Making a move to a new law firm is an exciting career milestone. Still, it comes with a complex logistical challenge: transferring your client files from your current firm’s Document Management System (DMS) to your new firm’s system. As a NetDocuments consultant who has facilitated over 500 law firm migrations, I’ve guided hundreds of attorneys through this process. While I’m not an attorney and cannot provide legal advice on the ethical considerations of your departure (I recommend consulting this resource for guidance on that front), I can provide you with a clear roadmap for the technical and logistical aspects of your document migration.
Understanding the Document Migration Timeline
The document transfer process typically unfolds over several weeks or even months, and understanding this timeline is crucial for managing your expectations and your clients’ expectations. Here’s what the typical chronology looks like:
1. Departure Announcement: You formally notify your current firm of your intention to leave. This sets the entire process in motion.
2. Client Notifications: You and your departing firm send formal letters to your clients announcing your move. These communications are essential not only for maintaining client relationships but also for initiating the file transfer process.
3. Client Authorization Requests: Your clients begin sending authorization letters to your former firm, formally requesting the release of their files to your new firm. This step is legally required—your old firm cannot simply hand over client files without the client’s explicit authorization.
4. Phased Document Releases: Your former firm begins releasing authorized documents to your new firm, typically in batches as authorizations are received. The timing and organization of these releases vary significantly depending on your former firm’s policies and resources.
5. Matter Setup at New Firm: Your new firm creates client and matter numbers in their system for each transferred client. This administrative step is essential before any documents can be imported.
6. DMS Import Finally, your new firm imports the documents into their Document Management System, making your files accessible in your new environment.
The Critical Bottleneck: Step 5
In my experience working with hundreds of attorneys, Step 5—the matter setup process—is almost always the bottleneck that delays access to your documents. Why? Because it requires coordination among you, your new firm’s administrative team, and, often, your new firm’s IT department. Your new firm needs to map every single client and matter from your old firm’s numbering system to their own.
This is where preparation can save you weeks of frustration.
Taking Control: The Translation Tables
The key to accelerating your document migration is preparing your translation tables before you actually need them. These tables serve as the “Rosetta Stone” that allows your new firm’s IT team to route and organize your documents as they’re imported correctly.
Client and Matter Translation Table
This table maps your old client and matter numbers to your new firm’s numbering scheme:
| Old Client # | Old Matter # | Client Name | Matter Description | New Client # | New Matter # |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0075 | 001 | Bluth Company | LLC Formation | 55 | 55-001 |
| 0075 | 002 | Bluth Company | Employment Suit | 55 | 55-002 |
Download our Client and Matter Translation Table
Why This Matters: Without this translation table, your IT team will need to contact you repeatedly to clarify where each document should be filed. This back-and-forth can extend your migration timeline by weeks.
Common Hesitation: Many attorneys hesitate to complete this form because they’re not 100% certain which clients will ultimately move with them. This is understandable but ultimately counterproductive. Here’s the reality: if a client decides to stay with your old firm, we delete that entry from the list. The benefit of preparing early far outweighs the minor inconvenience of removing a few clients later. The earlier you complete this form, the faster you’ll have access to your documents at your new firm.
Pro Tip: Start filling out the “old” columns (old client/matter numbers, client names, and matter descriptions) as soon as you decide to leave. You can complete the “new” columns once your new firm provides its numbering scheme.
Document Type Translation Table
Your old firm and new firm likely use different terminology for document types. This table ensures that documents are properly categorized in your new system:
| Old Doc Type | New Document Type |
|---|---|
| Correspondence | Correspondence |
| Emails | Correspondence |
| Pleadings | Pleadings |
| Attorney Notes | Notes |
Download our Document Type Translation Table
Why This Matters: Proper document type mapping ensures that your documents are searchable and organized according to your new firm’s standards. It also ensures compliance with your new firm’s document retention and management policies.
How to Complete: Request a list of standard document types from your new firm’s IT department or practice management team. Then map each document type from your old firm to the closest equivalent at your new firm. This is typically straightforward, though some document types may require judgment calls—for instance, deciding whether “Email Correspondence” should map to “Correspondence” or “Email” in your new system.
The Export Quality Problem: Why Metadata Matters
One of the most frustrating challenges I encounter is when an attorney’s former firm improperly exports documents. The primary advantage of having your documents in a Document Management System—whether it’s iManage, NetDocuments, or another platform—is that it stores rich metadata for each document: client and matter associations, document types, author information, creation dates, version history, and security settings. When done correctly, a DMS export includes a metadata file that makes importing into your new system seamless and accurate.
However, we frequently see situations where a firm’s IT department, unfamiliar with proper export procedures, dumps all documents into a Windows folder structure without including the critical metadata file. Instead of receiving a structured export with all the information needed to organize and import your documents properly, you receive thousands of files in generic folders with no way to programmatically determine which client they belong to, what type of document they are, or how they should be secured in your new system. This transforms what should be a straightforward DMS-to-DMS migration into a labor-intensive, expensive Windows folder migration—often requiring manual document review and reorganization.
What a proper export should look like: Below are two sample metadata files showing what you should receive when exporting from iManage or NetDocuments. If your former firm’s IT department is preparing your export, I strongly recommend sharing these examples with them and confirming they will provide a metadata file in this format. If they seem uncertain about the export process or cannot confirm they’ll provide proper metadata, contact me before the export occurs—catching this issue early can save thousands of dollars and weeks of delay.
Get Optiable to Help
If you’re planning a move or are in the middle of one and feeling overwhelmed by the document migration process, I’d welcome the opportunity to discuss your specific situation. With experience managing 500+ NetDocuments implementations and migrations, I can help you:
- Assess the complexity of your specific migration
- Identify potential roadblocks before they become problems
- Create a realistic timeline for accessing your documents
- Coordinate with both your old and new firms’ IT teams
- Ensure your documents are properly organized and compliant in your new system
Feel free to schedule a free 15-minute consultation to discuss your document migration needs.
Your clients are counting on you for continuity of service. Let’s make sure your document migration supports, rather than hinders, your successful transition to your new firm.