The Challenge 

With 13 offices and approximately 500 lawyers in eight states and in Washington D.C., Holland & Hart previously operated with a traditional direct-support model where individual legal assistants were dedicated to specific attorneys, typically by office location. This system, though long-standing, lacked flexibility, created potential bottlenecks due to lack of visibility, and hindered optimization of resources across practice groups and office locations.  

To optimize resources across the firm, in 2024, Holland & Hart implemented a transformative “Teaming” project, shifting to a centralized support model that realigned legal assistant support by practice group. This reorganization allows each team to deliver consistent, expert support to attorneys, manage workflow and workload, improving efficiency and task turnaround time. 

April Hurst, Applications Analyst II, reflects, “The Teaming initiative was a huge shift for both attorneys and legal assistants. Attorneys had to adjust to the idea of support from a larger team as well as their assigned legal assistant. This change was driven by the need to improve efficiency, optimize resources, and adapt to the demands of modern legal workflows. It was a significant transformation in the way people thought about their support.”

Implementing centralized support structures also helps knowledge transfer so expertise can be shared and passed down, avoiding the risk of losing valuable skillsets when legal assistants leave the firm, retire, or take leave. 

“By moving to centralized teams and leveraging BigHand Workflow Management, we’ve built a system that minimizes disruption associated with attrition, holidays, and other absences, and ensures continuity in expertise." - April Hurst, Applications Analyst II, Holland & Hart

With the legal industry anticipating significant attrition among business support professionals and challenges in recruiting specialized legal assistants (BigHand’s latest research confirms 69% of firms report support staff attrition rising or staying the same in the past year) the need for a solution to provide actionable data and reporting, enhance visibility into task completion, and reduce dependency on individual knowledge is becoming crucial. Holland & Hart had been working with Unbiased Consulting to support the shift to the Teaming approach, which recommended the firm upgrade from BigHand Dictation to BigHand Workflow Management to support the new workflows. 

Lucy Stark, Managing Partner, says “The legal industry is facing increasing client demands for value, and BigHand has been instrumental in helping us meet those challenges. Clients expect more streamlined and efficient workflows, and our transition to a centralized support model required a solution that not only promotes collaboration but also adapts to market changes".

"The ability to send an email to a specific address and have it automatically generate a task was great. Attorneys didn’t need to learn a new program - just send an email and let BigHand handle the rest,” reflects Hurst. "BigHand Workflow Management notifies the specific legal assistant team for the practice group that is sending out the task so whomever is available can pick it up. The task delegation capabilities of BigHand are a game-changer to our workflows. It has brought more efficiency and visibility into how we work across teams and ultimately results in first-class service for our clients” concludes Hurst. 

The firm rolled out the new solution by practice group, ensuring a tailored onboarding process and fostering adoption through regular meetings and training. This phased approach allowed attorneys and legal assistants to adapt to the new teaming support structure and workflows and to make the transition smoother.  

The Result 

Holland & Hart’s implementation of BigHand Workflow Management has yielded impressive results by improving task turnaround time and collaboration between lawyers and legal assistants. The forward-thinking, innovative firm can ensure client needs are met most efficiently, providing high-quality service delivery and strengthening client relationships. 

“With BigHand, tasks are now completed more consistently and with greater speed. Legal assistants play a pivotal role in monitoring the queues in BigHand Workflow Management and reallocating work when necessary, creating a smoother delegation process,” continues Stark.

The firm was happy to have a trustworthy technology partner throughout their restructuring process. “From initial implementation to ongoing support, we have regular check-ins and personalized assistance from BigHand’s team. We see BigHand as a reliable partner with whom we have a long-term, collaborative relationship,” says April Hurst. 

Holland & Hart’s journey with BigHand Workflow Management showcases how technology can drive innovation in legal operations. By embracing change and adopting the right tools, the firm has set a benchmark for efficiency, collaboration, and data-driven leadership.