The quarterly publication of the International Legal Technology Association
Issue link: https://epubs.iltanet.org/i/96072
New Business Intake Challenges and Solutions by Pat Archbold and Sam Suri of IntApp, Inc. Multiple market pressures are forcing law firms to act and operate more like corporate businesses. In response to increasing client expectations and demands, firms are exploring new business models such as fixed and alternative fee arrangements. They are also investing significant resources in client services and operational efficiencies to improve performance and increase profitability. All these changes create new demands on departments like finance and IT. There is probably no activity that captures this nexus of pressures better than new business intake (NBI). At its essence, NBI consists of two tasks: • Deciding whether to take on new clients or matters • Enabling lawyers to start working and billing hours These tasks may seem simple enough, but both test a firm's ability to implement strategy and operate efficiently. Today, vetting clients is no longer just a question of checking conflicts; it's also an opportunity to judge which clients match a firm's longterm business goals. Opening a new client or matter across firm systems can either be a tedious manual process that invites shortcuts and errors, or a simple automated process that improves data quality across firm systems. NBI can therefore be a necessary but inconvenient process or a positive driver of business intelligence and growth, and it's up to IT to structure and automate the process so it can add real value to the firm. Peer to Peer 55