Practice Management Articleshttp://www.ellwood.com/practice-management-articles/en-US2010-08-01T01:36:53ZSquarespace Site Server v5.11.5 (http://www.squarespace.com/)Opinion on Time Matters v10http://www.ellwood.com/practice-management-articles/2010/2/17/opinion-on-time-matters-v10.htmlDave Marks2010-02-17T19:32:43ZLexis Nexis has released the latest version of their Time Matters suite of products and we are to now expect annual upgrades from them. 

For the first time, every version of Time Matters is now based on Microsoft SQL. Performance is up and crashes are down.  Earlier versions suffered from the strain searching and filtering placed on the database manager. Microsoft SQL has been the industry standard for database applications for years and placing all the platforms of Time Matters on this structure will undoubtedly lead to happier customers through increased speed and performance.

The annual 'upgrade' cycle where the version number was ratcheted up by one often did not provide 'enough' real improvements in features and underlying structure to merit the grandiose full version upgrade banner. Before Time Matters 10 the application could quite frankly be used to determine the enterprise 'worthiness' of your network. Anything less than ideal would undoubtedly result in unexpected crashing of the application.
]]>Process Management in the Law Firm - The Coming Tidehttp://www.ellwood.com/practice-management-articles/2009/10/25/process-management-in-the-law-firm-the-coming-tide.htmlSteve Ellwood2009-10-25T11:27:06ZRecently I have become more and more concerned (and more and more vocal) about the problems I have seen as I work directly on cases for law firms.  The inefficiencies and tail chasing is staggering.

I'm a small business man.  I spend my own money when it comes to buying services for my company.  In some cases I am thankful that I am not funding the chaos found in some of law firms.  If I found myself as a large consumer of legal services, I would be the most militant, more irritating client these law firms ever had.  I'd want to know (amazingly) what stuff costs.  How are decision made to do X in this way or that?  Why should I spend $1,000 for Mr. X to search for a document, or $300 for Ms. Y to type up something that can be generated from a document manager instantly?  The list is endless and exasperating.

]]>Experience in Canada with a Commitment to the Caribbeanhttp://www.ellwood.com/practice-management-articles/2009/10/14/experience-in-canada-with-a-commitment-to-the-caribbean.htmlellwood associates inc2009-10-14T18:44:50ZFor the past 25 years ellwood associates has worked with Canadian law firms, providing expertise to them as computer technology has revolutionized the practice of law.  Acting as a consultant ellwood associates has taken firms from IBM Selectric typewriters to word processing, carbon copy based one write accounting systems to fully automated accounting systems, paper calendars to always available time management systems for calendar and to do items, from rooms full of paper document discovery to fully indexed and searchable electronic documents.

Four years ago Dave Marks joined the team fresh from an honours program in computer science at the University of Toronto.  Over those years Dave's ability and work ethic has given him a great deal of experience in implementation and support of practice management systems which automate the 'business' of law firms; the accounting and time management systems of the firm.

]]>The Advantages of Being Certifiedhttp://www.ellwood.com/practice-management-articles/2009/9/4/the-advantages-of-being-certified.htmlBrendon Cowans2009-09-04T14:57:46ZHave you ever wondered if it is really necessary to hire a certified consultant when you have access to other resources; resources that come with possibly lengthy experience and cheaper rates?

Let me clarify to pardon the risk of misinterpretation - I do not believe that having cheaper rates always means the service will be subpar. I also do not believe that having extensive experience necessarily equates to having extensive knowledge. The best way to handle a question such as this is to think about the derived results not just for the now but for the future.
]]>Benefits of Document Managementhttp://www.ellwood.com/practice-management-articles/2009/7/8/benefits-of-document-management.htmlDave Marks2009-07-08T16:39:57ZDocument Management System software is the ‘killer-app’ of the modern law firm. We have completed the move to computer based accounting, docketing and billing. Completed document creation and calendaring. Completed email and messaging using technology. What do we do with all the electronic bits of data and documents we have created? Where are the easy to use electronic filing cabinets?

Over the years, there has been a definite increase in the use of technology within the legal industry. Software applications are being used in all aspects of law from trial presentation to dealing with the daunting task of document management. Technology has significantly affected the methods of communication over the years as correspondence has transitioned from paper letters and documents in the postal mail through conventional faxes and courier mail to digital documents attached to emails.

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