If your office has not yet made the shift to eFiling, it may be time to start! Although different courts will adapt to eFiling at different speeds, some offices may have trouble keeping up with more rapid implementation timetables if they haven’t laid the groundwork beforehand.
When you fully shift to eFiling, it will require some changes in technology, training, and organizational flow. To help your office adapt, we’ve put together a few tips:
Attend all training opportunities
Oftentimes, individual courts will offer some training opportunities. It’s best to be on the lookout for these and participate in training from your eFiling service provider. For example, First Legal offers our own training and webinars!
Keep in contact with the court
Although this is a simple step, it can be invaluable! Ensure you’re on your local court’s mailing list. When you work with a national company like First Legal, we’ll help keep you informed about changes statewide!
Upgrade to the right technology
If you’ve been avoiding a technology upgrade, it could be time to make the change! When it comes to eFiling, the most important tool in your arsenal is a good scanner! You’ll be required to scan documents at a certain DPI minimum. You’ll also need professional PDF software that will allow you to comply with court requirements. You may be asked to apply optical character recognition or add bookmarks throughout your exhibit, for which you’ll need full-service software.
Learn more about fees and accounting
As your law firm makes the transition from paper to electronic filing, more of the court filing fees will be paid through the eFiling portal. Most eFiling service providers (EFSP) require a credit card or direct access to your checking account. This can cause issues with cash flow, credit card limits and overdrafts. At First Legal you don’t have to worry about limits or errors in staff reporting because we advance the fees. With the most flexible accounting system in the industry, you get to choose the options that best fit your business needs.
It’s not too late to prepare your office for eFiling! For additional tips, don’t hesitate to contact our Client Services department! We’re always happy to advise you on eFiling, as well as any of our other services!
