LAW FIRMS STILL “RUN” WITH PAPER
Are paper documents heading toward obsolescence in law firms? Hardly. In fact, despite the persistence of the “paperless office” myth, the use of paper documents continues to grow exponentially. Researchers at the School of Information Management and Systems at the University of California at Berkeley have been tracking the growth of information, including that printed on paper. In their 2003 study, they say, “The amount of information printed on paper is still increasing, but the vast majority of original information on paper is produced by individuals in office documents and mail.”

More than perhaps any other industry, the legal profession depends heavily on the quality and availability of documents. They can be created electronically and exchanged among partners, clients, colleagues, and opposing counsel. Sometimes they’re sent by e-mail or fax. Other times they’re printed and faxed, couriered, mailed, or filed and archived. With so many different types of documents in so many different forms and formats using so many different communication channels, document management is a mission-critical challenge for law firms today.

From contracts and filings to evidence and incorporation records, law firms invest enormous sums of money in systems and labor – including employing the ever-present knowledge workers and “runners” – to capture, manage and deliver those documents. Yet, too often, law firms endure needless delays, costs, risks, and problems simply managing the day-to-day documents that are integral parts of their professional workflow. Consider some of the “running” challenges: