Legal Stats Every Lawyer Should Know 📈 | January ‘22 Newsletter

Learn all about NextChapter's latest enhancements and features. [View this email in your browser]( A Note from the Team 📝 Happy new year from all of us here at NextChapter! 🎉✨ It may be hard to believe (anyone else still feel like it’s 2020?), but 2022 is officially here and there has never been a better time to make sure your law firm is ready for the new year. Whether you have your 2022 planning finished or are just thinking about getting started, taking a look at what’s going on both in the wider world and the legal industry is a great way to inform your strategy. We made it easy for you by compiling student loan updates, legal industry stats you should know, upcoming webinars, and much more all in one newsletter! So what’re you waiting for? Cozy up with a cup of hot chocolate, and read on for all of this and more. Happy reading! Student Loan Moratorium Extended until May 1st 🧑‍🎓📅 ICYMI: the federal student loan moratorium that originally began in early 2020 has been [extended through the end of April.]( For more than 41 million borrowers, nearly half of who feel “not at all confident” about their ability to make their loan payments, this extension offers more time to figure out a plan for repaying their debts. However, even with the extended moratorium date, many will struggle to make payments. In fact, [one in five fully-employed student loan borrowers]( (21%) say they will never be financially secure enough to resume payments. There has been much speculation about whether student loans will be outright canceled, but for the time being, student loan borrowers will be searching for ways to consolidate other debt and make sure they are ready to pay their federal student loans back come May 1st. 66% of Legal Consumers Want Online Payments + Other Legal Stats to Know 📈 Legal tech tools aren’t just a nice thing to have, they are a necessity. Today’s clients seek out lawyers who use modern workflows for everything from client intake to payments and beyond. And, for legal professionals like yourself, using modern technology can help you save time, streamline your workflows, and increase revenue. In fact, solo law firms that use technology for client communication, intake, and more, earned [$52,507 more revenue]( in 2020 than other solo firms. So what stats should you know about lawyers and technology going into the new year? - 79% of legal clients surveyed for the Clio 2021 Legal Trends Report saw the [option to work with their attorney remotely]( as an important factor when searching for legal help. - 53% of legal professionals who responded to the ABA 2021 Legal Technology Survey Report state that a [laptop is their primary work device]( up from 47% in 2020. By using cloud-based software, like [NextChapter]( you can access case info and files anywhere from any device that has an internet connection. And, we were built in the cloud from the very start, so we’re experts in helping attorneys move their practices to the cloud. - A whopping [71% of bankruptcy lawyers]( say they want at least some remote options for working, even after pandemic restrictions are lifted. And according to the ABA, [54% of all lawyers]( say they are currently working from home almost 100% of the time. Remote work is here to stay. - 66% of consumers prefer [making payments online](. Using a tool like [NextChapter Payments]( to create invoices, invite clients to view them and pay using ACH or debit card, and manage your law firm billing allows you to offer your clients what they want and helps you get paid easier than ever before. - One study found that lawyers spent [11.2 hours a week dealing]( with challenges related to document creation and management, 6 hours of which are considered wasted time. Waste less time on document creation and management by using [NextChapter Docs]( which allows you to create documents with a few clicks of a button and automatically organizes everything for you. - Do you text your clients about important updates and upcoming hearing dates? [97% of Americans now own a cell phone]( of some kind, and reaching your clients with this form of communication can create a better client experience and keep cases on track. Use a service like [Client Texting]( from NextChapter, which gives you a dedicated local phone number so you never have to give out your personal number, and allows you to set up automatic text reminders based on upcoming hearing and due dates! NextChapter Updates 🎉✨ Our team is constantly working to make sure all Chapter 13 plans and exemptions reflect the most recent updates. In the past month, we updated: - Chapter 13 plans: - New York Southern - Minnesota - California Southern - Michigan Western - Exemptions: - Tennessee - Arizona Stay tuned for even more exemptions and Chapter 13 plan updates to come! Guest Hosted Webinars 👩‍💻 Want an inside look at NextChapter, and to get the opportunity to ask some people who know the software the best your burning questions? First, join us and Attorney Chad Golightly on [Tuesday 2/15 at 3 PM ET]( for a fireside chat. We will discuss how the tax return child credit might affect your clients, how to keep business costs lean, student loan updates, remote work, and much more. Then, join us on [Tuesday, 3/8 at 12:30 PM ET]( to hear from NextChapter user Christa M.! She will walk you through how she learned to use NextChapter, her top tricks and tricks, and anything else you may want to know from a user. Finally, don’t forget to join us on [Tuesday, 3/29 at 1:30 PM ET]( Virtual Paralegal Shari T. will walk you through using our Paralegal as a Service offering for both bankruptcy and non-bankruptcy cases. You’ll get an inside look at this tool and have a chance to ask any questions you may have! We can’t wait to see you there! Even More Upcoming Webinars 🎥 - [NextMessage Training - Wednesday 1/26 at 3 PM ET]( - Join us to learn best practices for texting your clients using NextMessage. You’ll learn how to create automated reminders, text your clients important case updates, and more! - [Credit Report Integration: Getting Started - Wednesday 2/9 at 3 PM ET -]( You can pull credit report directly into your cases using NextChapter’s Credit Report Integration, and in this webinar we will show you how! You’ll also learn more about the application process and getting started with this time-saving integration. - [CRM Tools, ECF Filing, NextChapter Notices, & More! - Tuesday 2/22 at 12 PM ET -]( Want a chance to win 50% off a plan of your choice? Of course you do! Join us on 2/22 for an overview of NextChapter's tools and integrations, where we will be picking one lucky winner to receive this exclusive offer. You must attend the webinar live to win, so reserve your free spot today! - [Filing Bootcamp - Thursday 2/24 at 3 PM ET -]( See our team walk you through a case in NextChapter from start to finish, including uploading additional documents, assembling your packet to file with the court, and more. - [Interactive Training with the Success Team - Wednesday 3/16 at 12 PM ET -]( Join the Success Team for an interactive training! We will pick 10 different users to share their screens so we can help answer any questions or walk through any tricky processes. [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Instagram]( [LinkedIn]( Copyright © 2022 NextChapter, All rights reserved. You are receiving this email because you signed up on our website: Our mailing address is: NextChapter 875 N HIGH ST, FL 3, STE 20COLUMBUS, OH 43215 [Add us to your address book]( Want to change how you receive these emails? You can [update your preferences]( or [unsubscribe from this list](. [Mailchimp Email Marketing](