HighQ case study: Parris Law Firm's innovative case management

The power of automation and visualization

HighQ is proving to be a powerful platform to enable better matter management, provide clearer activity overviews, and encourage internal collaboration. Visualization tools ensure all team members have access to the information they need to work effectively, seamlessly connecting to their ProLaw environment. For example, case details can be easily summarized within dashboards, and open matters can be categorized by type, area of law, or the handling lawyer. Document status can be tracked from creation to signature. Having everyone use one interface creates transparency. All this gives the firm clearer insights into its business and practice areas, leading to better decision-making and improved client relationship management. 

Borquez explains, “Instead of having to drill down on multiple tabs within our ProLaw environment to get the case data, we're able to summarize that data within a few tabs or a few iSheets within HighQ.”

In addition, the firm is making use of the automation capabilities in HighQ, which allow for easier, faster document creation and more streamlined workflows.

On the document automation side, documents are now autogenerated using templates that are automatically populated with relevant matter data. 

According to Borquez, "Document automation is big. We can turn out a template within a matter of minutes, whereas before, it could take weeks or months because we’d have to rely on the document automation process in our legal management software and then write a custom macro to change the formalities and formatting of that document. Whereas document automation within HighQ will do all that for us in a much easier, more pleasant way. And we can collect the data that's necessary for document automation and spin out those documents pretty quickly.”

Parris is also seeing significant benefits in automating workflows and tasks. With the back-end data regularly synched into HighQ, staff at the firm can build triggers into workflows to ensure tasks are carried out in the right order and at the right time. These workflow triggers can be based on information from a variety of sources. For example, triggers from deadlines contained in calendaring functionality or even from within the contents of emails.

“We’re trying to simplify and automate some of the caseload — the hands-on approach of what it takes us to move a case forward and or work a case,” says Borquez. “So, if we're getting emails or correspondence back and forth between the other attorneys or the clients, we're able to have triggers fire based upon what we're receiving and automate the process.”

Although it’s still too soon to measure return on investment (ROI), Borquez expects the advantages to increase as time goes on. “I can see that I'm going to be very happy with everything HighQ has to offer. I can see my team running at least 20% to 30% more efficiently than previously,” he says.

Fulfilling future ambitions

According to Borquez, Parris is already pushing the envelope of what it can do with HighQ, and it has plenty of ambitions for future development. One is to use HighQ for its matter intake processes, in place of another third-party application, to streamline the inter-connectivity between its intake, pre-litigation, and litigation teams, creating an end-to-end solution. Another is to increase the use of data visualizations it does in HighQ, such as highlighting upcoming statutes passing into law or issues related to trial dates.

Furthermore, Borquez and his team are investigating options for integrating HighQ more closely with CoCounsel, the AI legal assistant from Thomson Reuters. Doing so will further increase efficiency and productivity at the firm and minimize the risk of things getting missed. By using AI to automate and accelerate more processes within workflows, he expects lawyers to have more time for essential tasks, as AI handles the specific duties assigned to it. 

“My idea is that CoCounsel could tell us what it thinks about a case or a certain aspect of a case. For example, maybe we need a medical chronology. We can have it pre-scan the documents that are in HighQ and provide a summary. I think we can leverage it as part of a more automated process. So, rather than us having to say 'Hey, go do this for us', it’s already being tasked to do it in the workflow,” he says. “So, we can then focus more on bigger things. This is not about replacing or removing resources but rather increasing efficiency to handle the case going forward.”

Overall, deploying HighQ has been a very positive experience for the firm, with ongoing efforts to maximize its potential. In the opinion of Borquez, “I think a lot of firms could benefit from HighQ — for task automation, document automation, case workflow — utilizing it as your case management software.”

Parris Law Firm

From its offices in Lancaster and Los Angeles, California, Parris advises clients on cases as diverse as car accidents and work injuries, to wrongful death, toxic exposure, or wage theft.

Challenges

The firm wanted to extend its document management capabilities beyond what was possible with its existing legal management solution. They wanted to harness the power of automation in document creation and workflows. 

Why HighQ?

HighQ offers the opportunity to create a powerful solution tailored to the firm’s ambitious requirements, while still being easy to use. It integrates effortlessly with the firm’s existing legal management solution for seamless data transfer and delivers impressive automation features.

Benefits

• Enhances matter management and streamlines document management
• Drives efficiency through workflow and document automation
• Improves visibility and collaboration
• Reduces risk
• Customizable and easy to use