Jan./Feb. 2010

Top 6 Legal Collection Solutions 2010

BSI eSolutions: Custom Rulemaking Ensures Consistent Case Management

Cogent 2.3.0 contains enhancements to the core product code designed to improve profitability. Highlights from the release include additional automation of debtor payment plans and new automated business rule logic for the active management of statute of limitation calculations. The combination of Cogent's Case Management Tools and custom workflows allow users to define business rules within the application. This ensures that cases are managed consistently and in compliance with client and regulatory requirements.

Benefits and Features

• Multiple workflows to manage multi-state litigation.
• Automated document production and claim linking upon import.
• Merging of linked claims for suit under a single matter.
• Tracks proceedings history as well as multiple-party service results and judgments.
• Integrated docket calendar.
• Automatically assigns jurisdiction based on debtor zip code and claim balance.
• Separate fee schedules for pre-suit and post-suit payments.
• Multiple client trust accounts.
• Support for gross, net and advance cost arrangements.
• Purchased portfolio tracking.

What Users Say

"Cogent has allowed us to move quickly and efficiently on a number of fronts with our new business," says David R. Schlee Jr., managing director and member of Legal Outsource, LLC and Schlee and Stillman, LLC. "We loaded seven new interfaces for both clients and vendors, and our staff and clients are very happy with the ease of use and the flexibility of the system."

Summary
Cogent Workflow Automation eliminates manual interventions and subjectivity and establishes specific rules enforced by the software. The rules engine keeps the right accounts in front of the right users at the right time. Accounts that are performing well move along without the need for anyone to work them.

BSI eSolutions
www.bsi-cogent.com
443-212-1028

CDS: Accounts Transition Smoothl Through All Legal Phases

CDS Software's technology is driven by action codes, the building blocks of successful collections. The highlight of CollectOne is the document management system, which keeps important electronic files tagged to accounts for easy retrieval and replication. All correspondence can be automatically saved into the document management system. The integrated mail merge feature enables all legal fields to be merged onto legal documents and forms.

Benefits and Features

• Real-time payment processing engine.
• Various judgment entry options include prejudgment, individual judgment, shared judgment and balance tracking.
• Defines judgment entries by state. Designated state interest rates are applied automatically.
• Transitions accounts through all legal phases without repetitive data entry.
• Accumulates costs as accounts transition from pre-legal to judgment.
• Records all phases of collection to the CollectOne calendar for tracking and sharing. A printable copy can be made available for trial or case management.
• Customizable field labels for most debt amount fields and other data fields.
• Web access for clients allows viewing of status placements, report generation and secure new account placement.

What Users Say

"Our business is unique, and we needed a solution that would give us the flexibility to manage our workflow," says Brian Griffin, general manager, receivables division. "CollectOne gives us that solution."

Summary
CollectOne legal collection software allows clients to customize features to suit their workload level. The legal system enhancements are noteworthy for those looking to upgrade to a seamless product for legal processing.

CDS Software
www.collectone.com
888-816-3333

Columbia Ultimate: Bank Levies, Income Execution Can Be Stored, Monitored

Columbia Ultimate's litigation process management module, The Collector System, allows users to create litigation correspondence and to track the status of accounts as they move through the litigation process. Users also can manage trial and hearing dates and index account fields with attorney/court information. In addition, The Collector System automates the payment tracking process. Multi-tier stipulation payments can be managed without changing contract specs. Bank levies, income execution and post-judgment arrangements can be stored to monitor account status. Financial information — such as debt amounts, court costs and interest and settlement figures — is readily available for user viewing.

Benefits and Features

• Customized templates make it easy to set up personalized letters, notices, legal documents and other correspondence.
• Account flow manager follows accounts through summons and complaint stages and tracks judgment and settlement terms and actions.
• Integrates with Microsoft Word.
• Role-based controls enable collectors and attorneys to work harmoniously to track legal action status.
• Calendaring feature allows users to manage trial and hearing dates, set and track court dates and manage workflow to outside counsel.

What Users Say

"Columbia Ultimate's The Collector System has allowed us to increase working accounts by more than 30% within the first year of deployment," says Paul Amacker Sr., operations manager, Southern Financial Systems.

"The deployment of The Collector System has transformed a 30-year, paper-intensive law firm into a paperless operation with self-pay programs," says Dan Johnston, director, Sullins Johnston Rohrbach & Magers.

Summary
Columbia Ultimate's litigation module is an effective option for the fast-paced, specialized business of collection litigation.

