Harnessing the Power of Technology to Improve Litigation Management

In litigation (and life), being organized typically results in higher outcomes.

The path to turning into organized, particularly in litigation, can current vital challenges. As a litigation legal professional who manages a docket of mass tort instances, i’ve come to know and admire sure cutting-edge authorized know-how instruments important for group, permitting me to not solely “keep up” however to get forward, utilizing instruments which help important considering, advanced problem-solving and total optimum efficiency within the administration of advanced litigation.

In collaboration with a know-how subsidiary of my regulation agency, I had the chance to assist design a matter administration system lately, and that I closely depend on this method for the environment friendly administration of a big group of instances in my present apply. The finish results of this design course of was a customizable, searchable, cloud-based, report-generating database which might deal with a nearly limitless quantity of knowledge — regardless of if my case docket comprises 20 instances or 20,000.

The system permits me to handle all of my instances with relative ease, and any litigator nonetheless resisting the implementation and use of rising know-how can not dispute the benefits.

Capturing the Data

At the outset of designing any litigation administration system or database, a regulation agency or authorized division should think about to the kind and scope of knowledge to be collected, particularly because it possible will present the idea to carry out analytical evaluate on tendencies within the litigation.

For the instances I managed, a wide range of information was pertinent to my shoppers, beginning with fundamental biographical information in regards to the plaintiffs in my issues. Equally essential was the necessity to establish the varied entities and stakeholders intertwined in any given case, and to maintain observe their altering standing all through the litigation. Other information to be tracked included: the identification of counsel, case jurisdiction, skilled witnesses, settlement standing and phrases.

Besides with the ability to enter information into particular database fields, I additionally had the aptitude to add and link key paperwork.

The particular person wants of a agency or regulation division inevitably fluctuate, so when designing a system in-house, a full audit of pertinent info and enter from management and practitioners alike can be useful.

Analysis and Reporting

Once pertinent information is recorded in a database, a case administration system begins to pay dividends as an organizational device.

In my experience, not solely might I evaluate and assess any single matter, but in addition, and maybe extra importantly, I might search and analyze teams of instances, and generate reviews to help my evaluation. This enabled me to be proactive within the administration of my issues. In a matter of seconds, I might seek for all instances presently scheduled for trial and create a report itemizing precisely when and what place they have been continuing, together with any further pertinent element.

Such reporting allowed me to prioritize issues requiring quick consideration and to plan accordingly.

Of course, a trial calendar function is however one good thing about a case administration system. Depending on total aims, information will be searched and analyzed in some ways. For instance, issues will be analyzed in accordance with jurisdiction, adversary, nature of declare, all the above or any limitless combination relying on the quantity of knowledge collected.

Indeed, the great thing about such a case administration system is the aptitude and freedom to investigate information and run reviews based mostly on standards deemed most pertinent to my shoppers and me.

The Value

Business shoppers are involved with budgets and prices, and arguably more and more so, because of an ongoing pandemic.

If companies are to stay aggressive and hold prices under management, then the innovation of organizational instruments by means of know-how is extra essential now than ever earlier than. When it involves litigation wants, a case administration system will improve consumer service when correctly used.

Indeed, these programs can help a person to establish rising tendencies: whether or not in total case filings, in a sure jurisdiction or with a specific adversary. Such capabilities additionally take the guesswork out of settlement worth evaluation by enabling one to look the historical past of case settlements in related issues. Technology used on this means promotes higher resolution making which is a basis for strong consumer service.

Technology-driven case administration programs promote best use of time.

In the enterprise of litigation, the sheer quantity of knowledge and knowledge that should be collected, saved and analyzed continues to exponentially develop. Traditional doc charts and spreadsheets may be helpful, however such instruments are restricted of their functionality to deal with information growing in each quantity and complexity.

Powerful technological instruments, however, are the final word in reliability and best use of time. Whether litigation is native or nationwide, we use these programs to trace trial dates, discovery deadlines, depositions and court docket appearances and to current them in calendars or reviews — thus guaranteeing no date or deadline “slips through the cracks.”

Another purpose to contemplate the “efficient” advantages of know-how is solely the power to avoid wasting time — what was as soon as thought-about added worth is right this moment saw as a necessity and requirement. .

Recently, a consumer requested figures regarding matter dismissals occurring over a sure interval. Having already tracked the pertinent information, the duty was so simple as operating the suitable search with a purpose to deal with the consumer’s inquiry. What might need been a laborious and time-consuming train as an alternative proved to be fast and easy, all as a result of proactive consideration for tips on how to make the most of know-how. .

Finally, inasmuch as case administration programs securely occupy “the Cloud,” there are ample possibilities for lawyer-client collaboration and consumer price financial savings. When each consumer and legal professional have real-time entry to a cloud-based case administration system, the consumer has the flexibleness in figuring out and allocating sources and maybe utilizing the case administration system independently of its counsel. Indeed, a consumer’s desire in some situations to instantly depend on a case administration system, in lieu of calling up its legal professional to request info, will scale back prices and thus positively impression the consumer’s litigation price range.

Furthermore, a consumer’s means to view and function a case administration system supports collaboration, belief, and clear communication between consumer and legal professional.

The Future

Even with presently obtainable cutting-edge know-how, we will count on innovation will proceed to convey additional development to litigation administration — within the type of information analytics and government dashboards. The idea of knowledge analytics is to make use of know-how for the invention, interpretation, and communication of significant patterns in information, significantly helpful in areas plentiful with recorded info, and to depend on the visualization of that information with a purpose to convey perception.

Law corporations possible will use authorized information analytics to win instances and acquire sure outcomes for his or her shoppers with an became greater means to disclose patterns in how courts beforehand have dominated on related points.

Data analytics additionally might present higher perception into how lengthy a case would possibly final or what is the cost experience one’s adversary has dealing with related instances. Accordingly, corporations will have the ability to higher advise their shoppers and make predictions on a spread of topics from period of litigation to anticipated judgments and settlement values.

The government dashboard would be the car by which information analytics get reported to a consumer.

Dashboards will visually observe, analyze and show numerous metrics and key information points, enabling any key stakeholder to observe the general state of a litigation, a enterprise or different course of. These dashboards are totally customizable to fulfill a consumer’s wants and may enable for monitoring in “real time,” whereas minimizing time vital for evaluation and communication.

The distinction, nonetheless, is that government dashboards, can be extra visible (e.g., charts, graphs, tables) and can enable for tendencies and developments to be extra quickly understood. Dashboards can also robotically create reviews with its information each time and wherever, which can scale back or get rid of the time spent analyzing and formatting information.

As attorneys and their shoppers more and more will rely on know-how, and as technological developments proceed, the administration of litigation is sure to grow to be much more environment friendly and predictive in nature. Likewise, attorney-client communication and collaboration will development upward, as litigation prices are pushed down.

Without a doubt, know-how is the important thing to an organized approach to the administration of advanced litigation. The instruments obtainable enable me to supply options and perform methods utilizing custom-made case administration programs with a purpose to serve the wants of present and future shoppers.