Easy Solutions for Organizing Matter Management
Matter management is just a fancy way of saying “handling papers” if you boil it down to bare bones. It’s managing documents, handling cases, taking care of files. However, that doesn’t make it any less of an important undertaking. Matter management is hugely important to many companies, organizations, and institutions, including corporate entities, government, universities, and more. The safe and confidential handling of legal and other types of documents is essential, especially on a large scale. As a large, respected institution or entity, you’re entrusted with always safeguarding the information of your clients, employees, and/or students, and we know it’s one you would never take lightly.
Matter management is very vague – it includes a whole host of different tasks, including gathering and tracking legal work, assigning duties, signing off on the paperwork, typing and organizing legal documents, legal research, filing, writing up budgets and issuing invoices, assigning of legal teams, and so much more. While it is very much the business of paperwork (and in most cases, administrative work), it is a very complicated and complex task that is actually comprised of thousands of little tasks, each of them requiring the utmost care, expertise, and confidentiality.
Matter management only becomes a larger and larger necessity as institutions grow and we all segue into online spaces. With the rise of internet hackers, phishers, and more, the need for safe and secure practices to protect and safeguard legal files, client information and more is a necessity. This is true for any business, but especially so for large institutions that handle large sums of money and lots of confidential information. These confidential, highly important cases could include disputes and litigation, compliance matters, claims, intellectual property, contracts and transactions, grievances, and other cases that you need to safeguard.
Having a separate team for matter management working alongside and in conjunction with a legal department is a good idea for any large entity. Having a legal team handle matter management in addition to their legal duties will split focus and leave room for error. Having a separate matter management system in place will ensure that detailed, precise tracking is done on all legal systems, documents and more; will ensure that all reporting and tracking is kept in one place, providing easier access; will ensure that any important issues are noticed before they become bigger issues; facilitates easier collaboration between entities; handles repetitive and mundane work so the legal team can focus on bigger tasks. These are just a few ways in which a matter management team can help exponentially.
Some corporations and institutions have even gone a step farther, not only hiring a matter management team but actually utilizing matter management software, to assist a team (or in some cases, replace the team) in taking care of these matter management tasks. Many legal executives feel that utilizing software to do these tasks rather than a real, live person, actually increases the effectiveness and makes it safer. Why? Because over time, repetitive processes can become mundane and the possibility for mistakes, or for things slipping through the cracks, can increase. This can result in missed meetings or deadlines, typos in legal briefs, or increased costs. A software program eliminates these types of oversights and mistakes.
Matter management software does much the same as a matter management team would do: recording and tracking data, overseeing case management and legal documents, organizing data, handling mundane tasks, collates information in convenient, easy to access locations, delegates and assigns tasks, generates reports, emails and more, handles filing, integrates files, and much more. Many of these software programs even handle other tasks beyond just legal files, such as scheduling, meetings and appointments, deadlines, correspondence, payroll and HR, and in-office communications via the cloud. Most have user-friendly interfaces that allow your entire team to access files, update information, and collaborate on reports, notes, and more. You can track real-time changes as they happen and analyze the data over time, giving you a clear consensus of your cases.
One benefit to this matter management software that law firms, universities, and other schools, health insurance companies, and government offices alike seem to love is how easily integrated it can be, giving real-time updates and access to employees no matter where they are. With the very latest IT and security technology, files are kept safe and secure, and employees don’t have to worry about safeguarding sensitive information as they access it.
Legal teams find matter management software especially helpful because they can easily update and rename files, generate reports, take notes and update cases, and track legal data all from the same place on their computer or smartphone. Software programs are easily customized according to the legal team’s needs, can be updated and accessed from pretty much anywhere, and are always encrypted and secure. They also enjoy being able to collaborate on files and communicate via the cloud, making legal communications go much smoother and more quickly.
However, as with any type of software, there are those who prefer to keep things simple and don’t agree that human matter management leaves more room for error. Some have safety concerns about matter management software, worrying that it won’t be secure or that files could be lost or corrupted. Some simply feel that hiring a team to handle matter management is a more secure and viable way to go about things and feel safer having human eyes with legal experience going over every piece of data and documentation.
Some larger institutions have found that they’ve struck a balance between a matter management team and matter management software programs, using both in conjunction with each other and legal counsel. Depending on the type of matter management software you choose, this could be a viable option, as many of the programs are quite intuitive and work easily with frequent user input, changes, and more. It’s certainly a way to ensure that you’ve got a legal matter management team on top of things while making sure that they’ve got the resources and tools to do their job more efficiently.
Whether you decide to utilize a matter management software or prefer to keep a staff on hand for matter management, there is one thing that doesn’t change: the need for a standardized procedure. Having a proper system of processes in place to check for errors, oversee briefings, and collect data is of the utmost importance. It is only if this same procedure is followed to the letter every time that you’ll alleviate mistakes and errors. Many teams find that it is impossible to follow the procedure to the letter without the assistance of an automated system (i.e. software) of some capacity. There is always room for human error; with a matter management software to assist, these errors can at least be checked before they become bigger problems, if not outright avoided.
There are many different types of matter management software on the market, each of them uniquely suited to a different set of needs and specifications. Depending on the size of your firm, your specific legal needs and your legal team will specify which of these software programs is the right one for your institution. Some can be bought outright, while others may require a subscription. Some are computer-based while others can be utilized via an app or the cloud. It’s always a good idea for your legal team to take the time to research several of these matter management software systems to decide which one is the right one for you. In many cases, a free trial is offered. No matter your particular specifications and needs, there’s a software program that can offer you increased productivity and improved safety measures every step of the way.
Whether you work for a law firm, a government-run office, an insurance company, school or university, investment firm or some other large corporation or institution that handles lots of sensitive and confidential data, we can all agree that having a proper, well-functioning matter management system in place is probably the most important aspect in the day to day running of your facility. Keeping a check on all legal processes, protecting clients’ sensitive information, and making sure that proper procedures are always being followed is essential at all times. For many, this is why utilizing a matter management software is so important.
Reducing the risk for error, following standardized processes, and allowing legal teams to focus on more important work more efficiently are all key ways to ensure that your institution is always on the up and up in the eyes of the law. If you think a matter management software is right for your business, take the time today to research the different software programs out there and determine which one can help your legal team with their day to day duties. With so many safe, secure, and efficient options out there, you’re guaranteed to find the right one for your team.