The Legal Argument for Sierra Bravo Custom Solutions

Technology Tips on the Cat-Herding of Class Action Lawsuits

Client Profile

Archway Marketing Services is the industry leading outsourcing provider of marketing services, including fulfillment and rebate processing. For more than 50 years, Archway has helped some of the largest companies in the world to develop and implement programs with the highest efficiency and effectiveness. Trying to get into the legal vertical, Archway applied what it already knew about fulfillment to help law firms handle class action lawsuits more efficiently and more effectively.

Objectives

Archway’s objective was to grow its own business where it had not even existed before. To do so, they would leverage their own core competencies and Sierra Bravo’s knack for creating technology solution to fit any bill. Archway needed an automated claim processing system.

Archway saw a business opportunity in a market vertical that was unfamiliar — yet intriguing. Law firms had unmet needs. With multiple claimants in complex class action cases with complex settlement terms, no system existed that would automate the important but multi-layered settlement process. Sierra Bravo created an automated system adapted to Archway’s existing rebate and fulfillment system.

The objective of attorneys — Archway’s end clients — was to find a more cost-effective and easier way to work through class action suits. In a class action suit, there are a number of claimants who are due a portion of the settlement — these portions can vary per claimant.

Attorneys who represent the class typically hire a claims administration firm to handle all administrative aspects of the case and judgment, including creating a list of class members, mailing claim forms, processing claims and determining what their portion of the judgment will be and disbursing funds as appropriate.

Archway created a new division of their business to streamline this type of business. Since this was essentially a start-up within an existing organization, Archway looked to Sierra Bravo to create custom software to allow them to administer complex class action lawsuits for attorneys.

Solution

Sierra Bravo created a custom solution featuring a secure online database to organize large lists of class members. Archway was given the ability to import, export and report on the data to the managing attorneys and the court. They were also able to calculate and process payments to the entire class of plaintiffs using extremely complicated formulas as defined by the court, and actually process the disbursement checks.

A web portal allows law firm users to log into a site that is branded in their logo and color scheme and get real-time information on class action cases and their respective claimants. The claimant inquiry interface allows them to search by name, zip, date range, and case and claimant status. They can even review previous correspondence with claimants. Reports on records, notifications, claims processing, and claims disbursement are easily created in excel and are automatically sent to the users email inbox.

“Being in constant communication with our client — as well as their end client — was our pipeline to understanding their collective needs as the project evolved,” said Mike Derheim, Sierra Bravo’s Vice President of Operations.

“Ultimately, we were able to create a system that works for their business,” said Derheim. “This project was loosely defined at the beginning, and Sierra Bravo created a scope of work based on our initial understanding — but this was uncharted territory, for anyone. Even without always knowing what needed to be done day to day, we demonstrated an ability to adapt the project specifications significantly while still completing it on time.”

Results

Archway began with one law firm using the custom solution created by Sierra Bravo; other cost-conscious law partners have since become their clients. Attorneys like the online portal, dashboard, and reporting tools as a means to get information on a case, down to any specific claimant in an easily searchable interface.

Through their solution, Archway’s law firm clients have ready access to an online claims processing system to manage cases from start to finish. Formerly, processors entered claims and went through a laborious process of distributing proportionate claims — a process now simplified by automation.

“Having a powerful and effective CRM drives the costs out of the claims administration process for lawyers,” said Jonathan Ashe, Director of Business Solutions Consulting at Archway.

“Working with Sierra Bravo was great, particularly their consulting approach to learning our business, the needs our clients, and tailoring a solution to serve our purpose,” said Ashe. “Their ability to explain every option — and its tradeoffs — helped us make a well-calculated investment in a new business venture — one that has since continued to grow.”

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