BUNDLEDOCS

Benefits of Breaking the Habit of Creating Hard-Copy Bundles in 2024

If you want to make a change for you or your company, it’s not too late to make a New Year’s Resolution. As digital has become our new day-to-day, electronic bundles (e-bundles) are one of the online elements that have popularised over the past few years, particularly in the legal sector.  

The use of e-bundles has significantly changed the way legal professionals and law firms prepare and deliver electronic bundles of their files. Although printing hard copy bundles may not be eliminated entirely from the process, why not start 2024 off right by breaking the habit of creating hard-copy bundles when they are not needed? 

Streamline Business Processes 

Whether it’s a bundle or court file, the production and approval of files can be one of the most time-consuming aspects of the process. Sharing digitally for approval will allow each party to view easily without needing to review physical copies at different times, which can increase efficiency.  

Through the automation of time-intensive tasks, Bundledocs can reduce the stages in document preparation such as photocopying and delivery. Streamlining your operations and giving your team the time to focus on what really matters can also aid with employee retention. Streamlining business processes can also lead to improved productivity as employees will spend less time creating and editing manual bundles. 

Increased Collaboration 

Getting started with Bundledocs is extremely easy - all you need is a device and an email address (single sign on is available also). This makes it simple for teams to get set-up and start producing and collaborating on documents. Bundledocs can be used by anyone in any location, which facilitates the hybrid and fully remote working options that have become part of many standard working arrangements.  

Users can also make bundles fully searchable, making reviewing easy for colleagues, third-party editors, or clients. Research shows that organisations that embrace flexibility and the use of technology that supports remote collaboration are more likely to attract and retain employees.  

Sustainability 

Although paper bundles may still be required if a case goes to court, e-bundles can improve the preparation process by eliminating paper when sharing documents internally and externally. The amount of energy and water used in paper production has a significant and damaging impact on the environment, leading to deforestation and air pollution. Paper accounts for approximately 26% of total waste at landfill sites.  

As paper documents must be transported to their destination, digital bundles that utilise cloud storage can also help in reducing carbon emissions. This can also help you to reduce overheads like postage, couriers and DX. 

Heightened Security 

As the number and frequency of global cyber-attacks continues to rise, organisations may feel cautious about sharing files both internally and externally. Our solution is ISO 27001 certified, which is the international standard for information security management systems. This ensures that your documents are always safe and secure.  

Our customers’ information is stored securely using Microsoft SSL encryption, ensuring a secure communication channel exists which prevents any interception of data from third parties across our network and other internet communications. Users generating bundles can simply invite third parties to view bundles that they have created and all exchanges are security restricted. 

Start Using Bundledocs 

Now that you know the benefits, there’s nothing stopping you or your team from getting started with Bundledocs. Our solution is easy to use and setup is simple. If you are still uncertain about making the switch to digital files, get booked in for a free online demo today!  

Leading legal technology provider Bundledocs announce appointment of Miles Osborne

Bundledocs, the leading cloud-based document bundling software provider has today announced the appointment of Miles Osborne as Director of Customer Success, Global. Miles joins the team after serving as Director of Strategic Projects – Legal & Education with Advanced. 

 

Miles brings over 28 years of experience to Bundledocs, having previously worked in the legal technology sector with companies such as Tikit and Advanced. His experience and knowledge of the UK market will be of benefit as he oversees the company's 1,400 clients across Europe, North America and APAC. In his role, Miles will help build on existing relationships with our global client base. 

 

Speaking on the appointment Brian Kenneally, Bundledocs CEO said, “Welcoming Miles to the Bundledocs team is a positive step forward for our customers and our team. Over the duration of his career Miles has proved himself as an expert in customer support, at Bundledocs we are committed to ensuring that our customer's needs are met first and foremost. Miles will undoubtedly be an asset to our team as we continue to expand across territories.” 

 

Commenting on his appointment, Miles Osborne said, “I am delighted to have joined the Bundledocs team. Their innovative solution makes a real difference to legal work across the legal industry daily. The evolution of Bundledocs over the last number of years has been something that I have followed closely, and I am looking forward to working with the team to further support our customer base across our established and emerging demographics.” 

 

Bundledocs has over 1,400 clients in over 34 countries. They have become the market leader in the electronic document production space, working primarily with the legal sector. In late 2020 they were the first electronic document bundling tool on the market to receive ISO 27001 compliance and in 2022 they launched their PDF editing software Bundledocs Editor.   

