Software - Workflow Management

LSSe64 Workflow Management streamlines and automates law firm business processes through the use of paperless forms, electronic routing, intelligent conflict checking and other innovative technologies. It is a state-of-the-art system that helps law firms become more efficient and more productive while moving even closer to a paper-free office environment.

Electronic client/matter intake

Workflow Management includes an electronic client/matter intake function that allows staff to initiate a new client or matter intake process, or a client/matter change request, by completing an on-line form. The intake form can include contact information, assigned attorneys, conflict names, billing rates, statement formats, billing guidelines, ebill requirements, calendar case assignments and more. It even allows for external files, such as a signed fee agreement, to be attached to the intake.

Once the necessary information has been entered, the electronic form goes through an automated conflict checking process and is then routed to appropriate personnel for various approvals and ultimately for import into the Client Accounting module. Exactly how the intake form gets routed is largely defined by the firm, providing enough flexibility for Workflow to replicate most existing firm processes.

As the electronic form moves throughout the office, from one person to the next, the appropriate users are notified by email whenever a workflow form requires their attention. They can then retrieve the electronic intake from their workflow inbox, perform the necessary action (such as approving the conflict search) and then send the form on to the next step.

The intake process finishes when the accounting department “Imports” the intake form. Importing the intake form requires just a couple clicks of the mouse. The system assigns a client/matter number and imports everything from the intake form into the new client/matter file – including contact information, assigned attorneys, conflict names, billing rates, etc. Nothing needs to be retyped and the intake form is saved as part of the client’s permanent record.

Intelligent conflict checking

The first step of any client/matter intake (after entering the client, matter and various conflict names) is to perform a “conflict check”. The Workflow client/matter intake allows up 2,500 conflict names to be entered (or imported from a text file) for the client, and another 2,500 conflict names for the matter. Once the necessary names have been entered, the system performs an intelligent search on each of those names. This search occurs in the background so that users can move on to other tasks while the search is being processed. A conflict search for a form with just a few names will generally complete in a couple of seconds, where a form with thousands of names may take a few minutes.

The Workflow conflict search is considered “intelligent” because it does more than look for exact matches. For each name, the system runs multiple searches. Each version of the search uses a slightly different permutation of the name that was entered, with each subsequent search being less relevant than the previous. Search results are then presented in a ranked order, with the most relevant names (those that are closest to what was entered) appearing at the top, and those that are less similar appearing toward the bottom.

Conflict searches are performed against existing clients, matters, vendors, conflicts and contacts, as well as other pending workflow forms that have yet to be finalized (known as Preemptive Conflict Checking).

Preemptive conflict checking

Preemptive conflict checking refers to the ability of conflict searches to discover names that are in pending client/matter intake forms. In other words, names in client/matter intakes that haven’t yet been finalized. The value of preemptive conflict checking is best demonstrated with an example of a potential risk that is inherent to manual and paper-based intake processes.

Consider the scenario where two parties become involved in a dispute. Party A contacts one attorney at your firm. Minutes later, Party B contacts a different attorney at your firm. Neither party is an existing client. With a manual or paper-based intake process, each attorney or their respective staff member starts the intake process by filling out a form on paper or via email and then performing an initial conflict check. The names of Party A and Party B do not appear in the search results, as neither party is an existing client and therefore their names have never been entered into the conflict database. Hopefully neither attorney performs any work until the manual intake process is complete, at which point someone should discover the conflict. The longer that any given intake process takes to complete, the greater this risk becomes.

With LSS Workflow, as soon as a name is saved in a pending client/matter intake form, that name is included in conflict searches. In addition to client names, this also applies to all of the “conflict” names entered in an intake form. Using the above example, as soon as Party A was entered into an intake form, any conflict search for that name would reveal Party A is already communicating with the firm as a potential client.

“Potential” client management

Compared to manual and paper-based client/matter intake processes, LSS Workflow can reduce the time required to process intakes (depending on the firm) from one or more days down to just a few hours or minutes. However, no matter how quickly an intake can be completed, there may still be situations where staff cannot afford to wait for a client/matter number to be established. People may need to schedule calendar events, save documents or enter time sheets to the new file prior to it being created when the intake is eventually finalized.

