The Oklahoma Bar Journal March 2024

L aw P ractice T ips

Spring Cleaning Your Law Firm Data By Jim Calloway

L AWYERS HAVE HELD AND safeguarded client data for generations. Of course, in the past, it wasn’t called data. Our data was in paper client files, forms to “go by” and brief banks. While it wasn’t planned this way in advance, my most recent Law Practice Tips columns blend as a series. In the January 2024 Oklahoma Bar Journal , the subject was “Automated Document Assembly is Easy, Right?” 1 The February 2024 col umn was “A Time of Great Change Caused by Artificial Intelligence Developments.” 2 If the connection with these three topics isn’t readily apparent to you, that is under standable. But to adopt automated document assembly, you must have your data in a usable, digital format. Otherwise, the best auto mation you can accomplish is “fill in the blank” or “copy and paste.” We are moving to a time when many of us will employ artificial intelligence “assistants” to expedite task management. The primary way that it will operate is by “read ing” your documents and emails. This will be relatively simple and largely risk-free, as the AI assistant will access the content stored on your computer – if it can! I’ve attended several conferences and presentations focusing on AI. A main point that everybody is convinced of is that it is now time

FILE NAMING AND STORAGE POLICIES

to make certain your data is well organized. This not only allows other law firm employees to access it easily, but it will also be more accessible when you want to access it with AI tools. For solo and small firm lawyers, practice management software systems may be the best way for them to organize their informa tion. As I’ve noted before, OBA Practice Management Advisor Julie Bays will assist you by answering questions or providing brief demonstrations to help in making your practice manage ment software subscribing deci sion. Some larger law firms may opt for more powerful full-featured document management systems, which can be set up to track differ ent versions of a document. In some ways, your practice management software is like romance and marriage. In the early stages, it is fun. Exiting the relationship early on is relatively simple. But later, it becomes more like marriage – you can get out of it, but it’s often not easy or cheap. Transferring data from one system to another can sometimes be chal lenging. Plus, there is the matter of everyone retraining on the new system. So invest some time in this important decision if it has not been made for your firm or if you are considering a change.

Everyone in a law firm needs to understand how to name the new documents they are creating and how the documents should be stored. It is too inefficient for different lawyers to have differ ent systems. If a staff member is absent, it is easier to cover if the documents are named and filed in the same system as the rest of the firm. Generally speaking, a good file name will include the client or matter name, something about what type of document it is ( e.g. , Decree or Motion for Summary Judgment) and some numbers relating to the date of first creation. Hopefully, combining these three elements will eliminate duplicate file names. The firm must also have a pol icy on how documents are stored. Those using practice management software systems will have that dictated for you. But if you are storing everything in Windows file management folders, make certain it is a drive and folder that is secure and frequently backed up. Microsoft OneDrive is a good example and is provided as a part of your Microsoft 365 subscription. There are other options in the marketplace, of course. No matter how well organized and well trained those who work in a law firm are, there will be some

56 | MARCH 2024

THE OKLAHOMA BAR JOURNAL