By Ben Kent | LEAP, AAML NJ Silver Sponsor
New Jersey family law cases are complex and often require the filing of specific legal forms and documents depending on the type of matter being litigated, such as child support, alimony, or divorce proceedings.
Preparing official legal documents such as Case Information Statements; Child Support Guideline Worksheets; Case Management Orders; legal pleadings and motion papers; and the various correspondence in a legal matter, such as letters and memos, can be complicated, and lawyers and their teams run the risk of errors if they do not utilize automation technology to handle document creation.
Document automation software, especially software that is purpose-built for NJ family law practice, reduces these risks and offers three distinctive benefits:
1. Do more work, more quickly; take on more clients and make more money.
2. Access up-to-date and most recent files; ensure one version of the truth.
3. Securely send, collaborate, and receive correspondence and minimize security risks.
Benefit 1: Do More Work, More Quickly
Case and client information can be difficult to keep track of, especially when an attorney is handling multiple active matters at once.
By having one central location to enter case and client details, attorneys can access accurate data faster. Automation software also makes data entry more efficient and accurate than ever before.
For example, by entering family details once (such as the names and birthdates of the children, and parents' employment details), automation software allows you to generate Child Support Guideline Worksheets and other important case documents with ease, while also avoiding duplicate data entry. This saves time by eliminating the manual work previously associated with these tasks.
This automation allows NJ family law firms to spend more time on other work, which enables the firm to take on a greater number of clients, expand the practice, and ultimately make more money.
Benefit 2: Access Up-to-Date and Most Recent Files
A centralized location for client information, case documents, and other important files ensures that NJ legal professionals have reliable access to the most recent case information.
By implementing modern cloud-based legal software for NJ firms, documents and case files can be arranged per case, and include details such as creation dates, author, and any associated tasks such as emails, secure document sharing, and submission to the NJ courts. This eliminates the need to dig through inboxes or dusty physical file rooms and eliminates the need to remotely access servers.
Benefit 3: Securely Send, Collaborate, and Receive Correspondence
NJ family law cases rely heavily on internal and external collaboration. However, when dealing with sensitive information such as financial details, medical information, and other private matters, sending correspondence that doesn't adhere to security guidelines runs the risk of being non-compliant with ABA Model Rule 1.1 Comment 8 (https://info.leap.us/l/111142/2023-08-03/79whzm), which sets forth the attorney's Duty of Technological Competence. Attorneys are obligated to stay abreast of changes in technology to the extent that those changes affect their area of practice, and attorneys are expected to understand the common technologies of the time and how to avoid violating their duty of confidentiality when utilizing new technologies.
Outlook, Dropbox, and other file-sharing methods have security measures that are not purpose-built for law firms. These systems are unlikely to integrate directly with a legal practice management software system or are less likely to include valuable automation features.
LawConnect, a secure document sharing and collaboration tool for law firms, provides data encryption and security measures, while also saving directly to the corresponding matter in the LEAP legal practice productivity solution. This is the only software solution needed for NJ family law firms looking to streamline and secure client and matter information and correspondence.
Conclusion
NJ family law firms must be diligent when working on sensitive matters and need to embrace technology that will allow them to operate more efficiently.
By implementing automation software, especially software like LEAP, which is made for use by NJ family law firms, law firms will be set up for improved client satisfaction, growth, expansion, and increased revenue for their businesses.
Learn how LEAP can help your NJ family law practice today (https://info.leap.us/l/111142/2023-08-03/79whzj).
