How cloud tech helped this firm become a productivity powerhouse

Mark Twain once famously said “a habit cannot be tossed out the window; it must be coaxed down the stairs a step at a time.” When it comes to replacing a habit that has become second nature, success is often dependent on how a routine is updated and changed. The team at Lynch & Lynch Attorneys positioned the firm for success in transitioning from legacy dictation solutions to newer, more efficient ones by keeping core aspects of familiar tools while simultaneously introducing cutting-edge elements:

Making the move from physical to digital 

In early 2020, some attorneys and transcriptionists began trying out Philips PocketMemo 8000 Digital Portable Recorders and SpeechLive Cloud Dictation after growing weary of the challenges posed by using recorders with tapes. Besides necessitating the transfer of physical tapes to paralegals and transcriptionists to keep workstreams flowing, the inferior audio quality of recordings meant support staff had to stop their work to listen repeatedly to portions of files and sometimes clarify content with attorneys. This prevented full optimization of employees’ time across the entire organization – a key concern in an industry based on client billings. Further, there was the issue of cost. As machines broke down, the price of repairing or replacing them started outweighing their value, and tapes were becoming increasingly expensive and difficult to find due to many businesses moving toward using digital data storage.  

A short runway to a long-term answer

The attorneys and paralegals using the Philips solutions were immediately impressed with the ease of use and outstanding performance of these advanced tools. Attorneys could easily record voice files from their recorders and smartphones and send them for transcription and further processing right away, rather than waiting to return to the office to hand off a physical tape.

This enabled them to use their time more effectively. It helped them to capture and relay fresh ideas and notes that needed to be typed by the office team the moment they left court or a client’s office, increasing their work output. With the ability to retain the same functions as a tape recorder, there was literally no change for those dictating. With the unparalleled clarity produced by recording digitally paralegals quickly took to Philips SpeechLive as well and were able to type more accurate transcriptions than ever without having to ask again what was said. Besides that, the ease of transcription via the intuitive web-based user interface from any computer and the notification of new incoming dictations have proven to be a huge advantage for workload planning and distribution.

Onboarding was fast and easy with minimal disruption, thanks to their implementation partner, which proved to be important as the world faced the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020. As in-office employees worldwide suddenly went remote, many organizations struggled to adjust to this shift – but the Lynch & Lynch team was able to handle the change in work arrangements seamlessly. The “office” could be anywhere and “business hours” could be anytime, thanks to Philips SpeechLive. Though coworkers weren’t collocated, the firm was empowered to operate just as they had pre-pandemic. 

An undeniable success

More than three years after the introduction of Philips SpeechLive, Lynch & Lynch has continued to reap numerous benefits. The firm is able to produce volumes of letters and pleadings (which accounts for a large percentage of their document generation), delegate tasks efficiently, and complete transcriptions an estimated 30-40% faster. It is also an effective way for attorneys to communicate with their support staff concerning various tasks and reminders.  Ultimately, this allows everyone in the organization to put more focus on their core business, driving higher-value work and client service. 

“For legal professionals looking into a digital dictation and transcription solution, I highly recommend looking into Philips,” says Gail Gianunzio, a paralegal who has been with the firm more than 15 years. “With a minimal investment of time and effort, it will be a significant help in doing your job. I can’t say enough good things about the Philips solution and really think any firm will be satisfied with the results.”