The client is a well-established legal practice handling diverse legal matters, from litigation to corporate law and intellectual property. Faced with a growing volume of legal documents and emails, the firm recognized the need for an efficient records management system to streamline document organization, ensure compliance, and mitigate legal risks.
Prior to engaging with AQL Technologies, the legal practice faced significant challenges in managing their records. The absence of a formal records management system led to difficulties in classifying, retaining, and disposing of legal documents. This resulted in potential compliance risks, increased operational inefficiencies, and a lack of visibility into their data assets. To overcome these challenges, AQL Technologies initiated the migration of documents with metadata from their old system to SharePoint Online.
AQL Technologies proposed a comprehensive records management solution tailored to the specific needs of legal practice. The key components of the solution included:
- Labels: AQL implemented a labeling system to classify legal documents based on their nature, like case files, contracts, and correspondence. Labels provided a structured approach to organizing information and identifying records.
- Label Policy: A label policy was created to define how labels should be applied across the organization. This policy included instructions on the use of labels for different types of documents and specified the retention and disposal rules associated with each label.
- Static Scopes: Static scopes were established to determine the specific areas within SharePoint where the label policy would be applied. This ensured that the labeling and retention rules were consistently enforced in relevant document libraries and folders.
- Auto Labeling: To enhance efficiency, AQL implemented auto-labeling capabilities. This feature automatically applied labels to documents based on predefined criteria, reducing the manual effort required by legal staff and ensuring consistent application of the records management policy.
Following the implementation of the records management solution by AQL Technologies, the legal practice experienced several positive outcomes:
- Improved Organization and Compliance: The labeling system enhanced document organization, making it easier for legal professionals to locate and manage records. This, in turn, ensured better compliance with regulatory requirements and legal standards.
- Efficiency Gains: Auto-labeling significantly reduced the time and effort spent by legal staff on manual classification. This efficiency gain allowed legal professionals to focus more on substantive legal work rather than administrative tasks.
- Enhanced Risk Management: With a structured records management system in place, the legal practice was better equipped to identify and mitigate potential legal and regulatory risks. The systematic application of retention and disposal rules minimized the risk of retaining outdated or unnecessary documents.
- Increased Visibility: The implementation of static scopes provided the firm with better visibility into how the records management policy was being applied across different SharePoint locations. This transparency facilitated ongoing monitoring and adjustments to the policy as needed.
