PartUs : Cloud-based application eases divorce process
By Krista L . Andrews
Like so many other divorce attorneys , I spend a large percentage of my time helping clients navigate the overwhelming and stressful legal process . Perhaps the worst parts of the process are the time and expense associated with gathering , organizing , and updating client financial information , and exchanging that information with opposing counsel . Specifically :
1 . Clients need to gather all their financial information , and then deliver it to their attorney by either hard copy , email , or fax .
2 . Attorneys then need to gather , assemble , and maintain the financial information throughout the divorce process . 3 . As financial information changes throughout the divorce , attorneys need to update that information .
4 . Each attorney and their client create an inventory of the marital estate . The inventory created by each party inevitably varies by : the order in which the assets and debts are listed , how they are categorized , and how they are described . Hours are spent in settlement discussions and mediation simply trying to reconcile the parties ’ financial information .
5 . When the value of an asset or debt is listed on the inventory , verification of the value is required . The attorney then needs to find the paper or electronic copy that supports the value and provide it to the opposing party .
6 . When settlement offers are made , they are difficult to track and organize due to the various mediums in which they were conveyed : emails , letters , hard copies , verbal offers , etc . No streamlined history of the settlement proposals exist , and it is time consuming for attorneys to review settlement history .
For years , I have felt there has to be a better way . When I realized there wasn ’ t , I sought the assistance of Tim Brookins , a distinguished engineer at Microsoft , to create one myself .
Together , Tim and I created PartUs , a cloud-based application that brings the divorce process into the 21st century . PartUs contains the following features :
1 . Organize . PartUs enables clients , attorneys , and staff to upload and organize financial information more efficiently than other existing platforms . Documents can also be attached to support the financial information that is entered . For example , a mortgage statement can be attached to support the debt on a home and a Kelly Blue book statement can be attached to support the value of a vehicle .
2 . Share . As information is uploaded in PartUs , it can be viewed immediately by the individuals on the “ team ;” i . e ., attorneys , paralegals , secretaries , and any other individuals the client wants to add such as accountants , financial advisors , or even trusted family members .
3 . Publish and Negotiate . When ready , PartUs allows attorneys to publish a proposed financial settlement ( along with the supporting documents ) to an opposing party or attorney , who is securely “ linked ” to the case . “ Attorney 2 ” can then review the proposal and “ copy ” it for his or her own utilization . This ensures the proposal from “ Attorney 1 ” remains intact , and at the same time allows “ Attorney 2 ” to make desired changes to its copy of the proposal without starting from scratch . Finally , attorneys can work from a common assets and debt list , so everyone is on the same page . When “ Attorney 2 ” is ready , he or she can publish the counterproposal to “ Attorney 1 .” PartUs allows attorneys to publish back and forth as often as they need or want . Note also that , although attorneys are securely “ linked ” on a case , they cannot view each other ’ s edits until a proposal is “ published .”
4 . Track . When two or more proposals have been made , PartUs contains a “ history tracker ,” allowing attorneys and clients to view the entire negotiation history , complete with any changes that were made throughout the case history .
A 60-second video demonstration of PartUs can be viewed at www . partus . com . The North Dakota Supreme Court mediators were trained on the software in October 2017 , and the North Dakota Judges in November 2017 . We were also an official sponsor of the 2017 American Bar Association Family Law Conference in Vail , Colo ., where we launched the software on a national stage . We currently have almost 1,000 users in 15 states . Any attorney licensed in the state of North Dakota may use the software free through 2018 by going to www . partus . com and signing up .
Founded in October 2016 by Krista Andrews and Tim Brookins , PartUs is a business entity in Fargo , N . D . Andrews , an attorney licensed to practice law in North Dakota and Minnesota , works as a family law mediator and collaborative law professional . She saw a need to streamline the divorce process , which is why she partnered with Tim Brookins . With more than 20 years of software development experience with some of the top names in tech , Brookins is well versed in all aspects of modern software development .
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