Articles > Resource Advisors Client Profiled In Law Office Computing

Law Office Computing Magazine
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Dec/Jan 2003 Issue, Page 49

For the past twelve years, Stockton, Barker & Mead, LLP (a twelve attorney law firm specializing in Workers Compensation Law) has depended on software from Software Technology, Inc. to successfully automate and seamlessly integrate its billing, accounting, and practice management systems. That’s good news for Matthew R. Mead, managing partner for a firm that handles over 10,000 workers compensation matters each year.

While Mr. Mead has been a devoted user of Tabs3 and PracticeMaster since 1991, the firm retained Certified Software Technology, Inc. Integrator, Harry W. Salavantis of Resource Advisors for Computers Corporation of Albany, New York to further leverage the systems’ true capabilities. Mr. Salavantis demonstrated how the firm would benefit by customizing the program interface and training users to use the program’s most advanced capabilities. He convinced them to replace their existing QuickBooks software with Software Technology, Inc.’s own accounting modules to save further time and expense by passing costs and income between the modules, automatically.

Now, on any given day, dozens of new cases are setup in Tabs3, where fees and costs are tracked and billed throughout the day. In a few keystrokes, a user can initiate the document assembly program in PracticeMaster to complete the firm’s intake sheet on pertinent facts about the case. As the document is being assembled, the information is recorded in PracticeMaster. Because Tabs3 and PracticeMaster share the same data files, information contained in either system is input once. After the document is assembled, the PracticeMaster Tickler system creates a fee record in Tabs3, assigns the matter to the calendar, and creates a document management record to show that the activity has been completed - seamlessly and automatically.

Once the file is opened, Mr. Mead can schedule and monitor all firm resources using PracticeMaster’s comprehensive calendaring functions. He is able to create and review notes, phone records, web research, and timed tasks using PracticeMaster’s Journal feature. A journal record can also be turned into a fee record. Case related emails can also be copied to the journal.

Mr. Mead takes his case files with him using PracticeMaster’s Briefcase function. "I used to sit in my office on Friday night, setting up the schedule for the workers compensation hearings for the next week. Now I can load all the information on my laptop and do it at home." Eventually, the attorneys will be equipped with laptops and have the ability to access and update case information at the hearings themselves. Right now, some attorneys maintain their calendar and contacts on their handhelds using PracticeMaster’s Palm OS interface program.

Mr. Mead realizes that this level of integration he gets using Software Technology, Inc. software would not be possible if their billing, practice management and accounting software came from separate companies. "Our database currently contains over 50,000 matters. It only makes sense to have the ability to use the same case information across our billing, practice management, and accounting systems in a seamless, secure, and reliable interface that Software Technology, Inc. provides with Tabs3 and PracticeMaster."

Stockton, Barker, and Mead, is also the first registered user of Software Technology, Inc.’s Client Server version which improves the speed in which the software can perform complex program and reporting functions. "Because of the size of our database, the Client Server Version of our Software Technology, Inc. software allows us to process reports and other multi-user functions 60 percent faster than before."

Mr. Mead is also quick to point out, in all the years of running his Software Technology, Inc. systems, that he has not had a single occurrence of data loss or corruption due to Software Technology, Inc. software.

"The quality of software and support we receive from Software Technology, Inc. is superior."