Adoption attorney Robert Noone has represented abused and/or neglected children for almost 30 years. He leverages his legal experience and compassion to assist foster parents, grandparents, stepparents and single parents in private and DHHR-subsidized adoptions.
The Challenge: Demands of a roving private practice necessitate a virtual and automated office
Practicing in both Alabama and West Virginia, Noone is frequently on the road. It’s not uncommon for him to have 19 hearings in one day. That translates to a hefty caseload and a lot of paperwork, but Noone can manage it all thanks to Abacus Private Cloud (APC). Specifically, Noone appreciates the ability to:
- Get work done quickly
- Automate without mistakes
- Spend less money on getting things done
- Go completely paperless.
- Maintain a virtual office
“APC allows my secretary and I to be on the same page; in
sync and up-to-date with client matters even from different states.”
The Ideal: An automated solution that allows for efficiency when time matters
“Every day is important to adopting parents,” says Noone.
The period between filing for adoption to a hearing can take up to 45 days. Operating without the cloud on a stand-alone basis where intake is manual and back and forth communication requires extra time is something many cases cannot afford. It also leaves room for error. Noone saves time and avoids embarrassing mistakes with Abacus Private Cloud (APC), which provides direct access to his database from anywhere. APC is a virtual workspace designed to host and manage a firm’s critical data and applications.
Noone can access his data from anywhere, at any time, using any type of device with automated backups, multifactor authentication and geographic redundancy. As a result, Noone’s eFiling is more efficient and accurate. This was especially beneficial when courts closed due to COVID-19. Noone was able to work as usual, thanks to APC. Having an automated system also has helped Noone immensely with document prep and case management. He also appreciates that when clients call, he can easily access their records in AbacusLaw so he can keep track of who he is talking to and can quickly make important updates.
“Putting money toward automation is worth it.”
While many attorneys are quick to spend money on optimizing websites or hiring an agency to help with search engine optimization (SEO), Noone sees real value in putting money toward Abacus software. “The best ad that brings in business is doing a good job,” says Noone. “And, the best word out there is from satisfied customers. Your work product is your calling card. Putting money toward automation is worth it.”
Additionally, he’s found added value in Abacus’s tech support.
“I have access to an IT person that can help me unfreeze or get something working or get rid of my deleted files or something I’ve screwed up; I can get it resolved pretty quickly,” says Noone. “You’ll pay $100 an hour to someone down the corner. If you use Abacus, you have access to someone. When I call, it’s answered and handled in 10 minutes, period.”
The Selection: Cloud-based software that accommodates evolving needs
In the early days, Noone would do verbatim interviews in jails using his 1983 TRS80
laptop. He kept client data on cassette tapes. Once he started using AbacusLaw’s legal
practice management software in 2006, he was able to create and maintain a database
of all clients.
He could cross-reference notes on defendants for various cases, which came in handy
when he appeared in court. He could access notes instantly, and soon judges began to
ask him for his notes for reference. And, Noone could handle time tracking, billing and
accounting all-in-one with AbacusLaw.
“AbacusLaw was indispensable for running my practice,” recalls Noone.
When Noone began practicing in both Alabama and West Virginia, he realized a need
for a remote office. APC’s private virtual workspace was his go-to solution.
“My office is wherever I am,” says Noone.
Sometimes that meant working out of Tudor’s Biscuit World restaurant in Charleston,
WV. Even there, he could access all of the documents and information he needed for
each case.
The Implementation Partner
Today, Noone’s intake is fully automated. The client receives an encrypted email, fills
in their information and data comes back in a way that Noone can immediately file. It
has made for a wholly more efficient process, allowing Noone to handle 1 in 10 of all
Alabama adoptions and 200 West Virginia adoptions in 2019, alone. As new software companies come and go, Noone appreciates he can count on Abacus’s staying power.
“One thing you look for in software is longevity,” says Noone, who added that he’s in his
60s and has been using Abacus for nearly 20 years. “I like that I can call and reach the
same company I started with. New technology doesn’t mean [anything] if it doesn’t last.
You could take all your time and energy into something that goes away. The longevity
of Abacus is appreciated.”
“Abacus puts me in another class from other attorneys… my office is where ever I am.”