The Challenge

Over the years, the firm provided personal desktop printers to each attorney while maintaining an analog copier fleet—eroding firm profits. The ubiquity of desktop printers increased document production costs. Personal printers cost four times more than a networked multi-function device (MFD). Desktop printers also do not provide MFD benefits like high-speed printing or automated finishing.

Allocating the costs to the appropriate client matter was essential to the recovery of document costs. The firm's document costrecovery procedure was bypassed when printing to the desktops.

The DPC could not support the firm's demanding litigation and digital document requirements. There were no imaging capabilities to support discovery document conversion, OCR searchable text, Bates stamping, and high-speed blowback. Thus, paralegals at the firm consistently resorted to using local print and imaging suppliers to quickly meet their document needs. Sending client documents out was expensive and increased the risk of document loss and client confidentiality.

Office services supported litigation activities by arranging couriers for transportation of case files, briefs, and depositions to the courts. This costly service, with two thousand deliveries yearly at up to $40 per run, impacted firm profitability.

The Solution

Océ managed the DPC, fleet, mail and court dispatches. Seven Océ VarioPrint MFDs were installed, allowing the firm to take advantage of new digital copy, print and scan technologies. The MFDs increased staff productivity by using one device for printing and scanning documents into the firm's Document Management System (DMS). Print costs were lowered and the firm is now able to accurately allocate costs to the appropriate client matter.

Océ completely re-engineered the DPC including technology, workflow and retrained staff. The advanced print management application deployed improved the responsiveness and efficiency of document production. Seven Océ 220 color systems were added to the DPC, eliminating expensive runs to local print shops. These improvements allowed litigation document reproduction to be completed internally. Imaging and blowbacks now have faster turn around with increased security—so paralegals and attorneys worry less about losing important client documents.

Files are imaged into TIFF or searchable PDF formats and burned onto CDs. Bates stamping is automated. Images are scanned into the DMS. Using text search functions, attorneys and paralegals can work faster reviewing electronic files.

To control court document delivery costs, Océ implemented a managed dispatching process. This service prevents missed court deadlines and is more convenient.

The Result

With Océ as their office support partner:

• The firm saved $227,000 in the first year in print and equipment savings or $1,261 per attorney
• Litigation document production turnaround time is faster with in-house imaging and print production. Paralegals are more productive using the DPC for their copying
• Staff satisfaction and productivity rose with the implementation of the new networked MFDs, because of imaging and automated finishing capabilities
• Océ managed court document dispatching dropped messenger costs from $40 to $15. That saves $27,000 per year or $150 per attorney, while improving delivery time