Vermont Bar Association
Seminar Materials
The Efficient Office
September 19, 2014
Killington Grand Resort
Killington, VT
Faculty:
Donald Coker
DONALD J. COKER, P.A.
LAW OFFICE SYSTEMS CONSULTING
POST OFFICE BOX 164
PORTSMOUTH NH 03802-0164
(603) 905-9740 (V) FISH4BUGS@METROCAST.NET (E) www.donaldcoker.com (i)
- In our 32
ndyear of service to Law Firms throughout New England -
______________________________________________________________________________________
COMPUTER SYSTEMS & SOFTWARE
CASE MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS
Needs Analysis and Recommendations Calendars, Docket Control and Workload Management
TECHNOLOGY PLANNING
SYSTEMS AUDITS
VERMONT BAR ASSOCIATION
136
TH
ANNUAL MEETING
SEPTEMBER 19 2014
KILLINGTON GRAND RESORT
KILLINGTON, VT
DONALD J. COKER, P.A.
LAW OFFICE SYSTEMS CONSULTING
POST OFFICE BOX 164
PORTSMOUTH NH 03802-0164
(603) 905-9740 (V) FISH4BUGS@METROCAST.NET (E) www.donaldcoker.com (i)
- In our 32
ndyear of service to Law Firms throughout New England -
______________________________________________________________________________________
COMPUTER SYSTEMS & SOFTWARE
CASE MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS
Needs Analysis and Recommendations Calendars, Docket Control and Workload Management
TECHNOLOGY PLANNING
SYSTEMS AUDITS
FORWARD
One of the hardest things to do as a lawyer is to run an office efficiently. You are so busy
reacting to events outside your control (court deadlines, demands by clients, etc.) that the idea of
spending time setting up systems, following the rules, and simply developing good work habits is
something that always seems to get pushed back to the sidelines.
Hiring good people, training them properly, supervising them, setting up systems,
monitoring the adherence to the rules, etc.is all the stuff they
DIDN’T
teach you in law school.
Law schools don’t teach lawyers about the “business of law”….marketing, sales, administration,
etc. I am grateful that they did not teach that – it has allowed me to make s pretty decent living for
over 30 years…..
THANKS LAW SCHOOLS!
The format of this 2 hour discussion is one that has a framework, but we may well swerve
off the beaten path if an interesting subject comes up. I will always bring up back to the task at
hand – Running an Efficient Law Office.
In this discussion, please feel free to stop and ask questions – that is important because
the question is usually relevant to the current specific subject for discussion. By discussing the
subject in greater detail, at the moment it is fresh in your mind, you will get the benefit of toher’s
points of view and experiences. Q&A is one of the best ways to learn.
For over 30 years, my firm has helped small to mid-sized law firms
(I ONLY work with
law firms)
choose and use technology, billing systems, practice management systems,
implement document assembly, and in ways to become more organized, more productive and
more profitable.
The notes in the following pages are simply areas of discussion. I have left room for you
to take notes about those specific subject areas.
Thanks for attending, and I look forward to your questions and participation in this wide
ranging discussion of “Running an Efficient Law Office”
DONALD J. COKER, P.A.
LAW OFFICE SYSTEMS CONSULTING
POST OFFICE BOX 164
PORTSMOUTH NH 03802-0164
(603) 905-9740 (V) FISH4BUGS@METROCAST.NET (E) www.donaldcoker.com (i)
- In our 32
ndyear of service to Law Firms throughout New England -
______________________________________________________________________________________
COMPUTER SYSTEMS & SOFTWARE
CASE MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS
Needs Analysis and Recommendations Calendars, Docket Control and Workload Management
TECHNOLOGY PLANNING
SYSTEMS AUDITS
TECHNOLOGY
NETWORKS
MACS vs. WINDOWS PC’s
THE CLOUD
LIFE CYCLE OF COMPUTERS
PRINTERS
SCANNERS
DONALD J. COKER, P.A.
LAW OFFICE SYSTEMS CONSULTING
POST OFFICE BOX 164
PORTSMOUTH NH 03802-0164
(603) 905-9740 (V) FISH4BUGS@METROCAST.NET (E) www.donaldcoker.com (i)
- In our 32
ndyear of service to Law Firms throughout New England -
______________________________________________________________________________________
COMPUTER SYSTEMS & SOFTWARE
CASE MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS
Needs Analysis and Recommendations Calendars, Docket Control and Workload Management
TECHNOLOGY PLANNING
SYSTEMS AUDITS
MFP DEVICES
MOBILE PHONES
HIRING GOOD PEOPLE
PLACE AN AD – VBA MAGAZINE, CRAIGS LIST, LOCAL PAPERS.
BE SPECIFIC ABOUT WHAT YOU ARE LOOKING FOR
TRUST YOUR INSTINCTS
GOOGLE IS YOUR FRIEND
POLICE BACKGROUND CHECKS
DONALD J. COKER, P.A.
