Smart IT Decisions in Tough Economic Times

Doug Hafford – V.P. Consulting Services for Afinety, Inc.
Afinety is a Member of the Los Angeles and Orange County Chapters of CAPROS.

There is perhaps no person in the local or national community who has not felt the economic crunch. The state of the market place is impacting Law Firms in diverse ways, but with few exceptions, most are looking to do more with less. One of the first areas affected is always the computer systems. With computers such an important part of our business day, the stress of keeping older equipment alive, combined with the ever increasing needs in a competitive marketplace has put unusual strains on IT staff and providers. It is thus more important than ever to make smart IT decisions both for firms that see significant new activity and for those whose clients are cutting back. With that in mind, nearly all firms have the following goals in mind.

• Save money and time - upfront and ongoing
• Stretch the current investment
• Get more value - Longevity, work product, storage, disaster recovery and environmental friendliness  

Electronic Transcript Management: It’s A Reality

Jeff Koller, General Counsel and Business Development Administrator, Hutchings Court Reporters, LLC
Hutchings Court Reporters is a Member of the Los Angeles, Orange County, and San Diego Chapters of CAPROS.

Have you had it with time-intensive paper-driven protocols to access, search, store, replicate and retrieve the information contained in deposition transcripts and exhibits? Have you tired of too many lost of misplaced sticky notes and sessions at the copy machine?

Portable X-Ray: A Legal Malpractice Claim Case Study

Case Study by Narver Insurance
Narver Insurance is a Member of the Los Angeles and Orange County Chapters of CAPROS

Loss prevention involves identifying and anticipating risks in the practice of law. Studying claims that have actually happened can help you more readily spot risks and identify opportunities to use loss prevention and decrease exposure to claims in your own firm. The case you are about to study is taken directly from a real claim situation. It is not a composite case nor has it been embellished; it is simply a real-life situation that involves a law firm. Fictitious names and locations have been used to maintain confidentiality.

Doing More with Less through Flexible Staffing

By Jennifer Evans, President of Davidson Staffing
Davidson Staffing is a Member of the Los Angeles, Orange County, San Diego, and San Francisco Chapters of CAPROS.

Originally published in the August 2009 edition of The Bottom Line, the official publication of the State Bar of California Law Practice Management and Technology Section.

As a staffing executive for more than two decades now, I've been through my fair share of recessions and economic downturns. Staffing agencies are in the unique position to be among the first to feel the beginning and the end of a recession. So what, from our perspective, is currently happening in the legal talent market?