Registration Process for Registry Law Firms on CounselLink

Overview

The AIT has the discussion with the law firm about the full registry program, its benefits, the types of work including fee structures, the specific Registry Corporate Clients, and the involved steps the law firm needs to complete to participate in the full registry program in CounselLink.

• Joining the CounselLink Registry is an optional business opportunity provided to law firms.
• Registry clients use the CounselLink registry to find a law firm that meets their business needs.
• To become eligible for matter assignment, law firms search for fee structures and then make fee offers. If a client uses CounselLink as their legal spend management software, registry law firms must also use the application to invoice them.
• After finalizing the registration, law firms can begin to search for fee structures for clients in need of their specialization.
• Registry firms have access to the fee structures of Registry Corporate Clients, based on the areas of law, states and counties the law firm has configured in the law firm's office profile.
• When a law firm completes a fee offer, the law firm is offering to do the work defined, to be reimbursed the way outlined in the fee structure, for the amounts on the fee offer, in the state(s) and counties(s) on the fee offer.
• When the Registry Corporate Client creates a matter and starts to assign the matter to a law firm, the law firms that have offered rates on that fee structure for the state and county used on the matter show up on the list of possible law firms to be assigned to that matter.
• Once the matter has been assigned, and accepted by the law firm, invoicing can begin.

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Law firms use the following registration and setup steps:

• Implementation Tasks
  • Check to see if the Law Firm is already in the system attached to the Corporate Client before instructing anyone to register.
  • Initial Registration for Law Firms that are new to the CounselLink application: Go to www.counsellink.net. Click on the link "New Law Firm Sign Up?". Complete the initial registration page and submit.
  • After filling out the registration form, the Attorney Implementation Team contacts the firm and provides an opportunity to answer questions. The next steps in the sign-up process are outlined below:
• Online Application
  • There are a few additional forms that need to be filled out before becoming an active member of the CounselLink Registry.
• Complete Office Profile
  • It is necessary to define the area of law in the CounselLink application. Areas of law, state(s) licensed to work in and county preferences are a major determining factor in a Client's assignment of matters.
• Add Timekeepers
  • Specify who is working on cases at the law firm.
• Make an Offer
  • Depending on type of case and client, an offer may be a flat fee, or it may ask the Law Firm to identify their timekeepers and their billing rate.
• Implementation Tasks
• The Attorney Implementation Team continues to gather documents related to the registration process. Once all documents have been received and information verified, the law firm can be assigned matter by the clients in the Registry marketplace.

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Registered Law Firms take the following steps to Join CounselLink Registry

1. Areas of Law:
   1. Log in to CounselLink: a password email has already been sent to you, just click on the link to change your password and log in to CounselLink
   2. Click on the name of your firm under Offices.
   3. Click the Edit button in the Areas of Law section.
   4. Highlight the area(s) of law on the left, and click on ADD to move it to the right
      • Repeat for other areas of law.
      • Do not remove GENERAL.
      • Areas of law currently used by clients are INSURANCE DEFENSE, RECOVERY and PRODUCT WARRANTY. Areas of law selected effects the Registry Fee Structures that are visible or available for the law firm to offer on.
   5. Click on Save.
2. Counties:
   1. Click on the Edit button next to Counties.
   2. Select all counties you handle.
   3. Click Add to move counties from left to right box.
      • Click Add All if you handle all counties.
      • Do not remove N/A. Areas of law selected effects the Registry Fee Structures that are visible /available for the law firm to offer on.
   4. Click Save
3. Join CounselLink Registry:
   1. Go to INFOCENTER tab.
   2. Click Join CounselLink Registry link.
   3. Click I Agree on disclaimer.
   4. Click Continue.
      • Read/Print ATTORNEY REGISTRY AGREEMENT
      • Scroll to the bottom of the agreement to electronically sign the agreement by entering the appropriate information in the white boxes. A partner, with the Partner Role, must be logged in to receive/ sign the agreement.
      • Until this step is done, anyone that logs on will see the message No Contract has been Signed.
   5. Click I Agree
   6. Enter in your Malpractice Insurance Information
      • Fax a copy to 916-921-4310
   7. Click Save & Continue.
   8. Select at least one private attorney and designate them as a Registry attorney.
   9. Click Save & Continue.
   10. Enter in the Attorney Information. Law School Information, Disciplinary Action, Attorney Licensing
   11. Click Save & Continue
4. Add or Change other Attorneys to Registry
   • Take the following actions if the attorneys are listed in the Office Profile:
     1. Click the Attorneys Name link.
     2. Click the Edit button at the top left section called Attorney Information.
     3. Change Group type in drop down to Registry.
     4. Complete the following fields:
        • Former Name if they graduated or got their license under a different name (i.e. Former or maiden names)
        • Date of Birth is not required but helpful to the Universities
        • Law School name
        • Graduation Month and Year
        • Practice Start Date
        • State(s) of License
        • Agency of License
        • Bar Member Number, if applicable
        • Year admitted
        • Status of License Active or Inactive
     5. Click yes or no box to answer disciplinary history questions.
     6. Check the box on the left to attach this attorney to the Malpractice Insurance Policy entered on the Law Firm Profile.
     7. Click Save and Continue
        • The next two pages are optional information to be able to show the client this attorney's languages and awards if any.
   1. Take the following actions if the attorneys are being added for the first time:
      1. Click Save and Continue
      2. Check the box for roles that this individual needs to use in CounselLink. If none, check practicing attorney.
      3. Click Save and Continue
         • The next two pages are optional information to be able to show the client this attorney's languages and awards if any.
      4. Check the box on the left to attach this attorney to the Malpractice Insurance Policy entered on the Law Firm Profile.
         • Former Name if they graduated or got their license under a different name (i.e. maiden names)
         • Date of Birth is not required but helpful to the Universities
         • Name of Law School
         • Month and Year of Graduation from Law School
         • Practice State Date
         • State(s) of License
         • Agency of License
         • Bar Member Number if applicable
         • Year admitted
         • Status of License – Active or Inactive
         • Answer Disciplinary questions by selecting Yes or No to questions
      5. Complete the following fields:
      6. Select Registry for Group Type
      7. Click the Save & Continue
      8. Select the appropriate office in the section labeled Use Address Information
      9. Click the Create an Individual button on the right side to add a timekeeper
         • Click NO to Activate Login? if the individual/timekeeper being entered does not need to log in to CounselLink
         • Timekeeper Initials can be Alpha or Numeric and MUST match the identifier used in your billing software for the individual
5. Make Offer:
   1. Click the Fees tab
   2. Select Group Type Registry
   3. Click Search to view Registry fee structure
   4. Click the Fee Structure ID to view
   5. Enter level rates for each category under Stage Structure. MAP column it is an abbreviation for Maximum Allowed Price.
   6. Select all counties that you want this rate to apply to.
      • Do not move N/A to the right box
   7. Click Save

Repeat process until rates are entered on all fee structures your firm wishes to make an offer.

Note: If a law firm has modified the CounselLink Group from Private to Registry; they must sign the Attorney Registry Agreement. To sign it, scroll to the bottom of the agreement to electronically sign the agreement by entering the appropriate information in the white boxes. A Partner, with the Partner role, must be logged in to receive and sign the agreement.

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