Law.com Subscribers SAVE 30%

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

Accounting and Financial Planning for Law FirmsLJN NewslettersNewsSections

Getting to Zero

BY Rob Mattern
January 31, 2015

Of all the areas that Mattern works with law firms, the question of how to manage paper records ' both onsite and off ' is probably the greatest hurdle faced by many of our clients. For most areas of back-office operations not running optimally, firms can outsource or hire a new manager and typically solve the problem. This is not the case for paper records.

The drafting of a firmwide, long-term strategic plan for your records is much more difficult, especially in the offsite records contract area. Having contracts in place that will allow you to destroy stored files and overcome previously, poorly negotiated contracts in a cost-effective manner is a challenge to say the least. This issue, coupled with the cultural hurdle to reduce on-site paper files and migrate to a digital world, are substantial to overcome. Add in the industry-wide fear held by attorneys to destroy paper documents, and the hurdles become even more considerable.

Three facets must be in place to drive your offsite storage costs to zero:

  1. Offsite storage contract(s) that will allow you to destroy records in a cost-effective manner;
  2. A process that allows you to digitize your onsite records; and
  3. A Records Retention Policy that is adhered to and lays out the retention guidelines for paper and electronic records.

Can it be done? Absolutely. Can it be done cost-effectively? Absolutely, as long as you have a plan, the management and the contracts to support it.

This premium content is locked for Entertainment Law & Finance subscribers only

  • Stay current on the latest information, rulings, regulations, and trends
  • Includes practical, must-have information on copyrights, royalties, AI, and more
  • Tap into expert guidance from top entertainment lawyers and experts

For enterprise-wide or corporate acess, please contact Customer Service at [email protected] or 877-256-2473

Read These Next
Yachts, Jets, Horses & Hooch: Specialized Commercial Leasing Models Image

Defining commercial real estate asset class is essentially a property explaining how it identifies — not necessarily what its original intention was or what others think it ought to be. This article discusses, from a general issue-spot and contextual analysis perspective, how lawyers ought to think about specialized leasing formats and the regulatory backdrops that may inform what the documentation needs to contain for compliance purposes.

Hyperlinked Documents: The Latest e-Discovery Challenge Image

As courts and discovery experts debate whether hyperlinked content should be treated the same as traditional attachments, legal practitioners are grappling with the technical and legal complexities of collecting, analyzing and reviewing these documents in real-world cases.

Identifying Your Practice's Differentiator Image

How to Convey Your Merits In a Way That Earns Trust, Clients and Distinctions Just as no two individuals have the exact same face, no two lawyers practice in their respective fields or serve clients in the exact same way. Think of this as a "Unique Value Proposition." Internal consideration about what you uniquely bring to your clients, colleagues, firm and industry can provide untold benefits for your law practice.

Risks and Ad Fraud Protection In Digital Advertising Image

The ever-evolving digital marketing landscape, coupled with the industry-wide adoption of programmatic advertising, poses a significant threat to the effectiveness and integrity of digital advertising campaigns. This article explores various risks to digital advertising from pixel stuffing and ad stacking to domain spoofing and bots. It will also explore what should be done to ensure ad fraud protection and improve effectiveness.

Turning Business Development Plans Into Reality Image

This article offers practical insights and best practices to navigate the path from roadmap to rainmaking, ensuring your business development efforts are not just sporadic bursts of activity, but an integrated part of your daily success.