Modernizing your practice with WestWorks and WorkSpace.

Today, most lawyers know they must have a computer on their desk, a network for communicating with coworkers, electronic mail, and Internet access. These technology advances have fostered a plethora of products and services, but lawyers have little time to figure out what technology they can use effectively and which vendors to choose.

West Group has publishing, online services, computer storage, telecommunications, and other resources, as well as a long-time relationship with and commitment to the legal profession. These assets, and associations with other major vendors in the technology arena, allow West to enhance productivity and efficiency for lawyers and law offices. West partners include Microsoft, IBM, Elite, and a growing number of bar associations.

I have worked with West for years and share with its leadership hopes and dreams for technology to aid the practice of law. What lawyers want is smooth-running business and administrative operations so they can devote their time to practicing law.

As a lawyer, you are already confident in using Westlaw. West Group's other offerings can help you achieve practice, case, client, docket, and time management; set up an extranet; and network with other attorneys.

Using WestWorks for organizing caseload 

WestWorks, currently a pilot program, basically provides case management via the Internet. Because West Group works closely with Microsoft, MS Outlook 2000 and Exchange Server 2000 (providing e-mail, calendar, contact/address information, task lists, and notes areas) are an integral part of WestWorks.

The WestWorks team has completed its first phase of customer installations in Houston, Miami, and San Francisco, and is now focusing on the next round of feature enhancements.

Once you've subscribed, from the home page you can customize links to frequently used Web sites, perform quick searches in KeyCite, display your firm's docket tasks and calendar, manage documents using Word 2000, add information to program records, and link to Westlaw.

WestWorks provides a uniform technology infrastructure with Internet-based case management and other resources that can be accessed from anywhere, anytime. The powerful, full-featured package allows lawyers and law office staff to spend less time dealing with cranky computer technology. To use WestWorks, you should run Microsoft Windows 2000, Microsoft Office 2000, and Internet Explorer version 5.x or greater. A minimum 256 Kbps digital subscriber line (DSL) connection to the Internet is essential--when it comes to Internet speed, more is better.

The following are just a few useful program features:

* Contacts. This comprehensive feature lets you add contact information for people such as other attorneys and clients; add organization information; add, view, and delete case information, contacts, and related docket items; add, view, and open related documents, notes, and phone messages; send e-mail to listed contacts; and create custom fields to track the information that suits your needs.

* Matters. Handling your clients' matters is another part of case management. This feature allows you to add entries; view a standard or customized matter list; search by using a single name or multiple fields; add, view, and delete related contacts, docket items, and documents; add, view, and open related notes and phone messages; track additional information in custom fields; and use intake forms from WestWorks's Practice Library--a growing collection that will include forms for personal injury lawyers.

* Phone messages. This feature tracks all your phone messages and relates them to contacts and matters. After a matter is established, subsequent phone messages can be associated or "tied" to the matter through the use of a "pick list."

* Dockets. With this feature, you can view standard or customized docket reports and listings, search dockets, add events, assign events to staff and create multiple reminders, use rule-based tasks with reminder, and, of course, delete docket items.

* Time and billing. Although plaintiff lawyers may not think they need time and billing software, this feature allows you to track charges to clients' cases, so that those costs can be recaptured when cases are settled. WestWorks uses the Timesolv product from Elite.com.

Using WorkSpace to share information

WestWorks provides the resources for case management, billing, and document management on the Internet. WorkSpace, on the other hand, provides a private, secure, Web-based extranet for coworkers, referring attorneys, and clients to communicate. An extranet is a network that belongs to an organization and is partially accessible to authorized outsiders who have valid usernames and passwords.

Collaboration and communication is the name of the game, and WorkSpace provides the necessary infrastructure and environment. An extranet is a great place to post communications among lawyers and staff, clients, referring attorneys, and experts. These communications, plus individual lawyers' repositories of forms, memos, and other information, can be important assets.

West has joined with eRoom Technology, Inc., to provide users with the resources discussed below.

WorkSpace includes discussions--areas on West's servers where a group of people you select can exchange messages over an extended period. As with list server technology, messages can be sent to all group members--they do not have to be at the same location on the Internet at the same time (as they would for a "real-time" chat). Discussions are stored as transcripts that can be referred to later on. Many people call those "threaded discussion forums."

The difference between list servers and threaded discussion groups is that list servers send messages one by one or in a daily or weekly compendium to subscribers--who often get overwhelmed with too many messages. In addition, the history of discussions is often impossible to find.

A threaded discussion forum, on the other hand, preserves all comments over a period of time so new members can quickly get up to speed on the topic. It also allows each person to participate in only those parts of a topic that he or she is interested in. For example, a plaintiff's expert witness may be invited to participate in a discussion including a senior partner and the client; however, the expert is not interested in--nor should he or she be allowed to view--anything but the specific discussion related to his or her expertise.

Another threaded discussion forum topic might be work flow. Paralegals and staff may participate, and the "boss" may check in from time to time to keep up to date.

WorkSpace allows you to post files on the extranet, add links to other Web sites, and set uppolls to exchange questions and answers with selected users. These features are easy to implement and use.

WorkSpace is not yet available nationwide, but West is rolling out the technology this year in several major cities and regions. To learn more about this service, visit http://westnetsolutions. lawoffice.com/extranets.htm and http:// www.eroom.com.

Attending demonstrations for optimal understanding

Even as a technology writer who knows a lot about extranets and online communication and collaboration opportunities, I have found that surfing West and eRoom sites does not supply all the information I really need. The best way to understand these powerful products is to attend a tech show or association meeting where trained West representatives demonstrate the services. Reading literature and studying diagrams is no substitute for taking a guided tour.

Between WestWorks for practice management and WorkSpace for knowledge management and communications, West is providing all the infrastructure that your law firm may need. But it doesn't stop there. Among other resources the company offers are customized Web sites and intranets, plus continuing legal education. The West LegalEd Center provides streaming video, text files, and more so you can take advantage of long-distance educational programs at your own pace and without traveling. To learn more, go to www.westlegaledcenter.com.

Be realistic. There is some cost and a learning curve involved. However, all industries are reinventing themselves, including the practice of law. This "backbone" technology can put the record keeping and administrative headaches behind you, freeing you to do what you do best.

Paul Bernstein is an attorney and law office automation consultant in Chicago. He can be reached by e-mail at [e-mail]. The views expressed in this column are the author's and do not constitute an endorsement of any product by TRIAL or ATLA.