How Dykema strengthens collaboration across multiple offices with Intapp Workspaces

A false start and early lessons

Before Dykema officially launched Microsoft 365, early technology adopters at the firm started exploring Microsoft Teams, but it quickly became clear that if Microsoft Teams was not implemented properly, a myriad of security, governance, and organizational issues surrounding data would arise, rapidly creating larger problems. The firm promptly shut down Microsoft Teams but continued to receive many requests from its attorneys to use Microsoft Teams for collaboration purposes.

Given these requests for a collaboration platform, Dykema began looking for a technology provider that could enable firmwide collaboration while helping Dykema control, organize, and retain their data. While their initial provider failed to meet the complex needs of the firm, Intapp Workspaces had the required security, organization, and governance Dykema was looking for and was purpose-built for law firms, allowing them to mitigate risk while maximizing their Microsoft investment. Myka reports, “I started looking for anything out there that would help me control the data and help to organize things well. I started looking at Intapp Workspaces, and it just looked more robust.”

Starting over with clear sightlines

Upon initial review of Microsoft Teams, there were doubts that the product would improve client service, document collaboration, and large matter management. Willing to work through these concerns, Myka began outlining goals for use cases in Microsoft Teams and identifying capabilities their new technology partner would need for the firm to move forward: 

• Collaboration. “From a collaboration standpoint, we wanted to control matter-related data so that lawyers could share and work on documents for clients in one place,” says Myka. “The timing was good because we had been working on collaboration initiatives already, and using Intapp Workspaces for Microsoft Teams was going to allow us to step into the next level.” 
• Data retention and governance. Using NetDocuments as a document management system, Dykema needed to retain and protect their data using good data governance practices. Myka shares, “One thing we had been working on is our data retention and governance. It looked like Intapp Workspaces was going to give us control over how long we keep information, where the information is housed, and how we archive it securely.” 
• Integration. Dykema wants their technology systems to interact in organized, efficient, and secure ways. Very specifically, Microsoft Teams had to integrate with NetDocuments, the firm’s document management system, “especially as it relates to document versions,” says Myka.  
• With a vision in place, Dykema needed a savvy technology partner who understood the complex security and intense documentation needs required by law firms. Importantly, this partner also had to meet the critical needs of law firms, particularly related to ethical walls and a document management system that uses versions.  
• Intapp was a perfect match. The Intapp team immediately understood Dykema’s needs and was confident that Intapp Workspaces would quickly resolve the firm’s problems. Myka explains, “I trusted Intapp because they understand the importance of versioning in NetDocuments and ethical walls.”  

Meeting an aggressive timeline

Feeling like they were starting from behind, Dykema wanted to move fast. They also wanted to do things a little differently, starting a pilot with two parallel teams: an administrative team and a matter team.

Without hesitation, Intapp worked with Myka and the firm’s internal technology, information governance, and innovation groups to launch a thorough needs analysis surrounding document retention, user notifications, security requirements, version controls, and overarching organization. On the heels of the assessment, thorough testing was launched that identified some issues for which Intapp found creative resolutions.

After only a few months, it was time for implementation and training with the firm’s pilot group. Dykema was ready to go, this time with greater confidence and a strong Intapp team by their side. The deployment went so well that Dykema is looking forward to launching Intapp Time, Intapp Intake, Intapp Conflicts, and Intapp Terms to their lawyers and professional staff.

Finding value in Microsoft Teams

According to Myka, Intapp’s knowledgeable and accessible professionals took excellent care of the firm during the entire initiative. Some of the most valuable outcomes from the collaboration with Intapp include the following:

• Seamlessly integrating Microsoft Teams with NetDocuments while maintaining NetDocuments’ versioning capability within Microsoft Teams, a critical capability for document-heavy law firm use
• Collaborating on and co-authoring complex documents, checked-out from NetDocuments, in Microsoft Teams, enabling lawyers to update documents more efficiently and accurately
• Leveraging the power of Microsoft OneNote within teams to share outlines, thoughts, and timelines with distributed team members
• Confidently collaborating in Microsoft Teams with clients
• Enabling Dykema’s associates to engage in professional development that enhances their technical skills
• Enabling practice group leaders to employ Microsoft Teams as a collaboration and communication solution across their specific practice areas (for example, by using the relevant tab within the environmental law practice group team to share environmental law regulatory updates)