Customer success: Al Tamimi
Al Tamimi & Company implements market-leading information management solution
Secure search, file access, and information sharing
One of the largest and most respected independent law firms in the Middle East, Al Tamimi & Company, has built a reputation for the outstanding business law services it provides. To maintain a leadership position and compete successfully with global firms, the firm needed to bring its information management practices up to a standard that matched or exceeded the competition.
In the past, the firm’s matter content was stored on server-based shared folders as well as on user desktops, a practice which often made information difficult and time-consuming to search, access, and share. Access rights were open by default, leaving documents vulnerable to accidental deletion and creating an unacceptable risk. Saad Abu Sheikhah, facilities and projects administrator for Al Tamimi & Company, says, “It was our vision to centralize all documents including individual emails and client correspondence, to make them securely available to users throughout the firm with the fewest clicks possible.”
After investigating available solutions, the firm found that iManage Work document and email management software from iManage best met its selection criteria. The solution included an efficient document indexing method to enhance search results and the flexibility to allow integration with other practice systems. “Unlike most document management systems, iManage Work is designed specifically to meet the needs of law firms and does so better than any other solution,” says Abu Sheikhah.
Taking Matters Online
Al Tamimi & Company implemented iManage Work with the help of IRIS Nederland, a platinum iManage partner. Clients and matters were defined based on the firm’s billing system, and there was a build out of appropriate workspaces. Old documents were converted from shared folders into iManage Work.
Customized indexing, search, security, and access rights were tailored to Al Tamimi & Company’s firm structure and work practices. IRIS Nederland also built a separate iManage Work database dedicated to human resources. “Workspaces for employees are used to store documents such as contracts and training certificates,” Abu Sheikhah explains.
A third database supports departments, including marketing, finance, and administration. “Each database is designed to suit the specific filing requirements of its users, allowing us to use the solution flexibly to address a broad spectrum of needs,” says Abu Sheikhah.
Enhancing Productivity
“We can see a strong return on our iManage Work investment in terms of the increased productivity of our lawyers,” says Abu Sheikhah. “Integration with Outlook makes it extremely easy for them to file and access both emails and other types of items from within a familiar interface, saving time and freeing them to focus on higher-level work. Before the implementation, legal staff could spend a significant amount of time finding a document on the file shares. Now, they can easily call it up with iManage Work’s robust search capabilities.”
Flexible access rights and version control help lawyers collaborate around documents in shared matter workspaces, helping the firm leverage its best expertise and resources for each matter.
Supporting Efficient Re-use of Expertise and Work Product
“iManage Work has helped us manage the knowledge we’ve accumulated throughout the firm and put it to use for ongoing matters,” says Abu Sheikhah. “The ability to customize access rights on the user level makes it possible for us to share information broadly while maintaining security and ethical separation. As a result, lawyers can search for previous documents, such as contracts, to use as a starting point for similar matters, which saves time and improves quality by capturing incremental improvements each time a document passes through another lawyer’s hands.”
Implementing Electronic Matter Files with iManage Work
iManage Work powers the electronic matter file for Al Tamimi & Company, enabling professionals throughout the firm to manage complete matter-related documents and emails within a unified environment. Information can be searched and accessed quickly, improving responsiveness and supporting the efficient re-use of past work product and expertise. Seamless integration with Microsoft Outlook allows attorneys and staff to file emails and access the electronic matter file from within the familiar Outlook interface. Additional workspaces support internal groups, including human resources, marketing, finance, and administration. The firm’s planned integration with its Elite matter management system will automate the generation of workspaces as new matters are initiated, improving efficiency and reducing error.
Minimizing Risk
By centralizing content within online matter files, Al Tamimi & Company ensures that all matter information is protected against human error such as misfiling, loss, and accidental deletion.
Emails are stored with their attachments alongside related matter content, ensuring that they retain their full context and meaning and are readily available in the event of eDiscovery. iManage Work also helps the firm preserve client confidentiality by preventing unauthorized access to matter files.
“Sound document management is fundamental to the modern law firm. Failure to maintain industry standard performance would put us at a distinct disadvantage to the international players in our market. iManage Work provides us with a state-of-the-art platform that keeps us at the leading edge of local firms and on par with the best in the world.”
Extending a market-leading implementation
Al Tamimi & Company continues to enhance the value of its iManage Work investment. The Elite practice management system now being implemented will be integrated with iManage Work, enabling the automated generation of workspaces as new matters are initiated. iManage Work’s secure web interface will allow employees to access complete matter content from any location, at any time.
