The New ATL Small Firm Center: Q&A With Chelsey Lambert Of Smokeball

Insights into the legal tech landscape for small law firms, courtesy of Chelsey Lambert of Smokeball.

Chelsey Lambert of Smokeball

Chelsey Lambert of Smokeball

Ed. note: Today we launch the new ATL Small Law Center in partnership with our friends at Smokeball. Smokeball’s Chelsey Lambert shared with us some insights on law firm technology.

Smokeball has partnered with Above the Law to create the Small Firm Center. Why in the world would you do such a thing?

We were looking for a partner that was keenly aware of the challenges faced by attorneys, from the time they begin law school, to when they get a big firm job, and then transition back out on their own. Of course, some skip Biglaw altogether and go solo right out of the gate. It was obvious that the Above the Law team not only “got it,” but was in a position to help.

By combining our content with the Above the Law brand we can bring more guidance, advice, and helpful resources to a greater number of small firm readers looking for answers. Our collaborative approach means that attorneys will get the best menu of self-help options possible, in a place they’re likely already familiar with.

Options for legal practice management platforms seem to be multiplying rapidly. In an extremely competitive space, what distinguishes Smokeball and its users?

While Smokeball has everything a small law firm would expect, it has a number of features that put us in a class of our own. The first one is document automation. Smokeball has powerful document automation delivered through Microsoft Word giving firms the ability to use key matter details to actually get their work done more efficiently rather than just tracking details. As well as integrating with Microsoft Word we also work closely with Microsoft Outlook giving small firms a truly easy way to manage matter related emails sent and received by their whole team.

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Furthermore, each law firm’s account is customized to support their practice area and local jurisdiction. We use their documents, letterhead, and local court forms to build a powerful document library of work product they can access and generate from anywhere.

Another standout difference is Smokeball AI, a first of its kind activity reporting tool which leverages our connection to Microsoft Word and Outlook to record and explain a detailed activity history on a particular matter, showcasing the amount of effort spent on documents, sending and receiving email, events, tasks completed, and phone calls. This provides the managing partner with a true understanding of employee utilization, and the actual amount of work they are performing across the lifespan of a case.

Last, but definitely not least, is our over the top support. The Smokeball team comprises both attorneys and paralegals who intimately understand our clients’ needs, how they would like the software to work, and will aid them in customizing their Smokeball account to be as efficient as possible.

Generally speaking, what do you see as the area of greatest weakness on the part of solos and small firm lawyers in using (or failing to use) technology to provide better client service and run a more profitable business?

The fact is that in 2016, more than half of small law firms in the United States use no software to run their business other than for word processing and email. I feel that fear of change is the greatest driver behind this. Technology is simply not an option anymore. To compete in the legal marketplace and to do a great job for your clients, leveraging technology is the only way to keep up. Small law firms need to understand that they are running a business which requires tools and systems to be successful.

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I would add that simply investing in a system is not good enough. The entire team in a small law firm needs to fully commit to using the tools they purchase. You can buy all of the technology in the world, but if your employees are not properly trained, or you are using out-of-date hardware, the solution might as well be worthless.

We live in an increasingly data-driven world where analytics are transforming how we conduct and manage all aspects of our lives. Are there particular metrics that solo and small-firm practitioners need to be on top of?

Absolutely. Small firms are prone to cash flow issues, which stem from both poor billing practices and a lack of margin awareness. Many deliver services on a flat fee basis, but spend hours, days, weeks, or months running around for a client, filing motions, and holding meetings unaware of how much time they are actually spending, and if they are going to make money on the case in the end.

Most small law firms would benefit by starting with some basic key performance indicators such as understanding how many matters they are opening in a month and where that is trending; how utilized each employee is; how much of their fees they are actually collecting; and where their work is coming from.

With all the recent data breaches and ransomware attacks afflicting law firms, clients and lawyers alike are anxious about data security. Can you speak to the relationship between data security and practice management technologies?

Data security is something we all need to be cognizant of, in both our personal and professional lives. Security professionals can confirm that law firm theft or security issues usually stem from poor password habits. Sharing passwords among team members, sharing email accounts, using the same password for everything, or using simple passwords creates an opportunity for data breach.

So, just as we protect our credit card numbers by shopping only with verified websites and requiring CVV codes, law firms should only store their data in verified and secured software solutions and change their passwords regularly.

The safest and most cost effective way for a law firm to get, and maintain, a secure database of client information, is to work with a provider. Preferably, a practice management solution built for their area of law, so that all of the small details, such as tax information, sensitive documents, social security numbers, birth certificate information, and other personal information are in the safest place possible.

Security works in economies of scale. It is practically impossible for a small law firm to purchase, install, support, and maintain the level of security needed to protect their information in an everyday office. Nor does it make sense for them to do so, as it would be a full-time job, and a distraction from the core services they provide. In summary, your clients come to you for legal expertise, and ours come to us for security and confidence.

For more small law firm resources and downloadable guides, check out the Small Firm Center.