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So how do you figure out which one to purchase, or if you should build your own? Just as you learned in law school, you need to do your research!

Make a list, check it twice

Start by making a list of things you want to get done at your desk which either can’t be done now, or are too cumbersome to accomplish. Do you want to find every time you’ve had contact with Judge Sullivan? Do you need to have billing records at your fingertips, or will you still holler across the floor for Sally to pull the records on the Jones file? Will you remember how to find the last pleading you prepared addressing a problem with a writ of replevin? Will you actually enter your time into the computer as you do your work?

Part of the problem with case management is that the software is quite powerful, but takes time and patience to set up, train and manage the resources. If you don’t carefully input the data, it can’t produce worthwhile results. A significant number of case management installations fail because the attorneys and staff are not committed to the time required to really learn how these systems integrate information and how to retrieve the needle from the electronic haystack.

Of course, all the vendors will tell you that they have a “user friendly interface” and that the program is easy to use. But “easy” is a relative term. It depends upon your personal learning style and how you perceive information and manage information and apply that knowledge. Some lawyers love technology and dig in with vigor. Others consider new software tools a complete nuisance. Most are somewhere in between these two extremes.

Now that you have a list of things you want the new software to do for you, set it aside. Go to your computer and visit each of the vendors’ websites. Request a trial version – most of them have a downloadable version. Set it up, look at the features. See how close it comes to the list you established.

Determine if it processes information in the way you like to think and organize data. How long did it take you to find something you put into the program? When you need help, how useful is the help menu? If you call the vendor support line, are they courteous and useful, or do they make you stay on hold and feel inferior for not being able to figure it out yourself?

When you’re done examining each product, write down your impressions and then let other attorneys and staff in the office give it a try. Remember, each attorney and staff member has a different approach to dealing with information. You’re seeking consensus where possible. If they don’t like the tool you select, the implementation will be far more difficult. Give everyone time to play with the product. Set aside at least 30 minutes per day for a full week for each person involved in the process. Expect that there will be a reduction in office productivity while you go through this process.

By the time you’ve done this with three or four different programs, you’ll start to see common features and major differences. It is quite likely that you’ll have a visceral reaction to one program and want to eliminate it. Don’t force yourself to go forward if you aren’t comfortable. Just try a different program.

Once you’ve made your selection, I suggest that, where possible, you stay within that vendor’s offerings for your case management, practice management and billing needs. Why? Because you want to call only one vendor when you need help, so you don’t have to listen to, “That must be a problem with the other program you are using.”

None of these programs is inexpensive. Then again, quality doesn’t come cheap. It’s not like looking for the cheapest word processor around. Case management is the life blood of your growth and development. This is one area where you should set aside a solid budget to complete the project right the first time.

Get some help

I also strongly urge that you do not implement any of these massive tools alone. Hire a consultant who is approved by the vendor. Check their references. In many cases the consultant will cost more than the software. However, they bring a wealth of knowledge on how to get more out of the product than you’ll ever learn from reading the manual.

And you’ll get an experienced person who can interview you and your staff so that the new program produces useful data in the fashion you desire.

If cost is a problem, consider finding another solo or small firm nearby who is going through the same process. Share the cost of the consultant and training. This may also provide a wonderful opportunity for a backup system where each office could (ethically) keep copies of data for the other firm and offer to serve as an emergency office in the event of a major disaster.

Now, if you’ve decided that my method isn’t for you, don’t give up hope. There is another option – you can hire an outside consultant to recommend the right tools for your office. The upside is you won’t have to do a lot of research. The downside is that the consultant probably has a working relationship with only one or two of the major vendors so you’ll only get what they sell. But no matter which approach you choose, you need to establish clear goals and objectives to be successful in selecting, installing and maintaining your system.

Bruce L. Dorner, a sole practitioner in Londonderry, N.H., is a nationally recognized lecturer, author and consultant on law office technology and management and may be contacted at bldorner@choiceonemail.com.