Fleckenstein & Associates: Centralizing and Streamlining a Law Firm's Data with M-Files

Up until 2019, Fleckenstein & Associates, P.C. were a paper-based firm. Watch to learn how their transition to M-Files has helped them manage their data.

*The transcript below has been modified for ease of reading.

Mark Fleckenstein:

when I first started practicing law, people would sign a one-page real estate contract and then close three to four months later - that was before cell phones, before computers. Now people are trying to do a very complicated transaction in less than 30 days, it's changed dramatically!

WHAT KIND OF LAW DOES FLECKENSTEIN & ASSOCIATES, PC. PRACTICE?

M:
primarily real estate-related - people buying and selling real estate, including homes, businesses, and buildings.

HOW DID YOU FIND OUT ABOUT COBB’S DOCUMENT SOLUTIONS OFFERINGS?

M:
We knew about M-Files from another law firm that said they were very happy with it, and so that was part of what drove us to Cobb. We wanted to find a company that could support document management.

What do you like about M-Files?

M:
One of the nice things about having files in a virtual setting is that I don’t have to get up and go tap on the doors of seven paralegals to find out who’s got the file. Using M-Files, I can find the document very quickly - so that’s been really nice. I spent a lot of time walking around the office, trying to find files.

Having M-Files also saves storage space. We had many, many years of files stored in the basement, and we were running out of room.

Using M-Files made good sense, and adopting it was good timing.

HOW WAS THE TRANSITION TO M-FILES?

Cookie Ford:
They Didn’t do anything electronically. As far as filing, everything was paper. I’ve only been here a year, and I came with the transition - I’m a paperless person, so I’ve enjoyed M-Files. I can find things very easily, its simple to find things and name things. I get used to it more and more, day after day. I like M-Files.

M:
We have 12 members of the firm here - four attorneys and support staff - and sure, you have to coordinate and teach everybody the process, but it’s different now. Things are much more streamlined.

WHAT IS IT LIKE TO PARTNER WITH COBB?

M:
The relationship is great.

We just had a little meeting with Cobb a couple of weeks ago to review one year’s worth of work with M-Files. I gave Don and Cathy some suggestions on things to change, things that would make things easier for us - everybody does things a little bit differently - and it went great.

C:
Anytime I need anything added or deleted, I just contact Cobb, and in a minute, the changes I requested have been made. It’s been a really nice, experience not only with the program but with the products as well.

WHAT HAS OUR M-FILES SOLUTION DONE FOR YOU?

M:
When you were setting up the cameras, a client called needing a settlement statement from a closing eight to ten months ago. I went on M-Files, and there it was. I pulled it up and emailed it to him. It was fantastic. If he had done his closing in 2018, before we had M-Files, his files would have been in the basement. We would have had to make a secretary go to the basement, pull the file, get it, bring it up here, scan it, and send it to him. It would have been much more time-consuming. This was a breeze.

Our client is very happy, and he actually thinks we do a good job, so Cobb is making me look really good.

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