Notifying the Vendor/Law Firm

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This guide assumes the vendor/law firm has been activated in the matter management application to submit invoices electronically via Corridor. Review Setting up Web eInvoicing Vendors in the Smart Invoice Guide for more information on activating the vendor in eCounsel; review "Setting Up the Corridor Integration" in the LawManager Corridor Integration Guide for more information on activating the vendor in LawManager.

To Notify a Vendor/Law Firm:

Prepare an informational packet to send to the vendor/law firm. This information can be sent together or in separate communications. The following information is recommended:

- A formal invitation. An invitation is typically accomplished with a letter notifying the vendor/law firm of your request for electronic submission of invoices. The letter can include a deadline date for switching from paper to electronic submission of invoices. A sample letter is included in Sample Invitation Letter.
- The Request for Law Firm Contact Information/Order Form for Corridor Services. This document, provided by Mitratech, must be signed by the vendor/law firm and returned to Mitratech. Mitratech uses the information to create a Corridor login for the law firm/vendor (if the law firm/vendor is using Corridor for the first time) or to activate your company for the law firm/vendor (if the law firm/vendor has an existing Corridor account).
- A copy of your billing guidelines. Optionally, include a list of the audit rules the matter management application will use, especially any rejection criteria. Knowing what you expect will reduce the invoice errors and expedite the review process in the matter management application. Include anything specific to the vendor/law firm such as negotiated rates.
- A list of matters and corresponding matter numbers for the firm. These are the matters for which your company expects this vendor/law firm to bill. The vendor/law firm will match their internally generated matter number(s) with your eCounsel/LawManager matter number(s) and record these corresponding matter numbers in their time and billing system. When a LEDES file is generated from their time and billing system or manually entered in Corridor, it must contain the eCounsel/LawManager matter number.

The eCounsel/LawManager matter number will be in the CLIENT_MATTER_ID field of the LEDES file or the Client Matter Number field in a manually created invoice. An invoice that does not contain a valid matter number will not be accepted into eCounsel/LawManager.

Make sure that all matters for which the vendor/law firms will be billing are in the matter management application. As an ongoing effort, keep the firm notified of new matter numbers as new matters are opened in the matter management system and outsourced to the vendor/law firm.
Request that the vendor/law firm send you information on their timekeepers (TK).
Add the timekeeper information into eCounsel or LawManager.

Timekeeper information recorded in the matter management application can be used to verify the information on the invoice. If you have audit rules that warn or reject on negotiated rate errors, you will want, at a minimum, the timekeeper’s name, title, rate, billing method, and timekeeper ID. If one of your audit rules require that a timekeeper on an invoice be a player on the matter, make sure the timekeeper is entered as a player on the matter(s) he/she is assigned. You decide how much information you need and ask the vendor/law firm to provide it to you.