Document Scanning Services--Going Paperless in a Legal office or Law Firm A law firm can be small in size comprising of two to three persons or it can be a large organization with offices spread nationally and internationally. Irrespective of size, law firms are usually overwhelmed by piles of paper documents which are difficult to handle and store. Retrieving important information is a real challenge with paperbased documentation. It’s no wonder that legal firms are looking for document scanning services to help them convert their paper documents into easily manageable digital format. The documents in a legal office include text files, photos, pictures, maps, instruments such as contracts, deeds, mortgages, and wills, and pleadings such as complaints, cross-complaints, answers, and counterclaims. Depending on the nature of the cases handled by the firm, these could be files relating to different areas of law such as personal injury, family law, clinical negligence, employment law, human rights and criminal law. Services are available to scan this textual and graphic material so that they can be stored as images or as text files on disk or magnetic tape or a database. The scanned material can be printed or transmitted in seconds across the Web and other communication networks. In scanning, the legal material is transformed into electronic pictures. In another process, it is also possible to convert the text in these images to word processing files via Optical Character Recognition (OCR). This allows lawyers to search for specific legal documents using a keyword or phrase and relieves them of the need to look through hundreds of files to find the one they need. OCR also offers the option to edit the text within any word processing program. So scanning and conversion of legal paper helps in
Ease of data modification Elimination of data redundancy Ease of data management Simultaneous data sharing Saving of physical storage space
Buying a new scanning machine as well as hiring and training data scanning team can be prohibitive. Entrusting the task to a trustworthy service partner is a feasible
option. Reliable service partners provide comprehensive services including aperture card scanning, legal document scanning, OCR scanning, and microfilm scanning. Photograph scanning, book scanning, and microfiche scanning are some other services available. Points to Consider When Outsourcing Some of the points to be noted before outsourcing document conversion services are:
Are the services cost-effective? Is the work being completed within the stipulated time period? Is the staff trained and experienced? Do they use the latest advanced technology? What is the security measures implemented? Do they provide customized turnaround time? Who are their previous and present clients? Does the company enjoy a good reputation? How many years of experience does it have in the field?
All the above points have to be duly noted and investigated thoroughly. Once you are satisfied with the answers to these questions, you can sign up for the service. Document scanning along with document conversion can definitely improve the efficiency of work flow and productivity in a legal office.