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The Buzz Newsletter (May 2020)

A Note from Nancy

Over the past several weeks, I’ve been speaking regularly with information governance leaders — to better understand the issues they’re facing, and the specific measures they’re taking to cope with the current crisis. While there is tremendous pressure facing IG and records teams, there are also success stories to be told, and response strategies that we can all learn from.

I’d encourage you to download an article I’ve written, sharing those stories and strategies, and my own perspective on navigating the unprecedented landscape we face.

In this update you’ll also find several relevant resources and pointers on critical topics facing firms these days, including cost management, business development and more.

And as always, if any of these topics strike a chord, I encourage you to reach out.

With warmest regards,
 
— Nancy Beauchemin, President and Founder
Nectar (News, Views and Elephants...)

The IG Elephant in the Room: Protecting Your Team and Your Firm in the Age of Covid-19

In this article, InOutsource President Nancy Beauchemin shares real-world examples of how firms are navigating the evolving technical and business challenges posed by the current crisis.

She also provides insights into how IG and records management teams can prepare for the challenges that lie ahead.

Topics include: staff organization, cost and vendor management, disposition trends, lawyer engagement and more.

Click for IG Insight

Cost Control is Critical: The Reckoning: A Strategic Approach to Cost Containment in Retention

Today, cost control is critical. Facing significant economic pressure, is your firm doing everything it can to control soaring records storage costs?

In this article, John Zahradnick describes a multi-pronged approach to cost containment in records management and retention, based on lessons learned and strategies we’ve developed by working with a diverse set of clients.

There are recommendations organizations can implement on their own.

(But if you’re looking for help addressing you own training strategy, program and resources, we’re ready to help.)

Read the Article

ARTICLE: Reducing Risk in 2020: Don’t Overlook Training For Conflicts Of Interest

(By Eric Mosca, Published by ABA Law Practice Today)

Looking to help your firm reduce risk, speed business intake and improve lawyer productivity in 2020? Consider making conflicts training a New Year’s Resolution.

A renewed commitment to internal education can help protect firms, improve staff efficiency (and retention) and deliver several additional dividends.

For more detail, advice and inspiration, read Eric Mosca’s article: “Don’t Overlook Training for Conflicts of Interest,” originally published by the ABA in Law Practice Today. (And if you’re looking for help addressing you own training strategy, program and resources, we’re ready to help.)

Read the Article

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Client Perspectives: InOutsource Earns Top Marks in Broad Client Survey

At InOutsource, we pride ourselves on delivering great results for our clients. That’s why we regularly survey firms to understand their feedback on the specific projects we’ve executed and their general perspectives on us as a partner.

We’re pleased to share highlights from InOutsource client surveys conducted over the past two years — how our clients rated us in specific areas and what they said about our performance:

Read Feedback & Comments from Your Peers

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Bumble (Upcoming Webinar)

ROUND TABLE: Navigating Today's Pressing Risk Challenges

May 28th (1 pm Eastern)

Many firms are facing similar issues during these challenging times and we wanted to encourage and foster peer connection across the risk community. We are pleased to invite all of our clients and colleagues to attend this virtual round table.

Topics will include:

  • Strategies and approaches for organizing risk staff, including division of roles and responsibilities
  • Managing remote working challenges, with a focus on the risk team experience, demands and challenges
  • Stepping up client quality research

[Register Here]

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Swarm (Developing Business)

WEBINAR RECORDING: Empower Your Firm to Develop New Business.

A Fresh Approach New Case Filing Intelligence

In these uncertain times, timely information can provide a critical advantage in pitching for new business and delivering successful outcomes. Armed with timely information about case filings, firms can alert and proactively pitch services to clients and prospects — particularly in those “ahead of service of process” situations where clients aren’t even aware that they’re subject to new legal action.

A new, innovative solution from InOutsource, built on a modern data analytics platform, enables intelligence-driven business development, creating new opportunities for law firms to win new business.

We recently were invited by ILTA to present a webinar on the solution. (It was quite popular.) If you missed it and would like to see the recording, just get in touch:

Reach out to access to the recording

Beeswax (Industry Insight)

Lateral hire intake presents a unique set of challenges as teams must act quickly (sometimes with incomplete information) to flag, escalate and resolve issues.

Intapp’s case study video featuring Mike Guernon explores how data and workflow can be optimized to make that processes more efficient and effective.

Watch Video (5m)

This is an area we have strong experience in, spanning policy, process and workflow/data integration. So if lateral on boarding is a current challenge your firm is looking to tackle:

Get in Touch with Us

ILTA Interview: “Is a Mountain of Data Putting Your Firm at Risk?”

Transcript of highlights from ILTA interview with Darrell Mervau. He explores the costs and risks of unnecessary retention of electronic records. He shares stories, including a tale of one firm that discovered 300 million emails.

And he offers recommendations and insights from firms who are working with lawyers to get buy-in for disposition.

