Nebraska law firm to receive ABA eLawyering award

The law firm of Houghton Vandenack Williams in Omaha, Neb., has been selected to receive the James I. Keane Memorial Award for excellence in eLawyering. The award will be presented during the American Bar Association TECHSHOW 2015, April 16-18 in Chicago. The award, given by the ABA Law Practice Management Division eLawyering Task Force, will be presented to Mary Vandenack and Mark Williams during a luncheon on Thursday, April 16, at the Hilton Chicago. More information about the James I. Keane Memorial Award and past winners can be found online. E-lawyering refers to all the ways lawyers can practice law online using associated technologies. Vandenack and Williams have developed a wide variety of online legal services for their firm's clients, including a "client center" login and interactive and automated online forms. Through their efforts, they keep personal service connected with automation. For example, the firm's website uses videos and automated document systems to reduce the cost and time spent on specific processes, as well as allow competitive flat fees for many services. Dedicated to legal innovation, Vandenack and Williams are taking steps to make the practice of law a more "streamlined, accurate and interactive experience," including: - Managing three blogs to provide clients information - Providing online access to certain documents - Replacing hard copy books with electronic books - Working with other vendors to launch innovative flat fee automated services in the health care industry, including a HIPAA audit with Ben Schorr - Collaborating with Barron Henley and Adriana Linares to increase the number of efficient services that can be offered online. The James I. Keane Memorial Award celebrates innovative delivery of personal legal services that serve both moderate income individuals and the broad middle class. Lawyers, law offices and legal organizations that develop, use and promote digital legal services are all eligible for nomination. Published: Tue, Mar 10, 2015