LAW OFFICE SYSTEMS CONSULTING
POST OFFICE BOX 164
PORTSMOUTH NH 03802-0164
(603) 905-9740 (V) FISH4BUGS@METROCAST.NET (E) www.donaldcoker.com (i)
- In our 32
ndyear of service to Law Firms throughout New England -
______________________________________________________________________________________
COMPUTER SYSTEMS & SOFTWARE
CASE MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS
Needs Analysis and Recommendations Calendars, Docket Control and Workload Management
TECHNOLOGY PLANNING
SYSTEMS AUDITS
TRAIN THEM PROPERLY
YOU
DO
HAVE A POLICIES AND PROCEDURES MANUAL DON’T YOU?
CROSS TRAIN THEM
TAKE THE TIME TO DO THIS RIGHT
WORD PROCESSING
MICROSOFT WORD
WORDPERFECT
DONALD J. COKER, P.A.
LAW OFFICE SYSTEMS CONSULTING
POST OFFICE BOX 164
PORTSMOUTH NH 03802-0164
(603) 905-9740 (V) FISH4BUGS@METROCAST.NET (E) www.donaldcoker.com (i)
- In our 32
ndyear of service to Law Firms throughout New England -
______________________________________________________________________________________
COMPUTER SYSTEMS & SOFTWARE
CASE MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS
Needs Analysis and Recommendations Calendars, Docket Control and Workload Management
TECHNOLOGY PLANNING
SYSTEMS AUDITS
TEMPLATES
DOCUMENT ASSEMBLY
BILLING AND ACCOUNTING
INTAKE
FEE AGREEMENTS
RETAINERS – WHEN IS THE MONEY YOURS?
WORK HABITS – TIME ENTRY, OPENING FILES
DONALD J. COKER, P.A.
LAW OFFICE SYSTEMS CONSULTING
POST OFFICE BOX 164
PORTSMOUTH NH 03802-0164
(603) 905-9740 (V) FISH4BUGS@METROCAST.NET (E) www.donaldcoker.com (i)
- In our 32
ndyear of service to Law Firms throughout New England -
______________________________________________________________________________________
COMPUTER SYSTEMS & SOFTWARE
CASE MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS
Needs Analysis and Recommendations Calendars, Docket Control and Workload Management
TECHNOLOGY PLANNING
SYSTEMS AUDITS
WORK IN PROCESS
DRAFT BILLS
PRINTING FINAL BILLS
UPDATING THE DATABASE OF TIME, HOURS, ETC.
ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE MANAGEMENT
30-60-90 STEPS
PAYMENTS TO THE FIRM – ALLOCATING DOLLARS
MANAGEMENT REPORTS
DONALD J. COKER, P.A.
LAW OFFICE SYSTEMS CONSULTING
POST OFFICE BOX 164
PORTSMOUTH NH 03802-0164
(603) 905-9740 (V) FISH4BUGS@METROCAST.NET (E) www.donaldcoker.com (i)
- In our 32
ndyear of service to Law Firms throughout New England -
______________________________________________________________________________________
COMPUTER SYSTEMS & SOFTWARE
CASE MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS
Needs Analysis and Recommendations Calendars, Docket Control and Workload Management
TECHNOLOGY PLANNING
SYSTEMS AUDITS
EFFECTIVE RATE
ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE
PRODUCTIVITY
CASH RECEIPTS
PRACTICE MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS
LIKE OUTLOOK ONLY MORE
CALENDAR
DONALD J. COKER, P.A.
LAW OFFICE SYSTEMS CONSULTING
POST OFFICE BOX 164
PORTSMOUTH NH 03802-0164
(603) 905-9740 (V) FISH4BUGS@METROCAST.NET (E) www.donaldcoker.com (i)
- In our 32
ndyear of service to Law Firms throughout New England -
______________________________________________________________________________________
COMPUTER SYSTEMS & SOFTWARE
CASE MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS
Needs Analysis and Recommendations Calendars, Docket Control and Workload Management
TECHNOLOGY PLANNING
SYSTEMS AUDITS
CONTACTS
CALENDAR TEMPLATES
CUSTOMIZED SYSTEMS
DOCUMENT ASSEMBLY
DOCUMENT MANAGEMENT
BILLING TIED TO PM
NOTES TO THE FILE
DONALD J. COKER, P.A.
LAW OFFICE SYSTEMS CONSULTING
POST OFFICE BOX 164
PORTSMOUTH NH 03802-0164
(603) 905-9740 (V) FISH4BUGS@METROCAST.NET (E) www.donaldcoker.com (i)
- In our 32
ndyear of service to Law Firms throughout New England -
______________________________________________________________________________________
COMPUTER SYSTEMS & SOFTWARE
CASE MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS
Needs Analysis and Recommendations Calendars, Docket Control and Workload Management
