The economic disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic has affected law firms of all sizes, driving a renewed interest in various cost-saving measures. Litigators involved in formulating budgets are finding practical and effective solutions to meeting cost containment objectives, such as sharing certain discovery costs with co-counsel and opposing counsel.
Cost-sharing agreements are not new. In fact, when parties agree, courts will sometimes order parties involved in complex litigation to split a portion of the costs to retrieve, process, and host case records. Today, more and more firms are seeking cost sharing solutions to help offset the hefty legal expenses that can occur during the discovery phase.
In some cases, record retrieval expenses can be reduced by as much as 50% if two parties split the cost of collection evenly down the middle, and possibly more if the equal split is between several legal teams. Record retrieval suppliers that can offer and manage this type of savings model are critical support partners to firms who prioritize responsible budgeting.
Here are ways MRC is helping legal teams save with cost sharing models.
Co-Defendant Cost Sharing
Medical records are often among the most important resources in a personal injury case, for example. When teams are working from separate data resources, information can be overlooked and inefficiencies are introduced to the process. Gaps in information lead to confusion and delays at best, and poor outcomes at worst.
Using a centralized document repository to manage records simplifies retrieval efforts by eliminating the need for each firm to gather the same records from various records Custodians. This maximizes efficiencies and reduces the time required of attorneys.
MRC offers WiseFiles®, the industry’s most sophisticated litigation support database. It brings decades of proven success in cost sharing management to your litigation. The secure web-based platform allows unlimited cost-sharing for law firms on a single matter and provides them with a centralized location for online ordering, viewing, and printing of records. WiseFiles® allows clients to track numerous key activities such as when records are received, hosted, viewed, downloaded, printed, and/or shipped.
WiseFiles® delivers superior customizations and security options designed to help produce more efficiencies and cost savings at the earliest stages of discovery.
Opposing Counsel Cost Sharing
A centralized document depository between opposing counsels is a popular cost reduction solution that is often recommended by courts, especially in federal MDL cases where there are many complainants. Courts may direct parties in complex cases to use cost sharing to help balance the financial burden and ensure equal access to relevant documents.
The cost-reduction actions by the courts have inspired legal teams to proactively search for record retrieval suppliers that can apply opposing counsel cost sharing to even non-MDL cases. Opposing counsel cost sharing allows legal teams to store, manage, and order voluminous medical records at a fraction of the cost.
MRC works with our clients to accommodate and customize cost share options to meet unique project requirements. To support clients who are required to provide copies of records to opposing counsel, MRC developed MRCRecords®, a secure opposing counsel portal used to supply access to opposing counsel when required, and for opposing counsel to purchase copies of records. This feature includes robust order history tracking and notification settings that alert you when new records have arrived. Security settings allows the control of user access to limit what is visible to the opposing counsel.
MRCRecords® offers a litany of custom features that make it easy to be efficient. Opposing counsels can finally work together to absorb costs by using MRC’s technologies to help them deliver the best possible representation.
Why MRC
MRC offers ideal solutions for all document review and management cost-sharing initiatives. Our portals are battle-tested and have been named as the court-mandated document repository for some of the largest mass tort cases. Using MRC’s cost sharing technology is a logical step to securing effective cost sharing management. If you are interested in viewing a demo of WiseFiles® or MRCRecords®, please contact us today.
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