Written by:
Grant Yuill
Head of Marketing & Customer Engagement
Over the last ten years, technology has advanced quickly. Examples include smartphones, on-demand streaming services, smartwatches that can assess blood oxygen levels and heart rate, electric cars, and artificial intelligence (AI) technology. Many of these innovations have quickly established themselves in our daily lives to the point that they are now barely talked about and their impact is pretty much taken for granted.
Why should we expect anything less when it comes to the technology that can assist in our everyday working life if we expect the most recent technology in our daily lives? In comparison to other industries and legal specialities, the legal profession has been slower to adopt new technologies, especially among those involved in estate administration.
Until recently it was believed that the technology available to probate practitioners wasn’t at the point where it was simple to embrace, or utilise fully. That’s mainly because many so-called probate programs, whether they were created with that function in mind or were parts of a larger software package, were developed in the 1990s and had poor user interfaces, required local installation, and were difficult to master. They don’t resemble the tools that probate professionals need today or contemporary productivity tools. Many legal professionals didn’t use technology or look for new software because it took them years of hard work to make the outdated approach they had work for their team.
The fact is that here at Denovo we’ve had a ground-breaking Probate module built into our Legal Intelligence Software since 2005. We realised reasonably early that adding the ability to capture all estate information in easy to navigate cases, adding details on beneficiaries, assets, and liabilities was essential to making users lives easier. Even back then this software came with the ability to have HMRC forms generated from within the software and populated with data from the case.
Several software tools and platforms have been created to rival our platform in recent years to streamline the probate procedure, so as the years have passed, it seems that its no longer a neglected sector. However, research continues to show that the adoption of the existing technology isn’t as rapid as it could be. According to our research, three out of four legal professionals in 2022 believe there are numerous ways to make the bereavement process better, such as by developing stronger ties with financial institutions and using software specifically designed for probate, but 70% of them indicate that they have not improved any aspect of the procedure over the past year.
What we have done now is upgrade our existing Probate module into our CaseLoad Case Management system so that it is relevant for users in 2023. A brand new user interface has been created. The software module now boasts specific tools to help automate the production of the Inventory, Petition and other Tax Forms, along with tools to record all the assets and liabilities of an estate, automated matching to receipts and payments – including seamless integration with our Legal Accounts solution. Automated generation of the Final Account of Charge and Discharge or Capital, Income and Distribution.
So with products like our Probate Case management software readily available, what is it that is truly preventing legal professionals from using the most recent technology? Our belief is that lawyers simply don’t know what’s out there. Its our job to educate them about the efficiency benefits of Cloud-based Probate software within Case Management systems.
Here, we have highlighted the top 10 advantages legal professionals should anticipate from our cutting-edge, cloud-based case management software. CaseLoad is tailored to the probate industry as compared to more conventional software types now on the market.
- Document Management:
- Secure Cloud Storage: Ensure the software offers secure and compliant cloud storage for storing and organising probate-related documents, such as wills, estate plans, and legal contracts.
- Client Management:
- Client Database: Maintain a comprehensive client database with relevant contact information, case history, and communication logs.
- Client Portal: Provide a secure client portal where clients can access case updates, documents, and communicate with their solicitor.
- Task and Deadline Management:
- Task Lists: Create and manage task lists for each case, including critical deadlines, court dates, and probate-related actions.
- Reminders and Notifications: Receive automated reminders and notifications to ensure that important tasks and deadlines are not missed.
- Time Tracking and Billing:
- Time Tracking: Track billable hours and expenses related to probate cases, facilitating accurate billing.
- Invoicing: Generate invoices based on time entries and expenses, and provide clients with clear billing statements.
- Security and Compliance:
- Providers of cloud-based technology make significant investments in security measures to protect the data of their clients. This includes access controls, data encryption, and backups to guard against data loss in the event of a catastrophe or outage. Additionally, cloud-based solutions give organisations built-in resiliency to maintain corporate operations.
- Compliance Features: Ensure that the software complies with relevant data protection and privacy regulations, such as GDPR or HIPAA, depending on your location.
- Reporting and Analytics:
- Reporting Tools: Access customisable and automated reports and analytics to track the progress of probate cases, monitor productivity, and make data-driven decisions.
- Performance Metrics: Measure key performance indicators (KPIs) like case closure rates, response times, and billable hours.
- Integration and Collaboration:
- Integration Options: Look for software that integrates with other essential tools such as email, calendar, and has built in accounting software to streamline workflow.
- Collaboration Features: Enable seamless collaboration among team members by providing features like shared calendars, task assignments, and document collaboration.
- Mobile Accessibility:
- Users that choose cloud-based software can access their work from any location at any time as long as they have an internet connection. Because it enables real-time collaboration on cases, it is the perfect choice for companies with remote staff or numerous office locations.
- Innovation:
- In order to continuously improve their services, cloud-based technology providers make significant investments in research and development. It means that organizations can take advantage of the most recent developments right away without having to spend money on pricey server equipment or take time off to upgrade. Furthermore, legal technology companies with a contemporary service-design led attitude, like Denovo, encourage users to submit regular feedback and conduct organised research, giving professionals a voice in future product developments.
- Audit Trails:
- Maintain detailed audit trails to track all changes and actions within the case management system, ensuring transparency and accountability.
How our Software can help Solicitors
Our Probate Case Management Software can work alone or seamlessly with our Legal Accounts interface, harnessing the existing power and functionality of Denovo but introducing a powerful, highly automated Probate solution. It offers an extra layer of functionality on top of the already powerful Client Relationship Management and Case Management tools offered by our whole practice management solution.
Legal professionals can gain access to all of the capabilities mentioned above and more by selecting cutting-edge, cloud-based CaseLoad software. These advantages may contribute to greater productivity, time savings, and error reduction, which will eventually improve the experience for both legal professionals and their clients. The legal sector must use the most recent technologies to keep on top of trends and satisfy clients’ and workers’ evolving needs given the rapid speed of technological advancement.
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