is in the Cloud Workflow has improved through the implementation of a native cloud electronic document management (EDM) system and high-powered scanners and image- capture technology. We changed our aging document management soware and implemented the latest native cloud technology, which is easier to use and allows both lawyers and clients to access files from any location using any Internet-connected device. Our lawyers and staff have experienced a radical shi due to this greater flexibility and improved information- sharing. The firm's fresh approach to electronic filing has produced big dividends in terms of enhanced services delivered to clients. Other benefits of the new EDM system include improved information security and disaster recovery processes and reduced IT management overhead and costs. As an example, a major underground fire caused a widespread power outage in central London near the firm's offices. While our IT team restored systems at our backup site, our lawyers and clients continued to access files through the cloud, proving that cloud computing could help mitigate risk. We also spent a lot of time educating the firm on how going "on-demand" was safe. We presented on-demand IT as a hosted solution and didn't even use the term "cloud." Looking to the Future Farrer's e-file project has reduced paper cluer by changing business processes and introducing new IT solutions. The firm deployed Apple iPhones to users earlier this year and is evaluating tablet devices. We are adding Our game-changing e-file initiative spanned several business and IT areas: • Business Analysis: Mapping and review of how existing paper-based processes would work in a digital environment. • EDM System Replacement: Selecting and implementing a legal-specific native cloud- based solution based on the firm's needs. • Business and Technology Training: Delivering initial training to over 400 staff, covering process changes and how to work with scanned documents and the new EDM system. • Rollout Communication and Enhanced Support: Communicating regularly before, during and after rollout and engaging and training 20 contract floor walkers to help staff answer queries about the new EDM as the system went live. • Scanner Selection and Implementation: Working with reputable third parties to implement the best capture and scanning solution to meet the business' needs. Since the new scanners have been installed, scanning throughput volumes have increased 25 percent. ALIGNING IT AND BUSINESS STRATEGIES TO CHANGE THE GAME CASE STUDIES

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