Let’s talk about clients. We all have them, we all need them for a functioning business. And clients, they need us, obviously or else our law degrees would be completely useless. There are a wide variety of clients that we have all had to deal with in the past, specifically in Personal Injury. During my years in Personal Injury I saw every type of client from the client who wanted to manage their own case to the client who dodged the paralegal’s calls and forgot she had a case until I called letting her know I was submitting a demand. At FinLegal, we understand how important clients are and that is why we built a self-servicing client portal that allows clients to interact with their case as much or as little as they please, without getting in your team’s way.

From To-Dos to Document Uploads: Common Navigation Bar Needs

We understand that not every case is the same and that is why our navigation bar is completely customizable for whatever you need from your clients. We have seen a range of requests but here we will be discussing the most common requests we get for our navigation bar: To-Do, Updates, Log Appointments, Document Upload and Guides.

The To-Do Tab: Streamlining Client Tasks with Ease

Currently, our to-do tab houses all assigned activities to the client. What does that mean? Prior to deployment, our team creates custom workflows for your firm. After deployment, your team can use their dashboard to assign client’s activities that need to be completed. This can range from providing additional information, providing a driver's license or even signing a document, anything you need the client to do can be assigned to them through this tab.

Streamlining Case Updates with Automated Forms

Another functionality that our firms have found helpful, specifically our immigration and social security disability (“SSD”) clients, is our updates tab. This tab is used to house pre-determined updated information (i.e. change in medical treatment for SSD clients). Once your client has logged into their mobile-friendly client portal, they can go into the updates tab and fill out converted forms with new information. Once the client submits that information, our platform will automatically populate and save to your client’s case in the dashboard a generated, filled PDF. This saves your team the need to call for continuous updates and allows your client to track their changes as the occur.

Building a Full Picture of Treatment Through Appointment Logging

This one is pretty self-explanatory, but I will lay it out anyway. When I was in Personal Injury, our team had a mandatory bi-weekly (once every two weeks) client check-in. The purpose of this check-in was to ensure that the client was still treating, attending appointments or if they had received a medical discharge. With a caseload of 200+ cases and a wide range of clients, this bi-weekly call wasn’t fruitful. Our log appointments tab allows clients to keep track and alert your team to all their appointments. This leads to less back and forth calls, less information missed leading to quicker case solutions and more money in your pocket with no missed appointments. Clients can also add details to their appointments in the portal letting you know about a disability rating, new referral or discharge.

Cutting Down Emails with Secure Client Document Uploads

Again, the name gives away the purpose but let us tell you what we have seen uploaded here to show you the potential in the tab. For single-event cases, materials such as: insurance correspondence, hospital discharge sheets, medical bills, property damage photos, inspection reports, financial statements, traffic tickets and more can be uploaded as they come in. This tab can cutdown significantly on the number of emails and text messages your firm will receive, and everything is added directly into your client's case in the dashboard. For group litigation, clients can use this tab for any evidentiary submissions needed after retention. Whether a file or a photo, your client will have a safe and secure place to upload anything they need directly to their case.

Answering FAQs Before Clients Have to Ask

Within the guides tab, we are using either AI created or firm recorded/written information to answer frequently asked questions and to explain complex pieces of the legal process. These videos range from how to complete a Plaintiff Fact Sheet to what happens next in my auto accident case? The guides tab is there to help your client understand the process they are going through and to cutdown on the number of questions your team must answer repeatedly.

Conclusion

We are very excited at the enhancements being made here at FinLegal to the client experience. Both Sare and I know how important clients are to our businesses and providing them with a pleasant experience working with lawyers is our goal. And as a reminder, all our tabs are customizable to your firm’s biggest issues. Schedule a demo to see first-hand how our client portals can improve your client’s experience and help your legal team work more efficiently.

Author: Kelsey Wallace Mengel

Kelsey is an experienced legal professional specializing in optimizing intake processes with a focus on client retention, conversion, and personalized communication. She is skilled in training, quality control, and onboarding new case types, with a strong interest in leveraging technology for efficiency. A dedicated military spouse, Kelsey volunteers with the J.D. Military Spouse Network, supporting military families with legal needs.

Modern Law Firms, Happier Clients: The Power of Client Portals