Law.com Subscribers SAVE 30%

Call 855-808-4530 or email [email protected] to receive your discount on a new subscription.

Product Review: ProLaw

By John Messersmith IV
November 01, 2003

Our Richmond, Virginia-based insurance defense firm prided itself in being more technologically advanced than other firms anywhere close to our size. However, given the technologies available at the time, we were using multiple standalone programs which meant data was stored in separate and discrete databases, none of which communicated with each other, and each of which required separate data entry. Add mandatory task codes, individual case budgets and volumes of documents to review and categorize, and you have a perfect formula for case management frustration. To continue to be a leader in law firm technology, we needed to make a significant leap in efficiency, productivity and knowledge management.

Until 1993 we operated from one office, but at that point we expanded to include Fairfax, Roanoke and Norfolk as well. Linking our offices became important, as did refining our business processes to eliminate as much duplicate data entry as possible.

After considerable analysis of our firm's existing software and case management practices, we went shopping. We chose tradeshows like the ABA Techshow to familiarize ourselves with software options. Anyone who's ever attended a tradeshow knows how overwhelming the vendor presentations can be, and how after a while all products appear to blend in one's mind. It's inevitable, given the amount of information every vendor attempts to convey in each short, intense demo session. We solved that by picking up demo disks wherever possible, and then looking them over in the comfort of our own offices once we'd returned.

Read These Next
Major Differences In UK, U.S. Copyright Laws Image

This article highlights how copyright law in the United Kingdom differs from U.S. copyright law, and points out differences that may be crucial to entertainment and media businesses familiar with U.S law that are interested in operating in the United Kingdom or under UK law. The article also briefly addresses contrasts in UK and U.S. trademark law.

Strategy vs. Tactics: Two Sides of a Difficult Coin Image

With each successive large-scale cyber attack, it is slowly becoming clear that ransomware attacks are targeting the critical infrastructure of the most powerful country on the planet. Understanding the strategy, and tactics of our opponents, as well as the strategy and the tactics we implement as a response are vital to victory.

The Article 8 Opt In Image

The Article 8 opt-in election adds an additional layer of complexity to the already labyrinthine rules governing perfection of security interests under the UCC. A lender that is unaware of the nuances created by the opt in (may find its security interest vulnerable to being primed by another party that has taken steps to perfect in a superior manner under the circumstances.

Removing Restrictive Covenants In New York Image

In Rockwell v. Despart, the New York Supreme Court, Third Department, recently revisited a recurring question: When may a landowner seek judicial removal of a covenant restricting use of her land?

The Benefits of Blockchain for e-Discovery and Data Preservation Image

As businesses across various industries increasingly adopt blockchain, it will become a critical source of discoverable electronically stored information. The potential benefits of blockchain for e-discovery and data preservation are substantial, making it an area of growing interest and importance.