For legal professionals, being inundated with paperwork is part of the norm. Contracts, invoices, legal documents, the list goes on! It can all get complicated and unorganized very quickly. It’s for this reason, we are seeing more paperless law offices pop up.
Switching to a digital law office filing system can help you and your firm become more productive, efficient, and organized. Becoming an electronic lawyer can even help you attract eco-conscious clients and boost your triple bottom line. While these benefits may seem intriguing, why switch out traditional practices for a modern, paperless system? Let’s dive in.
3 Reasons to Join Paperless Law Offices Today
In all honesty, jumping on board with other paperless law offices isn’t a quick switch. However, the effort is worth it and you will soon be reaping a number of rewards from one simple change. At first, the transition may be challenging, but you can look forward to a more efficient law office filing system with a positive environmental impact.
If you’re still asking yourself if you should go paperless, take note of the following benefits.
Cut Costs
Do you dedicate a large portion of your budget to office supplies? No matter how much you stock up, it always seems that paper, pens, and staplers go missing without a trace. Unfortunately, this is a costly undertaking, and each piece of paper you use does add up in the grand scheme of things.
The benefit of working with digital platforms is that you can significantly lower your costs. According to Record Nations, the average office worker uses 10,000 sheets of paper each year where 45% of the printed paper ends up trashed by the end of the day. In other words, you’re literally throwing money away. With a paperless system, this cost is reduced significantly.
Secure Data
Data compliance and security is a huge factor in running a successful law firm. Although the paper has proven to be effective in the past, it’s not the most secure and reliable form of data protection. Going paperless and utilizing digital platforms means that your data is automatically encrypted and made safe from any hackers. Your clients can be assured that their confidential information’s welfare is your top priority.
Easy Collaboration
Remote working is here to stay and having a work from home environment is key for you to achieve electronic lawyer status. Instead of having to run into the office to grab an essential file, rather instantly access these files through an online system crafted towards your firm and your clients. Furthermore, multiple users can access the documents as needed too. This ensures that teamwork is maintained regardless of if you’re working from home or from the office.
How to Become an Electronic Lawyer:
With all the changes that traditional work environments are facing under current times, if firms wish to grow come 2021, digitizing their businesses is key. Here are a few steps for you to follow to ensure success.
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Build a Roadmap
Building a roadmap for the way forward will help establish which files need to be transferred when, and how this timeline needs to be carried out. Planning throughout this transition period will help sift out any potential chaos.
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Select Your Law Office Filing System Software
Your chosen platform should tick all of your firm’s boxes and ultimately assist you with productivity. If you’re wondering what you should focus on for your law firm software, read our blog post here.
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Get Your Team On Board
Team participation is a requisite to ensure that your days of using paper are over. Make sure to provide training on your software, open up the space for feedback, and give your team some grace during this time.
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Develop a Paperless Workflow
Having a new set of processes and systems in place will provide clarity while you make use of a digital office. When in doubt, co-workers and employees can refer to your new workflow.
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Backup Data Regularly
Whenever you’re working with digital data, it’s vital that data is backed up on a regular basis. However, if you choose to work with cloud computing, this is done automatically.
Choosing Your Law Office Filing System
Navigating this new digital era for your firm doesn’t have to be a stressful process. When you’re working with a law office filing system that’s easy to use and incredibly intuitive to suit your office’s needs, the switch will be seamless. If you’d like to learn more about how Amberlo can help you go paperless, please get in touch.