Bundledocs Does Disney … ILTACON #2 Less than a Week Away

Last year around this time we were preparing for our first ILTACON experience. 12 months later we are ready for another dose of “the greatest legal tech show on earth”. Based on preliminary registration numbers, the 2023 edition is trending to surpass the ‘sold out’ showing at the Gaylord National in Maryland in 2022.

Join our Rugby Scrum

As is ILTACON tradition, we will help open the exhibit hall on Monday night with our version of the Tailgate Experience. Join the Bundledocs team for a friendly match of rugby and celebrate Ireland’s pride and joy … The Ireland national rugby team. Come by stand #316 and see what all the buzz is about.

Tech Buzzwords Galore

Beyond the more than 260 educational sessions, 350 speakers, and 200 ILTA business partners ready to engage our legal community, the Bundledocs team is ready to double down.

Thanks to eDiscovery Today, this year’s ILTACON word cloud, a synthesis of the four-day educational session, reveals a focus on data management, teams, business (of law), and to no one’s surprise AI.


Our Favorite ILTACON Things

ILTA has always been about community and networking between members and business partners. This year is no exception with a special twist. 2023 will include a Startup Hub, a featured showcase of legal IT and tech startups.

We LOVE the annual ILTA Technology Survey and its richness of technology usage data across the ILTA membership. In fact, we can hardly wait to sit in on the annual ILTA Technology Survey preview conference session which will reveal trends around infrastructure, desktop/laptop hardware and OS, office apps, DMS/ECM, practice management and business applications, collaboration and communication, and security solutions among ILTA members.

A few other educational sessions we have our eye on include Trial Prep Tech: The Innovative Future of Technology use at Trial [Thursday, August 24, 3:30 PM] and We Don't Have to Do It Like That Anymore: Tools and Methods for Modern Litigation Case Management [Wednesday, August 23, 2:00 PM].


Free Coffee on Us

If you can spare a minute (literally 60 seconds) and complete our four question survey, we’ll return the favor with a coffee gift card you can cash in onsite at the event or we’ll happily get you caffeinated virtually.

Don’t forget … Follow all official ILTACON Conference 2023 tweets (Xs) here throughout the week and use #ILTACON23 if you’d like to participate.

The Ultimate Solution for Reducing Stress and Increasing Retention in Law Firms 

Attracting and retaining high-calibre talent has become increasingly challenging across industries. There are many factors that can be attributed to this however long working hours, the volume of work that needs to be completed and high-pressure situations are some of the factors behind talent leaving the legal profession. Having a work/life balance is one of the top areas that lawyers see as being more important now than before while studies show that legal employees report that they spend between 1-10 hours overtime per week due to last-minute document changes and time-consuming processes. 

Within the legal industry, it is becoming more common for employees to experience burnout. It has been reported that it is no longer uncommon for lawyers to be on sick pay from six months up to a year due to burnout. There are many negative effects that burnout can have on a firm such as reduced efficiency and inattention to detail, which can have severe consequences for management and client relationships.  

By adopting and utilising technologies, you can ensure that your firm adopts an approach that facilitates the needs of your employees leading to a reduction in stress and an increase in retention.  

 
The Solution 

Automating tedious and time-intensive work is considered by legal practitioners to be the most effective way that technology can help. There are many ways in which technology can be utilised within a firm from case management systems to our own e-bundling and PDF solution.  


Improved Communication  

Utilising technology ensures that your employees can communicate with each other from any place at any time, allowing them to collaborate on cases whether they are in the office or working remotely. Our cloud-based document bundling platform allows users to seamlessly create, collaborate and share documents from anywhere in the world. Built to streamline time-intensive tasks, our solution is compliant and secure.  



Increased Flexibility 

With the Bundledocs core solution and PDF Editor, users can easily manipulate, OCR, annotate, create and share PDF documents, along with the added functionality of text editing. What once was a deeply painstaking task, can now be completed in a matter of moments, saving firms countless hours and ensuring that their teams can focus on other tasks. 

The Transformation from time-intensive manual process to now automated and cloud-based document bundling with less hang ups and errors has been amazing

— Jeanine Wilson, Real Estate & Coporate Clerk, Soloway Wright LLP.


Remain Competitive  

When it comes to attracting high-calibre talent and ensuring they do not succumb to burnout throughout the duration of their contract, technology can play a role. Many law firms continue to execute workflows manually, with no assistance from automated tools. By adopting new solutions, you will stand out from your competition in terms of efficiency and productivity, allowing employees to benefit from a better work-life balance.  

Embracing technology within your firm will enable you to stay ahead of the competition by ensuring that you stand out from the crowd when it comes to the employee experience. 

