Lawyers could use Word and Outlook to manage docs with new product reportedly nearing launch
Microsoft is preparing to launch a new law-office management product that may be announced around the time of the ABA Techshow this April.
Robert Ambrogi’s Law Sites says Microsoft is “quietly preparing” the formal launch, which was initially scheduled to be announced this month. He surmises the new product is Matter Center for Office 365, which was previewed in August at the International Legal Technology Association conference.
Matter Center will allow lawyers to use Microsoft Outlook and Word to locate and collaborate on legal matters from any device, Microsoft said at the time. Matter Center allows lawyers to search and find documents in Outlook, and to track or pin frequently used documents. Matter Center can also be accessed through Office 365.
“To my knowledge,” Ambrogi writes, “Microsoft has not previously adapted Office 365 to a specific industry vertical. The launch of Matter Center for the legal industry would be a significant move for Microsoft and will certainly have repercussions across the legal industry.”
