The legal profession is rife with deadlines that, when missed, can have devastating ramifications for professionals with even the most spotless records. According to reports released by the ABA, missed deadlines are a leading cause of bar complaints against attorneys throughout the United States. In a legal tech market driven by more legal software options every day, attorneys have no shortage of opportunities to automate – and thus make the most of – their time. The question isn’t whether or not to invest in legal calendar automation; it’s how to make the best of it through your practice management solution.
Legal Calendar Automation
One of the benefits of the increasingly sophisticated automation tools introduced daily is the ability of legal professionals to streamline their usage. The best practice management solutions effectively eliminate the need to juggle multiple automation tools at once; instead, top-of-the-line software will serve as an automation hub for your legal calendar and beyond. Rather than looking to a calendaring platform with little additional functionality, go for a sophisticated practice management solution that synthesizes your legal calendar with other automation tools, like CRM and case management. That being said, the best platforms will have specific calendaring functionalities that any legal professional would be remiss not to look for:
Calendar Synchronization
Your practice management solution is all but useless if it forces you to work with a completely different calendar from the one you have already been using. To keep operations as streamlined as possible, you must look for a solution that will integrate with your preferred legal calendar, be it Google, Outlook, or any other primary calendaring platform.
Automated Workflow Generation
Automated workflows are perhaps one of the most useful tools associated with any legal calendar worth its salt. Search for a practice management software that offers automated workflows. When a new contact or matter is created, workflows will automatically generate according to the type of situation or case it is. Through these workflows, all of the events and deadlines associated with that case will automatically populate onto the calendars of the relevant professionals within your firm. Essentially, workflows account for all of the deadlines associated with a case, effectively minimizing the likelihood of a missed deadline in less than one click.
Text Message Reminders
Your practice management solution should do the worrying about deadlines for you, bringing the notification to you rather than requiring you and your colleagues to seek them out. Invest in a practice management solution that will send you – and all of the relevant personnel – text message reminders of any upcoming events and deadlines.
Conclusion
Years ago, when accounting for deadlines meant handwriting every appointment and hoping for the best, forgotten deadlines were little more than an occupational hazard for attorneys. Nowadays, however, there is a new normal: the automated legal calendar. By looking for a practice management solution with sophisticated legal calendaring features, you will prime your firm for success with continued minimal effort.