LSS Workflow includes a configuration setting that allows a special “potential number” to be created as soon as the new client/matter intake is started, which means that a valid and useable client/matter number is created immediately. While the intake form works its way through review and approval steps, staff can start using this potential client/matter right away. As the intake process is finalized and a “real” client/matter number is created, the system automatically transfers any documents, calendar events, transactions, etc. from the potential number to the real number, and then removes the potential number from the system. If the new client/matter intake is denied for any reason, the potential client/matter is simply closed, thereby blocking staff from continuing to use it.

Assigning a potential client/matter number prior to finalizing an intake form may not be appropriate or fitting for the established processes within any given law firm. This is why LSS makes the use of “Potential” client numbers a configurable option that can be enabled or disabled as necessary.

Electronic check requests

Workflow Management includes an electronic check request function that allows staff to initiate a check request by completing an on-line form. The check request can be for a general office expense, a client expense, a trust disbursement and more. The person initiating the request can include the vendor/payee, amount, description, PDF attachments of invoices, matter numbers and other information relevant to the request.

Once the necessary information has been entered, the electronic form is then routed to appropriate personnel for various approvals and ultimately for import into the Accounts Payable module. Exactly how the intake form gets routed is largely defined by the firm, providing enough flexibility for Workflow to replicate most existing firm processes.

As the electronic form moves throughout the office, from one person to the next, the appropriate users are notified by email whenever a workflow form requires their attention. They can then retrieve the electronic intake from their workflow inbox, perform the necessary action (such as approving the check request) and then send the form on to the next step.

The check request process finishes when the accounting department “Imports” the check request form. Importing the check request requires just a couple clicks of the mouse. The system converts the check request form into an actual Accounts Payable transaction. Nothing needs to be retyped and the form with various approvals is saved as a permanent record.

Customizable approval requirements

Firms can define and customize the approval requirements for both the client/matter intake and the check request workflow processes.

For client/matter intake, the system allows firms to specify whether or not an initial conflict review be conducted by staff prior to an attorney receiving the form for additional review. The system then offers options that define whether or not an intake form requires a secondary approval, and/or approval by committee. The approval requirements are largely determined by the firm, and can range from simple to sophisticated.

For check requests, the system allows firms to specify certain individuals who are authorized to approve check requests. In certain cases, a firm can specify one individual to approve client-related check requests, and a different individual to approve firm-related check requests. Whether or not a check request requires approval is based on the “position” of the person making the request and the amount of the request. For example, the system could be configured such that approval would be required for Partner requests over $1,000, Associate requests over $250, and other staff requests of any amount. .

Customizable routing tables

Firms can define and customize the list of individuals who are to receive workflow client/matter intake and check request forms in order to complete any particular task.

For example, if client/matter intake is configured to require secondary conflict approval, the firm can allow users to select the person who is to receive the approval request individually, or the system can configured to automatically send the form to a list of predefined users who are authorized to make such approvals. Following a conflict approval, the form can optionally be routed back to the initiator to complete additional intake information such as billing rates, telephone numbers, etc.

When the intake form is ready to be imported into Client Accounting, the routing table can be configured to send the form back to the original initiator to perform the import, or to one or more authorized individuals in the accounting department who will perform the import.

These are just a few of the routing options available in LSSe64 Workflow. To see how well LSSe64 Workflow matches your firms existing processes, please contact us for a more in-depth review.

Email notifications

Whenever a user receives an LSSe64 Workflow form (client/matter intake or check request) that requires their attention, LSS will send that user an email notification. When an entire approval committee consisting of multiple individuals receives a workflow notification, and approval by the required minimum number of individuals has been granted, the system will automatically retract the email notification from the remaining committee member’s inboxes.

Additionally, whenever a new client/matter intake process is finalized, the system will automatically send a new client/matter email notification to all users who were involved in that intake process. This notification includes the new client/matter number, name and description.

Workflow email notifications can be enabled or disabled on a per-user basis and are compatible with Exchange, Outlook and Office 365.

Integrated with Client Accounting

The entire contents of client/matter intake forms are imported directly into the Client Accounting system. No retyping of information is required. With just a few clicks of the mouse, a new client/matter number is assigned and everything on the form is automatically associated with the new client/matter. This includes contact information, billing rates, statement formats, conflict names, special billing instructions and more.

Integrated with G/L and A/P

Approved check requests are imported directly into the Accounts Payable system. No retyping of information is required. With just a few clicks of the mouse, the Workflow check request is automatically converted to an Accounts Payable transaction. If the check request is for a client expense, the system attaches the check request to the client/matter file and automatically generates a billable expense record.