Lawyers are not necessarily known for being cutting-edge adopters of technology, particularly those in small- to medium-sized firms. In fact, it’s more of a bleeding edge, as lawyers in all size firms are being painfully thrust into using sophisticated technology solutions to manage cases along with all the attendant print and electronic records. A comprehensive and reliable enterprisewide electronic records management system is critical for tracking, storing and retrieving client files to reduce ethical, malpractice and compliance risks for law firms.

In its simplest form, electronic records management for client files is a somewhat linear process with three components: conflict checking, active management (current case files) and file storage. An overriding issue is whether the firm stays in compliance with federal, state and other regulatory agencies during each phase.