The Law Offices of Yale Lewis are dedicated to helping their clients successfully navigate the most arduous times of their lives. Since adopting Smokeball, the firm has doubled their support staff, increased their case volume by 30%, and multiplied new client leads. Delivering an exceptional client experience is now vastly easier—and a dramatic difference from before Smokeball, when one paralegal battled a mountain of paper and inefficient processes.
A paper-heavy practice plagued with inefficient processes
When paralegal and office manager Lisa Leon-Guerrero joined The Law Offices of Yale Lewis, she was the only support staff for attorney Yale Lewis who handled up to 40 cases at once. “It was a lot of overtime and a lot of inefficiency,” recalls Lisa. Binders and a six-drive server helped organize mountains of files, but Lisa knew there had to be a better way. She explored legal software options, but Yale was resistant to change.
A crisis compels change
When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, Lisa and Yale were forced to work remotely—the binders and server less accessible than ever. Lisa convinced Yale they couldn’t live without case management software. “When we signed up for Smokeball, it was immediately a huge help,” remembers Lisa.
Having all the firm’s matter information and documentation in one digital platform instantly simplified previously onerous tasks, like conflict checks and searching old matters. “I had an Excel spreadsheet for conflict checks that was impossible for me to maintain with our case load. Just being able to do quick conflict checks and search for documents was immediately life-changing,” says Lisa.
Smokeball’s seamless client intake results in a 400% increase in new leads
In addition to increased efficiency, The Law Offices of Yale Lewis are also benefiting from increased business through Smokeball Intake. “The lead intake forms are super helpful and look slick,” says Lisa. Plus, they save her almost 40 minutes per new client! Lisa sends the intake form to a new lead. As they fill it out, their information automatically populates in Smokeball.
Previously, clients received a cumbersome Word document. “It was irritating to edit because people might use Google, so the form would come back with funky formatting. Or we’d fill out the Word form with the client on the phone and have to charge them. It easily took 45 minutes,” says Lisa. Now, with the LeadPro intake form, she spends a few minutes reviewing the client’s information in Smokeball. In addition to the massive time-savings, Lisa also eliminates re-keying errors and client charges.
The client response has been great. The firm has seen a 400% increase in prospective clients completing the LeadPro intake forms. “Last week, I sent out six lead requests and four came back right away. When we were using the Word document, we might have had one person return it,” says Lisa.
Better connected to potential and current clients
Smokeball’s integration with Kenect is another way the firm is increasing new business. Kenect allows Lisa to directly text clients through the firm’s business number. Any information is then pushed into the Smokeball memo so both Lisa and Yale have access to the conversation. Previously, Lisa relied on email, phone calls, or even snail mail. “Clients were sometimes irritated when I would call them, especially if it was during the workday. You're much more likely to get a response from clients by texting,” shares Lisa.
With Kenect, the firm engages with more clients from Google and also gets paid faster. Clients are more responsive to invoices Lisa sends via text than email, where they get lost in the clutter.
Billing more—more accurately
Thanks to automatic time tracking, the Law Offices of Yale Lewis now capture their billable time with ease. As a result, their billing has increased and “billable entries are 100 times more accurate,” says Lisa.
These pristine records also helped the firm protect itself against a disgruntled client who filed a complaint with the Bar association. Lisa quickly pulled Smokeball records and reports to prove the firm had actually worked more time than they charged the client. The Bar immediately dismissed the complaint.
Growing staff, thriving clients
Whether it’s seamlessly receiving client information, automating fee petition agreements in a few clicks, or quickly generating invoices, Lisa has found time-savings at every stage of the case with Smokeball.
Staff at The Law Offices of Yale Lewis work more efficiently, better track their new business and case load, and communicate easily with clients. As a result, the firm’s case volume has increased 40% since implementing Smokeball. That growth, along with the new business, has resulted in increased revenue and new hires. Two additional paralegals have joined the practice since Lisa joined, and together they’re ensuring the firm pursues its mission helping clients navigate tumultuous life events.
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