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A Comparison of Client/Server
DBMS Case Management Systems and
Object-Oriented, Internet-Based Case Management Features
by Richard S. Granat
| Features | Standard Client/Server Relational DBMS Case Management System | Internet-Based and Object-Oriented Case Management System |
| Centralized, Firm Wide Matter Management | Yes, if at same location | Accessible anywhere, anytime over the Internet |
| Secure and Authenticated Communications | Yes, but only on LAN or WAN | Yes |
| Centralized, Firm Wide Address Book | Yes | Yes |
| Firm-Wide, Cross-Referenced Conflict of Interest Check | Yes | Yes |
| Rule Structure for Prioritizing Dates | Yes | Yes |
| User-Definable Fields | Yes | Yes |
| Practice Templates | Yes | Yes |
| Unlimited Notes Per Case matter | Yes | Yes |
| Custom Categories | Yes | Yes |
| Integrated with Word Processor | Yes | Yes |
| Document History/Matter or Case | Yes | Yes |
| Access to Financial and Cost Information | Yes | Yes |
| Integration with ABA/ACCA Task-Based Billing Standards | Yes | Yes |
| Simple User-Friendly GUI | May Be | Yes |
| Customized Attorney's Work Space | No | Yes |
| Integrated E-Mail | May Be | Yes |
| Sharing of Data With Clients Over the Internet | No | Yes |
| Sharing of Case Data With Each Attorney in the Firm Wherever Located | No | Yes |
| Sharing of Case Data With Co-Counsel | No | Yes |
| Integrated Access to the Web and research resources | No | Yes |
| On-Line Conferencing Capability | No | Yes |
| Content-Broad-casting to all Relevant Parties | No | Yes |
| Interoperable- Will work on multiple platforms | No | Yes |
| Scalable- Handles Thousands of Cases. Thousands of Clients, and Unlimited Attorneys | Unlikely | Yes |
| Based on Open Standards and Easy To Support | No | Yes |
| Provide end users and network administrators with services to organize and monitor case information effectively | No | Yes |
| Search across multiple databases located at different sites | No | Yes |
| Cases can appear as desktop folders | No | Yes |
| Cases can be assigned user and group security | May Be | Yes |
| Cases can be related to other cases | Some Systems | Yes |
Solution for a Web-based case management system that is accessible by cooperating counsel in different law firms; law firm clients; and lawyers in the same firm located in different offices-not your typical implementation
| Dynamic Content | No | Yes |
| Personalization-User Profile Cache-State Always Available | No | Yes |
| Distributed Cache-Extremely Scalable | No | Yes |
| Multi-Media Data-Support for Extended Data Types | No | Yes |
| Extended Relationships-Highest Performance-Speed | No | Yes |
| Supports Legacy RDBMS | May Be | Yes |
| Mobile, off-line computing | May Be | Yes |
| Low cost lightweight browser-side distributable client | No | Yes |