Law Office Computing - Resources - Software Tips

SOFTWARE TIPS - Amicus Attorney

How To Jump-Start Document Management with Amicus

Amicus has the ability to attach documents to case files via a document filing function on the file brad. A macro button in your word processor facilitates this -- adding a newly created document is done with just a few mouse clicks. But what about those hundreds or thousands of existing documents on your server when you're just starting to use Amicus? How do you easily and quickly add those to the file brad? You don't need to! Do this instead:

Create a new document profile for a file. For it's title enter "Home Folder"
For document date, use 1/1/1990 --- this will force this profile to sort to the top of the list.
For location, click on the radio button for Folder and then browse to the client/matter folder for this file.
When you click on this entry to "view" the document, instead you'll get an Explorer type display of this client's home folder, with all sub-folders displayed too.
As you access individual documents for this file, use the "Save to Brad" macro to add the document in detail to the Amicus Brad profile list.

This approach gives you instant access to client files without the time consuming process of adding all legacy documents during your Amicus startup phase.

Caveat: this assumes you have a server-based and client-centric filing system for documents. If you don't, this approach won't work.

Submitted by
Paul Mansfield
Corrales, NM

Tracking Information for your CLE Reports

Does your secretary run from you at the end of the year when she sees you coming with your annual CLE report due to your state Bar? Amicus Attorney can track this information for you easily and make it accessible for your yearly report with the click of a button.

First, set up an event and file code of CLE (this is set up through the Amicus Administrator). Next, open up a file and give it the file type of CLE. Name it CLE or CLE - year. You can do one general CLE for all attendances no matter what calendar year or open a new one for each year, i.e. CLE - 2003. If you choose a new file for each year, when you open the new file close out the old file. To make the file easier to find in your file folder, use the status of "Special".

When you schedule a CLE event to attend, give it the category code of CLE and assign it to the CLE file. In the memo section enter in how many hours you will receive and any other important information.

At the end of the year open up your CLE file, go to Events > All File Events and Viola! You are now a hero with your secretary.

Submitted by
Sheryl Cramer
Lawton, OK

Transfer Licenses and Retain Important Records of Departing Lawyers

Suppose someone in your firm is departing and a new lawyer is joining your team. Rather than having to obtain a new Amicus Attorney license, you may employ the Transfer License feature to assign the license of a departing attorney to a lawyer taking his or her place. Not only does this feature allow you to make the transition convenient, but it also allows you to have the new lawyer assume the departing attorney’s former responsibilities. For example, all the important files, contacts, future events and outstanding messages for which the departing attorney was responsible will be automatically reassigned to the lawyer to whom you have transferred the license. This new feature is employed from Amicus Administrator through the Transfer License dialog, where you simply choose the new user from one column, and the former user from the other, and click the OK button. The complicated process of dealing with employee turnover is now simple.

Your help is always appreciated. If you have a tip that you would like to submit, please e-mail it to us, and include your name, telephone number, and the program to which your tip applies.