Columbia Ultimate
www.columbiaultimate.com
800-488-4420

JST: Multiple Templates Provide Versatility for Working Accounts

CollectMax by JST puts litigation details at your fingertips. The Auto-Court feature allows automatic selection of the debtor's court via user-defined rules based on zip code, county and balance range. Court-specific actions are displayed on the litigation screen, allowing collection and litigation activities to be worked simultaneously.
Max Plan, an optional module, allows users to design a track for each account. The module triggers account events without the need for user interaction. Multiple templates can be created with conditional steps to trigger an event. Activity on the account is automatically delayed until the next scheduled step.

Benefits and Features

• JST data exchange automatically downloads new collection cases into CollectMax.
• Uploads debtor history notes, status details and some financial transactions to attorney network or collection management system.
• Scans, stores, retrieves and prints images and files related to debtor accounts. Documents can be e-mailed directly from debtor accounts to clients without leaving the program.
• Enhanced litigation management allows more flexibility for tracking judgment filing for accounts with multiple debtors.
• Automatic data batching can be customized for skip tracing services.

What Users Say

"JST's software is the perfect collection software, as it is user-friendly for the novice user, while flexible and programmable for the highly sophisticated user," says Scott Morris, Esq. "Not only does JST provide their clientele with a software package that will evolve with your firm or agency over time, each client will also receive technical support that is second to none in this industry."

Summary
Whether taking advantage of bar code capabilities to automatically scan documents or using conditional statements to automate document generation, CollectMax offers timesaving features.

JST
www.collectmax.com
800-827-1457

Ontario Systems: User-Defined Rules Ensure Appropriate Case Management

The flexibility of Ontario Systems' Artiva Legal enables the creation of prioritized workflow. The most collectible accounts can be delivered automatically to account representatives, so they can obtain payments before taking legal action.
Highlights of the Artiva Legal System include a complete view of the attorney's calendar and workload and assistance in preparing necessary court documents. Multiple cases can be tracked and assigned to specific attorneys with case-load queues created based on those assignments. The system allows collectors to track service records, judgment information, bank attachments and liens for multiple parties on a case, as well as a case's legal action history.

Benefits and Features

• Manages all case types, including retail, commercial, bankruptcy, subrogation, probate and foreclosures.
• Provides supervisors with inventory and reporting control. User-defined reporting enables managers to monitor various portfolio activities.
• Contact management system automates and monitors telephony activity.
• Automatically tracks hourly and fee-based billings.

What Users Say

"The Artiva Debt Buyer product streamlines our collection processes and procedures better than any collection platform we've ever been on," says Kevin Howard, IT manager, Phoenix Credit. "The system makes it simple to customize to our specific and ever-changing needs and desires."

Summary
The Artiva system allows companies to establish business rules to ensure that accounts are worked in the appropriate manner. With the Artiva Legal module, all the necessary legal collection information is readily available to collectors. System features — such as user-defined windows, tables, scripts and macro keys — ensure that relevant information is just a click away.

Ontario Systems
www.ontariosystems.com
800-283-3227

Q-Soft: Customizable System Meets Specialized Needs of Clients

Q-Soft, the developer of Q-Law, has been in operation since 1985. Its collection litigation software package is designed to improve the productivity and profitability of law firms. Q-Law, installed and running in numerous states as well as overseas, includes clients in collection law firms, general practice law firms, immigration law firms and real estate practice law firms, as well as collection agencies. Q-Law's automated software system includes a document management system with the following features: mail merging, a built-in scanning interface, task management, a built-in calendar with an Outlook interface, automated time billing, trust accounting, litigation support and ODBC support with open access to system data. Users also have access to the payment gateway services of Payment Vision powered by Autoscribe. Payment Vision concentrates payments captured by various methods, such as IVR, Internet and call centers. The hub-and-spoke alignment allows for continuous awareness of payments remitted at each payment window.

Benefits and Features

• Includes special features for creditor bankruptcy and foreclosure practices.
• Integrated system permits full access to records at all times.
• Q-Law can be customized to meet the specialized needs of clients. Consultation is offered.
  

What Users Say

"We deployed Q-Law in 2003 primarily for case file management," says Donald S. Maurice, Esq., Maurice & Needleman, P.C., Flemington, NJ. "Using Q-Law, our case files are now paperless, saving significant floor space in our offices. Being paperless, we easily share files between our offices or when our attorneys work from home or off-site locations. Another advantage is that we do not waste time searching for misplaced files."

Summary
Q-Law offers scalable solutions to suit firms of different sizes. The simplified system helps clients use their time wisely in dealing with accounts that will benefit their firms.

Q-Soft
www.qlaw.biz
877-277-6378