Backstory
After properly Tinkering with The Build Process of Nethserver 8 Apps. and Addressing Specific User needs.
We are looking into the potential of Implementing Nethserver 8 as a Legal Practise Management platform, that’s fully integrated
During Covid, i posted this ArkCase solution for Legal community - Feature - NethServer Community as an attempt to try and see if we could get an existing Opensource Practise Management tool into NS8, however, it was not that great a success.
Internally, we customized our internal CRM solution to cater for that market, and with some basic Nextcloud integrations, it worked fine. However, while it worked for small Legal practise it failed miserably for the larger ones who have complex needs.
After Having a Detailed conversation with @Adam_P_Strombergsson and some significant support from his end. We Hope to Have a proper Functioning Practise Manageemnt Solution for NS8
Our Target, Process and Idea
Our Benchmark is going to be Arkcase
While previous attempts to implement arkcase failed, and having some detailed conversations with the Arkcase team, We figured it will not be the best long term solution.
Reading into their Type of Implementations, IT depends on multiple other opensource and commercial tools to achieve its purpose, which is what we will be doing as well
Matters Arisisng,> What we hope to Solve for
II. Challenges in Legal Practice Management
A. Complexity of client management in a law firm
B. Organizing and tracking matters, cases, and tasks effectively
C. Ensuring high-quality documentation and efficient review processes
D. Streamlining services, billing, and financial management
E. Managing law books and journals
Our base and Foundations will be
- ERPNEXT
This will be the CoreERP for the project, SInce its Opensource, 100%, Customizable and Extensible, it will be a great Fit.
Custom Modules to be Added
- FrappeHR > For larger Law Firms
- Pibico> Will Handle NExtcloud Integration for files
- PibiCard > WIll handle Cardav Synchronization with nextcloud or others
- Law Management > this will Handle Legal Process
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RZ1NDP5NDIs
- Nextcloud
This will be the Core File Management Functional Unit, since its also customizable, it will Form a Great Base - PaperlessNGX
Introduced as the First NS8 App we Built,
with this Implement and Document Nextcloud PAperless Integration · Issue #13 · compgeniuses/ns8-paperless-ngx · GitHub
We will be Implementing Nextcloud as the Consume Directory - DocAssemble
This will Handle Document Assembly/Automation
Automatic preparation and population of specific court documents and forms. - Document Signing
- OpenSign
- Documenso
- Docuseal
Multiple Document Signing and Signature Utility Tools are already available on NEthserver 8, We hope to provide options.
We will then chose the most open and the most extensions with automations, for Direct integrations in Future.
IVR can be handled by NEthvoice(once we figure it out)
Features we Hope to cover
CRM
- Create client requests in the system. Admin can approve the client request.
- Automatic client record is generated when admin approves the client request of that client.
Matter Management
- Keep track of the your matters.
- Keep track of each trial related to your matter.
- Easy to keep tracking of evidence of that matter.
- Manage dates related to your matter with law erp software.
- Just need to open matter and everything related to that matter are shown in one place.
Trials Management
- Manage all trials of that matter in the trials menu.
- System manages trials result and judge of that trials.
- The system manages stages for trials like - draft, open, and closed.
- Important dates are also shown like - openings dates, trial date (upcoming trial dates), closed dates, and reopen dates.
Document Management
- Easy to keep track of the matter’s document.
Evidence Mapping
- Easy to maintain track of the matter’s evidence.
- The evidence is favour or not also managed in this system.
- Evidence in favour or not is also managed in this system.
Invoice Management
Three ways user can manage the invoice:
- By Trial - The user can create an invoice by trial.
- By Hour - The user can create an invoice by working hour.
- By Fixed - Only one invoice is created. The user can not create multiple invoices for fixed type matter.
Calendaring
Individual calendars for each user, along with an aggregated, firm-wide view/calendar. Synchronization with nextcloud calendar.
Trust Accounting
Trust/IOLTA accounting for management of trust funds, including trust account reporting.
This Is one Feature we will Have to Build Customizations for
Document Assembly/Automation
Automatic preparation and population of specific court documents and forms.
This will be handled by DocAssembly
Development Support
- We will be happy to take any PR, Suggestions and Code mplementaitons wehre Necessary
- IF this were Resolved Defining Shared Folder Access Volume - Development - NethServer Community, it would make things easier, Unfortunately it is not
- We wish that @davidep and his team would consider Implementing High Performance Backend for Nextcloud
We Hope that these will Benefit @Adam_P_Strombergsson as well as @danb35 and other Lawyers, as well as Law firms that need for automating their Operational Processes.
Financial Support
If you would like to Support us Financially, Pleas use the following Link https://paystack.com/pay/ns8-legal
Any Feedback is highly appreciated
