Smith Law Group
The Challenge
Smith Law Group (SLG) is a Tucson-based law firm combining trial and appellate experience, technology and personal service, with clients throughout Arizona and into Nevada. The firm has been a STAT client since 2001, when we were originally brought in to assist when the firm’s primary attorney wanted to incorporate his personal Macintosh computer into his work for the firm.
Over time, SLG had become dissatisfied with their Windows-based computers and were interested in moving the entire firm to Macs. However, they wanted to ensure that they could continue to integrate with other PC-based law firms, attorneys, clients and court systems.
STAT’s Role
STAT had supported the firm’s initial foray into integrating a single Mac computer, and when the firm decided it wanted to move the entire practice to Macs they called on STAT to provide guidance and support.
We surveyed the firm’s equipment and interviewed the attorneys and office staff to determine current workflow and technology needs. Based on our interviews and experience with other Mac-based law practices, we then presented and implemented a staged plan to migrate servers, workstations, office equipment and data to Macintosh and Mac-compatible equipment.
One of the firm’s ongoing challenges was the time and effort spent on time tracking — a critical aspect of running a law practice. The firm had been using a Windows-based time-tracking program that was not user-friendly and so required an inordinate amount of time to use. STAT recommended implementing a time-tracking solution from Brief Legal Software specifically designed for the Mac.
While the practice had been using scanned PDF documents for some time, STAT’s recommendation to integrate high-speed scanners in-house helped them to developed a truly all-electronic workflow providing efficiency, accessibility (even in court) and security. Their Adobe Acrobat PDF files can be accessed and annotated through the network, and the firm implemented Qdea’s Synchronize! Pro X software to synchronize client folders between attorney laptops and the firm’s servers. They also use FileChute to transfer large-volume files to clients and expert witnesses.
STAT also trained the firm’s employees on Macs and the recommended software solutions, and helped them choose appropriate office document processing machines which would allow them to auto-drop PDF files onto their servers.
Result
Smith Law Group has a reputation as a highly tech-savvy firm — and the scope of their practice has grown outside of Arizona, made possible by their ability to access all of the firm’s documents wherever the lawyers are working. They pride themselves on being extremely well-prepared for court appearances, aided by depositions annotated by staff that can be accessed from any location, graphics and other documents that they regularly show on-screen during courtroom presentations.
Client Feedback
STAT Computer Services always lives up to its name. On the rare occasions where there is an issue with our system, Boyd Burkhardt and his staff respond quickly and keep us running. Beyond maintenance, Boyd and his staff know my law firm’s business well enough to recommend and implement solutions that make our paperless office more efficient and streamline our work flow. In fact, Boyd is the reason I switched years ago from a Windows-based office computer system to an office that is 100% Apple. Boyd and STAT are an integral part of our firm’s success. – Chris Smith, Smith Law Group
