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Case Studies
by Anita Campbell on January 22, 2005
Having worked as a lawyer in a firm and in company legal departments, I can tell you that keeping track of client files can be a major challenge. The larger the law firm premises and the more files, the bigger the challenge, of course.
One of the interesting and valuable uses of RFID is for file-tracking solutions. File folders are tagged with RFID tags. Handheld tracking devices can be used to locate missing files on the premises.
Lost files are not only a major hassle in law firms, they can mean a malpractice case. The stakes can be high -- monetary liability, public reprimand, even temporary suspension from the practice of law in some jurisdictions.
I remember such a situation when I was working in a law firm. A young attorney misplaced a case file that held original evidence (signed trust document and power of attorney) needed for a civil trial. Without the documents, the case would have been severely compromised. You could see the attorney thinking her career was ended before it ever got started -- not a pretty sight.
I remember the panic the firm's partners exhibited as the trial date drew closer. We practically tore down the walls looking for that file. It was not a fun place to be, as we were all accused in turn of losing the file even if we had nothing to do with the case. Secretaries were in tears.
Eventually, out of desperation, one of the partners suggested hypnotism. So the young attorney was hypnotized.
Amazingly, it worked! The attorney remembered that the last place she had the file was near a copy machine. Everyone had looked behind that copy machine and hadn't seen anything. But this time they actually moved the copy machine. There it was! The file had fallen down the crack behind the machine and apparently slid underneath it upon hitting the floor, which is why no one saw it the first time around. But it had been there all along.
An RFID file-tracking solution would have found that file and avoided all the angst -- and the hypnotism.
3M has a couple of case studies profiling law firms using its RFID file-tracking system. They're worth a read.
Permalink: RFID File Tracking is Better Than Hypnotism
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Tom Pemberton
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has been doing RFID File Tracking solutions since 2001. However, with HF tags still close to $1 each the 13.56 MHz technology never garnered broad appeal.
Late in 2005 we added Gen 2 (UHF ) RFID technology to our solutions. The technology is far superior, providing higher performance at a lower cost. You can refer to http://www.filetrail.com/WS_RFID/Hardware.asp
for a comparison of the two technologies.
With Gen 2 tagged files are tracked from 10 feet away (18 feet in ideal situations). In addition, we sell our tags for about half the cost. Better performance and a lower cost has put the price point at a level that makes RFID File Tracking economically feasible for a large market.
The advanced capabilities of Gen 2 support file tracking tools beyond the desktop reader and portable reader in 13.56 MHz solutions. Our Middleware Service manages IP-Adressable readers in attorneys' offices, war rooms, etc., that track the file locations without any action taken by the attorney. The tracking system then becomes completely passive, which is what makes it pay in environments where highly-paid staff will not participate in a file tracking system that requires direct action on their part.
The portable scanning capability is much better with Gen 2 RFID. When I met with IT management at the Maricopa DA in January of 2006, they stated that their 3M portable scanner requires that they physically touch each file on the shelf when doing an inventory. The vertical ‘blade’ antenna must be physically run between each file folder, according to them.
In contrast, our Gen 2 MobileTracker reads shelved files without contact -- generally from 12 to 16 inches. In addition, it will read tags from 4 feet in less dense environments, such as when doing an audit of an office.
One of the unique things that we have done with RFID is that we offer both integrated and standalone types of solutions. Our Integrated Solutions communicate with an existing records management system – such as MDY FileSurf, Elite, or LegalKey – to automatically update the current locations of files as collected via RFID.
We also offer Complete Solutions to firms with no tracking system. These packages include all the file tracking and records management functionality you would expect – tracking, searching, requesting, labeling, archiving, retention management, destruction, etc. – along with the RFID technology.
Our Complete Solutions have been 100% browser-based since 2001, and are very intuitive and easy to use. Here is what some clients had to say:
“FileTrail has reduced the time it takes to retrieve a file by 90%”.
Legal Department
Abgenix, Inc.
“FileTrail really leverages the richness of RFID Technology, which we believe is the key to success in managing our files in a very efficient and secure way.”
The World Bank
"FileTrail is the best-written software I have seen in 30 years of implementing systems."
Korn Law Firm
"FileTrail has cut the time attorneys wait for files in half."
Finkel & Altman, LLC
You can see some of the basics on RFID and client quotes at these locations:
http://www.filetrail.com/WS_clients/index.asp
http://www.rfid-legal-file-tracking.com/