CALSPro - California Association of Legal Support Professionals

A Message From The President

Posted March 27, 2019 in Membership

By Robert Porambo

You may have heard me say how I am truly proud to serve as CALSPro’s president once or twice.  It’s great to give back to an association that has promoted, protected and preserved our industry.  This noble work continues today as your dedicated board of directors and committee chairs continue moving the association forward and are hard at work. 

Your newsletter and website committees are sending out weekly blogs full of relevant and helpful information.  Your education committee recently had its first CCPS webinar which was offered and saw 27 attendees.  A special thanks to Mark Manchester and Andrew Gowing for their efforts getting this new medium off the ground. Our new CALSPro app is up and live for anyone to download through the App Store or Google Play thanks to our technology committee and CALSPro HQ.  It is a great tool for yourself, office and field staff alike. We also implemented on-line registration renewal, focusing on making the registration process easier for all, thanks to your membership committee.

We are also diligently working on new networking opportunities by forming strategic alliances with industry related associations.  We hope that by sharing information with these groups, CALSPro members will see a direct benefit in the coming months.

During our renewal process I heard from a couple members concern that CALSPro was for the “big boys”. As, I sat at this weekend’s board meeting I gave this great thought.  I looked around the room and realized that of the 10 seats of the board of directors, half were seats filled by small companies.  I won’t name them here but encourage you to take a look for yourself and discover how diverse our association really is.  Keep in mind, most large companies started out as small companies.

I am continually reminded that CALSPro is our best form of insurance. If not for the efforts of CALSPro over the past 50 years we may not have an industry.  CALSPro has defeated numerous adverse legislative bills that would have been disastrous for our industry.  CALSPro is the ultimate watchdog who has your back.

I would ask that, should you have any questions or concerns about the association, the direction of the association or other CALSPro related topics, to reach out to you area governors.  The area governors, members of the board of directors and your executive board would all love to hear from you.

I am looking forward to a great rest of 2019. 

Automation for Process Servers

Posted March 20, 2019 in Technology

by Samantha Cole

What is automation?

Automation is the use of computer software and other technologies to make certain functions happen with minimal human intervention. Automation technology can vary from the machines used to build cars to automatic email responses.

The ability for automated processes to replace manual labor have often lead to fear that machines will steal the jobs of humans. Contrary to knee-jerk reactions, technology actually makes businesses run significantly smoother when used correctly. Automation allows for less time working on tedious tasks and more time focusing on other aspects of the business.  

How can process servers use automation?

In order to succeed, process servers have to run their business effectively. This means the majority of a server’s energy is dedicated to tasks that keep a business healthy which are often time-consuming and menial. These tasks could include answering and responding to phone calls, data entry, billing, posting on social media, and asking for reviews. With the right applications and software, all of these tasks can be automated, freeing the process server up to spend more time in the field.

The Tools You Need

While using technology in this way may sound futuristic, it’s actually completely attainable and reasonable to set up automation systems within your business. Set aside some time to familiarize yourself with these tools that will help you get started:

Ruby Receptionists

For a lot of process servers, answering phone calls can be extremely time-consuming. Using a virtual receptionist company like Ruby Receptionists saves you from having to wade through unnecessary phone calls to get to the ones that matter. Ruby uses real-life receptionists that interact with your customers and technology that allows them to answer calls with your company’s information.

Zapier

Between interacting with clients, scheduling jobs, and marketing, you move between a lot of web applications as a business owner. Zapier integrates these different web apps so they interact, passing information and creating workflows. Whether it’s automating your online review requests or publishing a Tweet when you post on your blog, Zapier can save you time by simplifying your processes.

Stripe

Making the payment process simple and easy is beneficial for both you and your customers. Using Stripe allows you to build a scalable online billing platform that is secure and efficient. You can use the app and its integration capabilities to accept payments, manage revenue, and maintain your business online.

ServeManager

Built specifically for process servers, ServeManager provides the perfect tools to help you save time and energy while in the field and managing serves. Its online platform allows servers to easily collaborate with clients and contractors by sharing notes, affidavits, and updates from the road. It also enables you to invoice clients through the software, log your GPS coordinates and photos from the field, and print and share affidavits easily.

Zoom

Whether you’re meeting with employees or potential clients, having a reliable video conferencing system in place can save you time in avoiding the hassle usually associated with video meetings. In addition, Zoom also offers options for video webinars, recording meetings, collaboration-enabled conference rooms, and a phone system.

Formstack

There are a variety of ways you could use forms to collect data or reviews for your process serving business. Formstack allows you to create functional and clean forms without coding knowledge. It can also connect your online forms to other apps and safely collect your data so you can make informed business decisions.

Fiverr

You may be a one-man business, but that doesn’t mean you can (or should) do everything yourself. Whether it’s finding writers, designers, or digital marketers, Fiverr connects you with professional freelance services. Search on the largest freelance services marketplace for everything you could ever need to outsource to someone else.

