EDZ Systems released its latest version of the Intelligent Resource Management System, and Kansas City-based Baker Sterchi Cowden & Rice was one of the first law firms to implement it.
The newest version includes a compensation management module that organizes and displays reams of data to make paying lawyers easier and more objective.
“I’ve worked for several law firms during my career and just managing the whole compensation process is very laborious, spreadsheet-oriented and subjected to a lot of review and potential errors,” said Doug Doerfler, director of business initiatives at Baker Sterchi. “This makes it very easy, especially if you want to someone’s compensation to others. That’s becoming really important these days when you’re looking at diversity, and this does it in an efficient way. I’m a big fan of this system.”
The system is a management tool, allowing managing partners to see the revenue a lawyer brings in, examine direct and indirect costs incurred, and determine profitability. It also allows them to consider experience level, special skills, certifications and other relevant data, then compare lawyers to peers with similar experience. Managers can quickly see which attorneys need work and which are busy. They can quickly identify attorneys with specific skill, experience and capability to fit a certain case or situation.
It’s been especially effective helping law firms manage people during the pandemic, when they might have 60 attorneys working from 60 different locations.
The compensation tool in the system makes it easier to do comparisons such as similar experience, similar title, similar certificates and diversity characteristics. You can look at laywers' experience level and pull up their reviews.
It’s all on a dashboard that makes it easy to create custom reports.
“The software is designed to help managers be more objective and do more with less people,” said Elizabeth DeZeeuw, CEO of Overland Park-based EDZ Systems. “A lot of law firms and government agencies have a lot of people shuffling paper. Our system is fully integrated and automated, allowing them to do more volume with less people.”
Intelligent Resource Management System was under development for about five years, with the prototype tested by Leawood-based Rouse Frets White Goss Gentile Rhodes PC. It’s now available to the general public.
