Connectivity Services

According to the 2003 Corporate Legal Times Survey of Corporate Counsel (http://www.cltmag.com/editorial/surveys/july03_2.cfm), 69 percent of corporate counsel respondents said they consider the “use and sharing of technologies and work products” a very important or somewhat important attribute when the legal department retains outside counsel. Not surprisingly, 100 percent said “responsiveness” is a very important or somewhat important attribute.

Increasingly, the demands of clients are guiding how law firms use technology. Many clients are demanding more certainty in fees, better technologies, knowledge sharing and partnering structures. They are demanding around-the-clock access to attorneys and want their law firms to be more responsive and collaborative.

Frustrated by incompatible formats, lack of common technologies and failure of law firms to take advantage of readily available technologies, some clients are about to throw their PDAs down in disgust.

The law firms that stand out are the ones that lead with technological options that promote better, faster and, potentially, less expensive communication.

Rafte & Company's Connectivity Services will enhance your law firm's ability to lead the way. We help firms anticipate their clients' information requirements and align your firm's technology assets with client needs and capabilities. We can design, build and manage safe and secure environments, such as Intranets and Extranets, to provide password-protected, private websites for clients.

These applications can position your firm as the owner of fully collaborative data repositories, enabling your team to create and control the data asset while others access and edit it.

Examples of the ways Rafte & Company's Connectivity Services can align your law firm's technology with your clients include:

• Clients will feel secure in the knowledge that your firm is focused on
  their needs;
• Clients can have access to the work product in a fully secure, collaborative environment your law firm controls;
• Clients can access and communicate with your attorneys from anywhere;
• Your law firm can illustrate return on investment for clients by improving efficiencies; and
• Your legal teams can realize opportunities to cross-sell services.

In and of themselves, advanced communications systems, document management systems, litigation support databases, case management systems, firm-wide dockets and contact management systems can lack potency. Properly integrated, however, they are invaluable tools enabling your firm to be more responsive and helping you to anticipate and satisfy client demands for greater collaboration.

These initiatives enhance your law firm's ability to communicate seamlessly with clients as well as allow clients to collaborate, manage and access valuable information at anytime from anywhere.