A Worthy Cause

Many experience the initial growing pains of investing in and learning how to use new technology. Despite reservations and setup time, the payout is worth it in the long run. Ultimately, you will spend less time on the brain-numbing, repetitive tasks and more time focusing on your clients and their needs. Being a process server is about fulfilling due process as this is an essential role in the legal system. Getting pesky busy work out of the way enables you to dedicate your energy to the most important part of your job, which is successfully serving papers.  

For more tips and tools for automating your process serving business, check out the ServeNowEDU Webinar, Introducing Automation Domination: Streamline Your Business.

Los Angeles Superior Court Implements Temporary Process for Filing Dismissals

Posted March 13, 2019 in Court Updates

The Stanley Mosk Courthouse has implemented a temporary process for Requests for Dismissals on unlimited civil cases filed electronically.  Effective immediately, Stanley Mosk Courthouse will accept the transaction in the EFM as “received” and will manually process and mail back the completed Request for Dismissal.  eFilers will be receiving a clerk’s comment similar to the following:

This Request for Dismissal will be received through eFiling and processed manually by the court.  A copy will be sent to the address on the dismissal once processed.  Any other documents in this transaction have been processed electronically.

The temporary process will remain in place until the backlog has been alleviated. Again, this is just for unlimited civil cases in the Stanley Mosk Courthouse.

Our Newest CALSPro Members

Posted March 6, 2019 in Membership

We would like to send out a very special thank you to our new members who just joined this year. We truly appreciate and value your membership. If you need work done in their respective areas, please reach out to them using the Legal Support Professionals Quote tool

Thank you new members for joining CALSPro!!

New Active Members

Roy George Black
Temecula Attorney Services Company

• Located in Temecula, CA
• In business since 2004
• Temecula Attorney Services Company offers Process Serving for the Riverside, San Bernardino, Orange, Los Angeles, and San Diego Counties.
• What made you decide to join/renew with CALSPro?I have been a CAPPS, as well as a CALSPro member in the past. Why I decided to try CALSPro again was at the CCPS training. The instructors seemed like a good guy and they had a lot of good things to say.

Charles Branham
LBPS, LLC

• Located in Long Beach, CA
• In business since 2005
• LBPS, LLC offers Process Serving, and Court Filing focusing on Landlord/Tenant for Orange, Los Angeles, Riverside and San Bernardino Counties
• What made you decide to join/renew with CALSPro? We do work with other CALSPro members and they have suggested I join to expand my UD business.

Michael Fernandez
GLS Legal Scan

• Located in Santa Maria, CA
• In business since 1996
• GLS Legal Scan offers On-site Photocopying, Process Serving, Messenger Service, Subpoena Preparations for all of San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara Counties and Northern part of Ventura County (Ojai, Ventura, Santa Paula, Oxnard, Camarillo, Moorpark, Thousand Oaks, Newbury Park, Agoura Hills)
• What made you decide to join/renew with CALSPro? I attended a process serving workshop in Ventura, I learned more about CALSPro and what it has to offer. I decided to join to hopefully make new connections and possibly grow my business.

Michael Matthews
Sterling Madison Company

• Located in San Jose, CA

David Peltola
Valley Document Solutions

• Located in Fresno, CA
• In business since 1999
• Valley Document Solutions offers Litigation Scanning/Copying, Trial Support (Exhibit binders, Trial enlargements), Onsite Scanning for Fresno County (Modesto to Visalia/Hanford)
• What made you decide to join/renew with CALSPro? Larry Kirlin with First legal turned me onto CALSPro. We work with them locally.

George Sano
George Sano Investigations & Process Servers

• Located in Tustin, CA
• In business since 1987
• George Sano Investigations & Process Servers offers Process Serving and Investigations for the Orange County area.
• What made you decide to join/renew with CALSPro? I decided to join CALSPro to expand our network with CALSPro members and stay connected with the changes in the industry.

New Independent Contractor Member

E. Dolly Dunne
Los Angeles Legal Service

• Located in Alhambra, CA
• In business since 1988
• Los Angeles Legal Service offers Service of Process and Photocopy services for Los Angeles County (and Nationwide)
• What made you decide to join/renew with CALSPro? After speaking with Kris Pujol, I basically wanted to help with a donation for legislation. I used to be a member many years ago.

Moses Kahng

• Located in Anaheim, CA
• In business for Notary Public (16 years) Bank Documents delivery (2 years) Process Serving (New)
• Moses Kahng offers his services in Orange County
• What made you decide to join/renew with CALSPro? Networking, Education, and information

Zane Krein
Located in Van Nuys, CA

Timothy Medina
Legal Excel Network, LLC
Located in Arcadia, CA