READ MORE: “Is a Mountain of Data Putting Your Firm at Risk?”

Covid-19 & Law Firm Risk Management:

Overview of Key Insights from Industry Risk Experts

To keep up to date on all things risk, we keep a close eye on the Bressler Risk Blog, Here are several relevant stories and updates exploring the implications of the unfolding coronavirus crisis:

A closer look at the Records Management section of ILTA’s 2019 Technology Survey
An impressive 537 law firms responded to ILTA’s 2019 Technology Survey — up 25% from the number of firms responding the previous. This article focuses on key insights and highlights.

Read more 

Intapp Connect Virtual Summit:
Rescheduling its New York in-person event, Intapp is producing a virtual, free conference for customers, offering leadership presentations (May 11 – 20), covering all elements of its professional services platform, Intapp OnePlace.

Read More

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John Zahradnick

Director, IG Standards and Compliance

A seasoned Information Governance expert who’s executed successful tours of duty in law firm records departments, John Zahradnick has been called the “MacGyver” of Information Governance.

John applies a unique mix of IG expertise, perspective, and best practices to design practical policy, process, and technology solutions for law firms. And he brings the project management and technical skills to effectively implement that change in real-world environments. In short, John gets his hands wet owning the execution of the solutions he designs — so there’s no gap between theory and practice (or accountability).

He’s up for the most complex projects and welcomes new challenges. RMS upgrades and swap outs, complex IG solution/process integration efforts, DMS implementations, tough data governance and data quality/cleanup initiatives, customer BI app development, and more — are all well within his wheelhouse.

When you engage John to build and deliver a solution, he’ll work to design a “right sized” fit for your firm. That fit typically includes a mix of policy, process, and technical implementation — thoughtfully rolled out, with the appropriate levels of training, user acceptance testing, and change management.

Through all of this, he also brings the latest best practices and recommendations to the table, including approaches for integrating client guidelines and internal policies directly into the fabric of process execution, and automatically capturing data and metrics that enable new levels of reporting on efficiency and compliance.

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Daniel Warner

Sr. Integration & Development Specialist

Daniel is an experienced technical resource with a rich background in replacing firm systems by ensuring your data is migrated accurately and with consistency. In tandem with his business acumen and analysis, Daniel’s strong suit is making sure that your team is able to capitalize on its technology infrastructure by aligning business systems with your information governance policies.

Whether he’s creating a new perspective from which a firm can view their information or migrating data from a troublesome legacy system onto a new platform, Daniel takes pride in facing a challenge.

When Daniel is not assisting clients, he enjoys spending time outdoors, reading, and making nice meals that his children refuse to eat.

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Allen Ahlvin

Senior Systems Integrations Specialist

Allen brings over 20 years of professional experience using a wide variety of technologies to InOutsource.

He spent almost 10 of those years at major Philadelphia-based law firms in different roles, including a developer, senior systems engineer, and manager of a team of developers.

He has extensive experience routing data from disparate systems both on- and off-premises using proven, performant techniques and methodologies. He has skills and experience creating processes using combinations of SQL and Intapp Integrate, consuming and manipulating data stored in databases, JSON and XML formats or directly from web/cloud services.

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John Vassalotti

Solutions Manager, Cloud Migrations

John provides project management, consulting, and process design support for pricing, conflicts, and new business intake.

John applies his experience as an attorney and project management skills to help clients address a range of challenges. He assists initial implementations and provides support throughout each project’s lifecycle. He is skilled at communicating across all levels and constituencies within a firm and understanding their needs.

Prior to joining InOutsource, John practiced law for several years, primarily in the litigation department of a large Philadelphia-based law firm. He also served as in-house counsel for a local company on both litigation and transactional matters. His diverse experiences as an attorney give him a keen understanding of law firms’ business imperatives, as well as the pressure points they encounter in different departments and practice areas.

John is a cum laude graduate of Temple University Beasley School of Law, where he was a staff member of the Temple Law Review. He is also a Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM).

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Christopher Eckenrode

Senior Project Manager

Chris’ primary focus at InOutsource is project management. Since he began with us in 2016 he has led the team through one successful implementation after another, each with its own set of hurdles and personalities.

In addition to managing the implementations Chris handles a number of aspects on our projects from consulting support and process design to development and project organization.

As someone that has worked in new business intake, conflicts due diligence and resolution with a top international law firm for a decade before coming to InOutsource his first-hand knowledge of the process and its intricacies adds a layer of expertise that is invaluable to our clients.

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Alyse Driscoll

Director of Finance and Administration

Alyse supervises all finance, human resources and administrative responsibilities. She is also responsible for planning, coordinating, and supporting daily operational functions as well as ensuring InOutsource’s business lines receive the support necessary to meet the needs of every client.