Reducing stress and increasing retention is crucial for retaining high-calibre talent. Burnout can lead to negative consequences for both individuals and firms, making it essential to find solutions that streamline tedious and time-intensive tasks. 

Start streamlining time-intensive tasks and reduce stress amongst your legal team by contacting a member of our support team today.  

 

E-Bundle Creation for the Family Division

Due to the rise of remote hearings throughout the pandemic, there was an increase in the usage of electronic bundles during family court cases. Recently there have been some changes to the practice directions that had previously been set out by the President of the Family Division’s Guidance for use in the Family Court and Family Division.

There is no doubt that electronic bundles are the way forward. As courts and firms alike make the move away from paper bundles, the practice directions on electronic bundle creation and delivery are continually evolving and changing.

For those that regularly submit e-bundles to court, it is important to keep up to date with the latest requirements to ensure your bundles are fully compliant with the latest practice directions. Our solution is fully compliant with the updated practice directions, as well as all previous directions. We’ve even created pre-set templates to make it easier for you to create court-compliant e-bundles using Bundledocs.

Let’s look at some of the key requirements from the latest update:

Bookmarks

All significant documents and all sections in bundles must be bookmarked for ease of navigation, with a short description as the bookmark.

Late Inserts

If additions are to be made to an e-bundle after it has been transmitted to the judge, then new pages should be added at the end of the bundle (and paginated accordingly). An enquiry should be made of the court as to the best way of providing the additional material. Subject to any different direction, the judge should be provided with both (a) the new section and, separately, (b) the revised bundle. This is necessary as the judge may have already marked up the original bundle.

Bundle Limit

An e-bundle may only exceed the default limit of 350 pages provided by PD 27A para 5.1 with the court’s permission.

Chronological Order

The documents in the bundle shall be arranged in chronological order from the front of the bundle, paginated individually and consecutively (starting with page 1 and using Arabic numbering throughout), indexed and divided into separate sections with each section being separately paginated.

Landscape Pages

Any page that has been created in landscape orientation should appear in that orientation so that it can be read from left to right. No page should appear upside down within an e-bundle.

Mark Key Documents with an Asterix

Rather than producing a core e-bundle a better method for identifying key documents is to mark them in the index with an asterisk or to list them in a separate hyperlinked list of essential reading placed behind the index.

Filename

The filename for a bundle must contain the case reference, a short version of the name of the case and an indication of the content of the bundle – e.g. “CO12342021 Carpenters v Adventurers Hearing Bundle” or “CO12342021 Carpenters v Adventurers Authorities Bundle”.

Hyperlinked Index

Each entry in the index must be hyperlinked to the indexed document.

Numbering

All pages in an e-bundle must be numbered by computer-generated numbering, not by hand. The numbering should start at page 1 for the first page of the bundle (whether or not that is part of an index) and the numbering must follow sequentially to the last page of the bundle to ensure the pagination matches the pdf numbering. If a hard copy of the bundle is produced, the pagination must match the e-bundle.

Para 2 of the general guidance is temporarily suspended in public law children proceedings. During the period of suspension, further enquiries will be undertaken to examine the operational and resource consequences of the general guidance to local authorities and those representing respondents in public law proceedings. A working group comprising of representatives from the Judiciary, the FLBA and the ALC has been established to examine the issues and make recommendations.

OCR

All pages in an e-bundle that contain typed text must be subject to OCR (optical character recognition) if they have not been created directly as electronic text documents. This makes it easier to search for text, highlight parts of a page, and to copy text from the bundle.

Core Bundle

If a core bundle is required, then a PDF core bundle should be produced complying with the same requirements as a paper bundle.

Number of Bundles

When preparing for a case, thought should be given to the number of bundles required. It is usually better to have a single hearing e-bundle and (where appropriate) a separate single authorities e-bundle (compiled in accordance with requirements), rather than multiple bundles. These should follow any applicable court-specific guidance.

Delivering by Email

If a bundle is to be sent by email, ensure the file size is not too large. For justice.gov e-mail addresses the maximum size of email and attachments is 36Mb in aggregate. Anything larger will be rejected. The subject line of the email should contain the case number, short-form case name, hearing date and if known, the name of judge.

Delivering by Uploading

Bundles should be sent to the court in accordance with the court’s directions. Where the bundle would otherwise be sent by email (rather than being uploaded to a portal) but is too large to be sent under cover of a single email then it may be sent to the Document Upload Centre by prior arrangement with the court.

Interested to learn more? Get in touch with us today to download our free guide on e-bundle creation and access your pre-set templates.