Daugherty, Fowler, Peregrin, Haught & Jenson
Law Firm Has No Objections when it comes to Document Management
Industry/Solution
Legal
- Aviation
A document management system is a key investment for any
organization striving to increase productivity and response time. When it comes to law firms, employing the right software can
revolutionize your practice, whether you are already tech savvy or an “old school” practitioner.
Daugherty, Fowler, Peregrin, Haught & Jenson (DFPH&J) has been providing legal assistance to clients involved in aircraft transactions since the inception of the FAA Registry. Because their business is international in scope, they are challenged to be responsive to clients outside of normal business hours.
Additionally, they maintained large, heavy
paper files that were costly to store and difficult to share (with paper stacks reaching 15 inches thick). Responding to a client inquiry could take hours to locate and review a physical file. The impetus to go “paperless” was due in part to new industry regulations that increased the firm’s workload, staff and the need to collaborate.
Locating and updating paper files quickly became too cumbersome, and they desperately needed a solution to manage the new information as the practice rapidly expanded.
Danny Meier played the lead role in bringing new technology to the firm. In 2008, he assembled a team to begin research for a system that would facilitate greater collaboration, file sharing and automation of the firm’s document production. After thorough study, the team selected document management software from Cabinet NG (CNG) called CNG-SAFE and began implementation in 2009. The resulting transformation of the firm’s business processes and communication has improved its service to clients, increased the job performance and satisfaction of employees and fortified the firm’s position as an industry leader.
Much of the firm’s work builds on previously issued legal opinions and memoranda. In one day they were able to import over 270,000 documents into CNG-SAFE. Because the software is supported by a SQL database with powerful indexing, over two decades of archives (over half a million documents) were now searchable in seconds. In addition to the documents generated, the firm relies extensively on public records obtained on CD. In the past their examiners had to locate the specific CD to review a particular record. Now all records are added to CNG-SAFE creating an extensive resource library which users can review simultaneously.
“Employee satisfaction and productivity has increased as a result of better communication, quicker access to information and flexibility for time in the office,” said Sarah Nelson, Paralegal and Senior Advisor at DFPH&J. “Our clients are receiving better service because we are able to research issues and provide answers more quickly than our competitors. And with remote access, the attorneys and paralegals enjoy the ability to work from home or at conferences allowing us to be more effective while traveling and still meet the expectations of our clients.” The software has even added an element to the firm’s HR benefits by introducing the flexibility for staff on maternity leave to continue to work if they chose.
Another attractive feature of CNG–SAFE is that it integrates with any and all of the firm’s existing software applications. The firm has used WordPerfect since it began using PCs to generate documents, and some systems they originally considered conflicted with WordPerfect. Migrating from WordPerfect would have meant retraining its word processing staff and recreating an extensive library of macros.
By utilizing technology like CNG-SAFE the speed of business at DFPH&J is now faster than ever. Workflow allows users to circulate documents with comments and instructions similar to the old post-it note on a folder, but instead of becoming buried on someone’s desk, other users can still view the document or folder as well as the notes. The routing history and all versions of a document are automatically saved making it simple to track and revert to prior versions. “CNG-SAFE ensures we not only keep pace but also shape the future of our profession,” added Nelson. |
