Making the most of your technology for good legal practice Fiona McLa y, McLa y Lega l Cons ulting LPLC We bina r 26 July 20 23
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SI MPLE WAYS TO MAKE USE OF YOUR EXI STI NG TECH
USE GOOD DESI GN TO EMBED QUALI TY I NTO EVERYDAY TASKS
LOW COST I MPROVEMENT I DEAS YOU CAN I MPLEMENT NOW
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How I became a tech enabled lawyer JULY 2 0 1 9 Freelance lawyer
1994 Corrs Chambers Westgarth
2016
Geeky Guru, CLI Legalpreneurs Lab
Harris Friedman, generalist firm Sydney CBD
Graduate Diploma of Legal Business, College of Law
2001
2018
Sparke Helmore.
Digital Legal Practice and Innovation Masterclass, Centre for Legal Innovation (CLI)
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How I became a tech enabled lawyer 20 23
2021
Published Tech enabled lawyer: a guide to making the most of the tools you have and spotting the tech you need
Consultant Legal Project Management King & Wood Mallesons
2019 Managing Counsel, Dispute Resolution, MLC Wealth (then part of NAB)
2022 Teaching Fellow College of Law, Fundamental Technologies
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Today
Making the most of tech for Managing the retainer Communication Record keeping Good systems Managing key dates Keeping up to date
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Making the most of tech for managing the retainer
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Automated workflows in Microsoft 365 Collect information in a form
Populate an entry on a List
Use Power Automate to populate a template document
Send for review/approval
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Use Power Automate to build workflows
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Use Excel and standard “menu” to estimate costs Use Excel spreadsheet to list standard stages for matter type and high-level tasks Start with standard “price list” and adjust as appropriate Estimate the total likely fees for the matter and sense check the outcome
Us e s ta nda rd s ta ge s
Comple te the blue columns a nd a me nd a s re quire d
Ca lcula te to a lign with proje cte d comple tion of ta s ks for e a ch s ta ge
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Use visuals to communicate scope of work Pull estimates from spreadsheet into a table in your retainer agreement Customise the presentation to suit your client’s needs Use the due dates to generate calendar entries and automated reminders
Create a high level visual pathway to make it easy for your client to understand
Ge tting s ta rte d
Es ta blis h the numbe rs
Ne gotia te a gre e me nt
Forma lis e the a gre e me nt
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Use Lists to track leads, Basic CRM (Client relationship management)
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Use Lists to keep track
Comple te the form to a dd ite ms Cus tomis e the columns
Ke e p upda te s a nd note s on e a ch ite m
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Use Lists to automate simple workflows
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Making the most of tech for Communication
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Secure Client portals • Secure client communications protect sensitive information and avoid complaints about privacy breaches • Real time progress updates: can keep clients informed of status and reduce complaints from missed deadlines or disorganisation • Regular case updates proactively manage client expectations, prevent misunderstandings, follow up outstanding instructions and reduce complaints about lack of information • Minimise requests to re-send information that has already been provided
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Online appointment booking • Enable clients to book a time with you online, reduce phone tag and scheduling conflicts • Send automated reminders to clients, preventing complaints about forgotten appointments • Collect key information via online form in advance of appointment to avoid slow manual data collection • ⚠ build in conflict checking mechanism before you collect confidential client information that might cause you to be conflicted if both sides of a dispute engage you Source: Microsoft Bookings
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Send availability from your mobile with Outlook app Reply to an email click the calendar plus icon
Select Send Availability
Highlight available timeslots from your calendar
Your available times are in the draft reply
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Client satisfaction surveys
Source: Microsoft Forms
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Making the most of tech for Record keeping
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Dictate file notes when you are away from your desk
Microsoft Word app in built dictation
Notes app (for iPhone) also allows you to dictate
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Use OneNote for digital file notes
Insert Meeting details from Outlook Default Template created in One Note from LPLC template option to add your brand logo Optional ruled lines - select Draw | Format background Many ways to capture content • Type, dictate or record a video • handwrite on tablet and convert to text • Add images or pdf documents to mark up Email page to save on the matter file or give directions
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Use PowerPoint record to communicate PowerPoint | Record | Screen recording Select area, then Record Select Camera | Cameo to record your face
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Capture all communications on the matter file e.g., SMS, WhatsApp • more secure if all team use devices supplied by the firm • digital tools can pull bulk messages into your computer
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Making the most of tech for good systems
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Use templates and checklists: sleep better at night
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Use OneNote for digital checklists
Default Template created in One Note from LPLC template Checklist or create your own checklist templates
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Use Forms for digital checklists Checklist created in Forms from LPLC template Checklist and access on mobile device
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Built in automation Quick parts: re-used snippets of text in Word and email
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Document review and proofing • Build in document review to detect errors like undefined terms, broken cross-references • Use tools to check for clarity, conciseness, inclusive language and how easy it is to understand
Source: www.Macro.com
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Version control
• Consolidate multiple versions • Compare agreements against your template • Final check of the execution version before signing
Source: www.Macro.com
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Teams: Manage workload in a dispersed team
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Teams: View 1 Kanban board
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Teams: View 2 task list
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Teams View 3: Schedule
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Use Teams Planner app for automated reminders
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Use ToDo for your work, personal, project tasks
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Use Teams for an online Matter hub Pin PDFs for quick reference Documents Messages
Link to the matter (if cloud based)
Digital notebook
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Use Teams to access policies and procedures
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Making the most of tech for keeping up to date
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Use Lists for an index that can be searched, filtered and sorted
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Use Google Alerts to track key developments or clients
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Use Jade to create alerts for any changes to key legislation for your practice area
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Use Jade to create Jademarks for relevant paragraphs of cases as you read and tag them by topic/issue
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Use Jade Citation Report to get an alert when legislation is cited or changed
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Making the most of tech for Key dates
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Use Lists to track progress and fixed fee stages
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Use Lists app to automate reminders
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Making the most of tech using Chat GPT and other generative AI
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Do try out ChatGPT • Chat GPT-3 - Consumer version – not suitable for client confidential information Is good at: • create clear and concise explanations of complex topics • provide different perspectives • synthesize information • inspiration for creative ideas • draft step by step instructions on how to perform common tasks on software
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Use ja s mine .ja de .io for na tura l la ngua ge re s e a rch
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Coming soon Microsoft Copilot
Mic ro s o ft 365 Co p ilo t: Yo u r Qu e s tio n s An s we re d Lis a Cros bie https://youtu.be/tQcf-rNX2EA
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LPLC Cyber security guide
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The best tool is the one you will use
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Identify the one thing you will do as a next step
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? Enable you or your team to work more effectively
? Improve the way you communicate with clients or potential clients
? Eliminate an annoying or repetitive manual task that is an unrecoverable cost
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Find out more Book a va ila ble in Pa pe rba ck a nd e book www.fiona mcla y.com.a u Ama zon, Booktopia , LIV Books hop
Us e the QR code to downloa d a fre e s a mple
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Legaltech Confab A free online discussion about the practical ins and outs of using legal tech everyday Next session 10 August 2023 www.cli.colla w.co m
Fundamental Legal Technologies An introduction to the technologies shaping legal services. Delivered 100% online over 12 weeks starting 14 August 2023 www.mlb.collaw.edu.au
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Ways I can support you WWW.FI ONAMCLAY.COM.AU
FI ONA@MCLAYLEGAL.COM
0422 074 923
LAW FI RM TECH REVI EW
HOLD A LUNCH ‘N LEARN SESSI ON
CONSULTI NG SOLUTI ONS
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