Further Comments A Brief History of Everything DMS (ft Mark Denner)
Aug 9, 2025
Mark Denner, a veteran in document management systems at Fireman & Co., shares insight into the evolution of DMS in law firms. He discusses how platforms like iManage and NetDocuments have shaped the landscape. The conversation delves into the challenges of user adoption and version control in DMS, as well as how cloud computing is transforming the legal industry. Denner also highlights the slow, yet promising integration of Generative AI, addressing security concerns and potential innovations that could reshape how law firms manage their data.
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File Room Was The Original DMS
- Horace described starting at a solo firm where one room full of paper was the document management system.
- He contrasted that manual system with large firms' formal DMSs by 2004.
Client Matters Make DMS Legal-Specific
- Law firm DMSs center on client matters and aim to capture all documents for all users.
- They also prioritize capturing correspondence and email alongside drafts.
SoftSol And PC Docs Dominated Early DMS
- Mark recalled the late-90s legal DMS market was essentially Soft Solutions and PC Docs.
- He explained those vendors later lost ground as platforms and ownership changed.
