Experienced
emergency responder and lawyer reviews the advancements of technology as to emergency
management law practice, and how it is utilized to enhance the client
experience.
Incorporating
technology into a law practice can make the practice more efficient and
increase client satisfaction. In fact, technology may enable the practitioner
to exceed client expectations
—
Michael J. Riley, Sr., Attorney in New Orleans
In
this second published article in a series, New Orleans-based business
attorney Michael J. Riley, Sr. discusses the advancements and impact
of technology upon the legal profession, and how it is being utilized to
enhance the client experience in terms of satisfaction and customer service. As
technology reshapes all of modern personal and professional life, the legal
profession is no exception.
Emergency management covers a broad range of
issues that can be better managed with software and other technologies.
Emergency Management in the U.S. is
surprisingly broad. A lawyer in this area will encounter issues as diverse as
Grant Management and Administration, Public Assistance Program, Environmental
and Historic Preservation Requirements, Hazardous Materials, and Project
Funding. Incorporating technology into a law practice in this area can make the
practice more efficient and increase client satisfaction. In fact, technology
may enable the practitioner to exceed client expectations.
This
article focuses on research and document management. The complete article will
be published on the blog of Michael J. Riley, Sr. at https://michaeljriley.blogspot.com/
As
technology is advancing, the legal profession is not exempt. Incorporating
technology into a law practice can make the practice more efficient and
increase client satisfaction. In fact, technology may enable the practitioner
to exceed client expectations. Here are a few, simple-to-implement options.
Research
Efficiency
The
internet has placed all of society’s information at one’s fingertips, and again
the legal profession is not exempt. The speed of research has dramatically
increased. An attorney can analyze a legal matter much more quickly without
even leaving the desk. However, that is what clients expect nowadays - instant
results.
There
are a few tools that can make your job easier. For example, many cases and
articles are available for free on Google Scholar (https://scholar.google.com/)
or on Findlaw (https://www.Findlaw.com). Most courts post their forms and cases
on the Web, reducing search time to minutes and saving you a walk to the
courthouse.
Coming
back to smart phones, many attorneys today use them even for legal work. A 2016
survey conducted by the American Bar Association found that 88 percent of
respondents used smart phones for law-related work. A fifth of them were using
research apps, and those numbers have undoubtedly surged since.
e-Subscriptions
To
make your law practice more efficient, subscribing to multiple industry-related
blogs and news outlets may deliver relevant information right to your email
inbox. In turn, you may be able to tailor valuable information to specific
clients and send them a proactive communication.
The
Cloud/On-Line Repositories
There
are many ways to incorporate a secure document repository in your practice.
Online document management providers offer some limited client document sharing
and also offer full-scale extranets as an add-on. There are many options and
price points for achieving the logical benefit of client document repositories.
Web-based
software enables a firm’s documents to be securely stored in “the cloud” and
provide accessibility from nearly any location. The safety of such storage
systems has increased greatly, and allows you to have remote access while on
the road or working from home.
For
example, you can set up a system whereby the lawyer uploads the documents
he/she wants to share with the client and the client accesses them via a secure
log-in.
Michael
J. Riley, Sr. concludes that the benefit to the client includes having all the
documents for a matter in a single repository, accessible at his convenience,
with the lawyer taking responsibility for document management. One can update
or replace the documents as needed, thus eliminating concerns over versions.
Popular examples include www.litigationservices.com and www.alphareporting.com
To
be continued. - The complete article will be published on the blog of Michael
J. Riley, Sr. at https://michaeljriley.blogspot.com/
*NOTE:
The inclusion of a technology or app in this article does not mean an
endorsement or approval. The listed technologies are just for illustrative
purposes. None of these particular technologies are endorsed or recommended by
this author.
Disclosure & Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this
publication are those of the author. They do not purport to reflect the
opinions or views of FEMA or any government agency.
About Michael Jerome
Riley, Sr.
Trained as a lawyer, J.D., University of Tennessee-Knoxville (1980), Michael J.
Riley, Sr. currently serves FEMA as an Emergency Manager, Federal Emergency
Management Agency, Operations Division Supervisor. Expertise includes Small
and Disadvantaged Business
Enterprises, contract compliance,
procurement, and Civil Rights. He has served the American people and
international community in various different locations affected by natural
disasters, including Puerto Rico and Haiti.
Michael J. Riley, Sr. is an attorney in New Orleans with experience in emergency management and economic development.