With over 25 years of experience working with professional service companies, Alyse has helped business owners achieve their financial goals and better understand their business models. Starting her career at Ernst & Young LLP, she has worked with a wide range of small, mid-sized and multinational companies to identify best practices and expand their impact.

Alyse has her B.S. degree in Accounting and Business Management from the State University of New York at Albany and is a Certified Public Accountant in Pennsylvania and New York.

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Jeannine Powers

Customer Success Manager

Jeannine meticulously supports the Accounts Receivable department in the preparation and monitoring of invoices. As the Billing Assistant, she also provides support to the administrative team. Jeannine holds an M.A. from Temple University. When she’s not hard at work at her desk, Jeannine can usually be found working in her garden.

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Alyssa Calloway

Human Resource Professional

Alyssa has been in the Human Resources field since 2013, and has gained a wealth of knowledge in leadership, HR Policies and Procedures, and HR Technology Systems.

Alyssa comes from the public sector working for the Superior Court of NJ as a HR Generalist with a focus on Leave of Absence Administration, Payroll and Benefit Administration, and New Hire On-boarding for 500 employees. Alyssa works closely with the Director of Finance and Administration to facilitate the recruiting and on-boarding process for InOutsource. Aside from supporting the rest of the Administration Team, Alyssa is also the point contact for Performance Reviews, and Training and Development.

Alyssa received her Bachelor of Arts in Communication from Monmouth University. When not working, you can find Alyssa spending her free time down at the shore.

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Arielle Madeam

Data and Analytics Intern

Arielle is a second-year student from Drexel University with a passion for writing, statistics, and computer science, leading her down the path of data and analytics. Despite being new to the field, Arielle is excited to apply her current programming knowledge and also learn more in the process.

When not sitting behind a computer, Arielle loves reading comics, learning new languages, and ordering intricate pumpkin drinks.

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Lorin Cothern

Project Manager

Lorin has over 17 years in the legal industry, with 13 of those years spent with an international law firm. Her prior experience as a Conflicts Manager and Technology Business Analyst Manager will be beneficial in her role as a Project Manager here at InOutsource. Lorin holds a Bachelor of Arts in Communication and an Associates degree in Paralegal Studies. She has a passion for helping people and is always looking forward to assisting our clients with projects.

When not working, Lorin enjoys spending time with family, traveling, and enjoying the outdoors.

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Victoria Schumm

Project Manager

Victoria provides project management support to our IGS team.

She has been in the legal field for over 11 years, with 3 of those years working for the Denver U.S. Attorney’s Office in the criminal division. Victoria has 8 years’ experience in family law and is comfortable working with clients and assisting clients with their needs. Victoria holds her Project Management Professional (PMP) certification which will be beneficial in her role as a Project Manager here at InOutsource.

When not working Victoria enjoys scuba diving, traveling, hiking and spending time with her two dogs.

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Rose Jackson

Project Manager

Rose opens the line of communication between clients and the team to get projects done. She supports the Information Governance Systems department as a Project Manager.

Rose has over five years of experience in strategic implementation, team building, and business development.

Rose earned her J.D from Maurice A. Deane School of Law at Hofstra University, where she was the Vice President of the Black Law Student Association and holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from SUNY Albany.

When she’s not working, you’re most likely to find Rose at a Barre class or shopping the latest fashion trends.

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Matthew Jiang

Implementation Consultant

Starting from 2014, Matthew started his Boomi career, among the first group of people who professionally provided Boomi Consultancy Service. Matthew can carry out Boomi integration projects independently and lead a team to carry out big-scale projects. After 8 years of serving as a Boomi consultant, Matthew has led more than 100 complete Boomi development life cycles for 31 customers. For most of his projects, Matthew served as both architect and developer.

Most customers visualized Matthew as Boomi subject matter expert and Boomi go-to person. Matthew has experience in full Boomi development life cycle: customer engagement and presentation, project scoping and planning, requirement analysis, workflow design, collaboration pattern design, architecture design, Boomi process implementation, connectivity test, unit test, integration test, user acceptance test (UAT), production promotion, postproduction maintenance, and training.

Through more than 100 Boomi development life cycles, Matthew maintained and improved Boomi best practices solidly step by step. His best practice is quite welcomed by the customer, ensuring every project not only on the technical deliverables side, but also on the user experience, collaboration styles, documentation, and cost-effectiveness aspects.

John Bond

Product Manager, Nectar E-Learning Platform

John brings over 25 years of professional experience in knowledge transfer. He spent many years in academic publishing overseeing teams in content creation, editorial and production, and marketing and promotion. John has created innovative digital learning products as well educational websites that receive millions of pageviews.  He is the author of five books connected to writing and publishing.

John earned a bachelor’s degree in Education from Kutztown University in Pennsylvania. His new role at InOutsource is Product Manager for the Nectar E-Learning Platform.

When John is not at his desk, he enjoys spending time reading, listening to podcasts, and running. He owns more books than he will ever get to, but he is trying.