The Gazette 1982

GAZETTE

JULY/AUGUS T 1982

Small Law Firm Dos and Don'ts for Acquiring a Computer by Thomas S. Clay, Altman & Weil, Inc. Management Consultants, Ardmore, PA; Northfield, IL; Orinda, CA T ECHNOLOGICAL advances made during the 1970's required lawyers and law firms to answer

provide a back-up medium; therefore, all ofthe client and matter time files were destroyed. Fortunately, the firm retained time slips and, through a heroic effort, was able to duplicate its files. The system purchased could be expanded to include back-up capabilities, but the firm failed to consider this important requirement. The firm is now facing a significant equipment upgrade cost. 2. A firm of 3 lawyers was convinced by another lawyer, who was an enthusiast of microcomputers, to purchase a system that would provide data processing, word processing, and additional legal support functions. The firm bought this "panacea" machine. When the system required maintenance, as all systems do, the only way for hardware mainten- ance to be performed was to send the unit back to the manufacturer. This caused the firm to be without its data processing and word processing functions for three weeks. 3. A firm of 8 lawyers puchased a small, multiple- terminal system to perform word processing and data processing without seeing a detailed demonstration of the system's capabilities. After installation, the firm discovered that the system could not perform several of its major billing requirements. To compound the problem further, when data and word processing were performed simultaneously on the computer, serious degradation (or computer slow- down) occurred. As a result, the law firm had to purchase a second computer for word processing, and it is still waiting for the software supplier to redesign the system to handle its billing require- ments. There are major horror stories that can be related, with equally disastrous results. All of the major vendors of computer systems for law firms and most of the microcomputer vendors are targeting small law firms as clients. The expectations of these smaller firms are great. In fact, the computer is perceived as a solution to functional and economic problems. As a practical matter, the rewards and benefits of technology are often intangible and difficult to quantify. Consequently, many smaller firms will experience not only disappointment in the use of a computer, but will spend thousands of dollars unwisely. Following are the ten DOS and ten DON'TS that, if adhered to, will greatly increase the firm's potential for a successful installation. These DOS and DON'TS are a result of years of working with law firms and observing many mistakes that have occurred. 205

the threshold question: "Should we be using a computer in our law practice?" For many firms the question has been answered affirmatively, and now the question is: "What computer or system should we acquire?" With the proliferation of low priced micro- computers, allegedly touting they can do everything but try a case, more poor decisions than good ones are being made by smaller law firms acquiring computers. Unlike smaller law firms, large firms have financial, clerical and management resources available to help rectify mistakes. Larger firms can also amortize the "cost" of their mistakes or inefficiencies over a wider range of owners. In a smaller law firm, a S 10,000 or S15,000 mistake can do irreparable harm and be far more costly through disruption to the law firm's financial systems. The potential for an operational disaster or financial chaos is greatly increased in the smaller environment. Consequently, small firms must be even more cautious in making a computer decision. The purpose of this article is to provide several important dos and don'ts for small law firms considering a computer. These points will assist the smaller law firm in analyzing the many systems available and will preclude a potentially disastrous installation. We will not deal with conceptual issues of technology or the conduct of a properly performed computer study. These issues are written about extensively and most effectively in LAW OFFICE AUTOMAT I ON AND T ECHNOLOGY, published by Matthew Bender & Company, a comprehensive volume on the use of technology in the law office. This article is not written for the computer enthusiast or evangelist, but for the lawyer and administrator who are not gadget-oriented or do not have the time to immerse themselves in technical detail. Reading these few pages will not make the reader an expert on small computers or their selection, but it will cover some basic decision- making in a firm's entry into the rapidly changing technology of mini and microcomputers. Following are some examples of small firms which should have followed the included list of dos and don'ts. 1. A firm of 12 lawyers bought a microcomputer and software to perform rudimentary time accounting and billing functions. The system worked relatively well until an operator error caused the entire disk to be erased. Standard operating procedures dictate that law firms back up or save information residing on disk at least daily. The computer model that the firm purchased did not