A Note From the Team ✍️
Our Fall Release is finally here! The NextChapter team has been working incredibly hard to make our software better than ever with updates and new intuitive tools. We are especially excited to announce our latest mailing integration feature with Key Dynamics as well as Chapter 13 Step Payments. Read below for more, including webinars specific to our two highlighted features.
Save a spot in our free Fall Release Webinar!
And a short week later we will be hosting our mailing integration with Key Dynamics and training webinar on the new Chapter 13 step payment feature!
We look forward to seeing you all there!
General Updates 🌟
We know you have been asking and it's finally here: The Chapter 13 Step Payment Calculator! We have also made updates to make for a more user-friendly product, new features, local forms, and more! See below for the full list of updates!
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Chapter 13 Step Payments: Users now have the ability to add step payments to their Chapter 13 Plans.
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Chapter 13 Calculator: NextChapter now has a Chapter 13 Calculator for users adding treatments to their claim.
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Chapter 13 Plans
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Oklahoma Eastern
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Alabama Southern - effective 10/1/2022
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Rescheduled Hearings Adding to the Firm Calendar: Users can save hearing dates from the firm's court notices and free-look PDFs into the Firm's calendar and in the case event list. The Scheduler can save dates from notices that include 341 Hearings, Confirmation Hearings, and Rescheduled Hearings.
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Key Dynamics Mailing Integration for All Courts: Users can mail post-filling case updates to creditors through NextChapter.
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Comment - Save Warning: Alert to save when comments are added
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Download & Print option for All Case Types: Merge docs in all case types saved in Client Document Storage into a single PDF or multiple PDFs to download and print.
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Practice Area Updates: Fully Connected to SALI
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Batch Download in Client Document Storage: Users can add client forms and documents to their cases and download them into one file.
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More local forms
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Payment Advices Certification - Oklahoma Northern
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Rights and Responsibilities Form - Ohio Northern
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Chapter 13 Attorney Fee Disclosure Revision - New Jersey
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ECF Post-Petition Options
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Florida Northern
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Delaware
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New Jersey
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Missouri Western
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Missouri Eastern
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Louisiana Western
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Ohio Northern
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Kentucky Eastern (Coming Soon)
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NextChapter Docs Updates 🖥
NextChapter Docs has updates that make it more intuitive than ever! Our goal is to automate the document generation process as much as possible so you spend less time on redundant data entry, and more time on growing your firm and client relationships. These new updates include interface enhancements, sophisticated logic, and new tools! Click the headings for help center articles.
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Pronoun Logic: When drafting documents, users often have to adjust the text in a template based on the pronoun of the subject. Pronoun Logic allows users to assign pronouns to a custom field to create plural language subtags. After merge tags are placed in a template, the pronoun language will auto-generate for any case applied to that document.
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Doc & Template Lists: Sort & Search Function: This function allows the user to locate templates easier with a sort and search function. Users can now sort by columns in a template list and search by name of the document.
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Plural Language Logic: When drafting documents, users often have to adjust the text in a template based on the plurality of a noun. Users now have the option within a tag to indicate whether the subject or subjects of that tag is plural in regard to the specific document.
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Option for Blank Lines if fields are left blank: Users can check the “blank line” box under a field. The merge tag from that field will appear as a blank line when the document is saved. This is often beneficial for writing in information at a later time and making intake-style sheets for client input.
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User Interface enhancements: We’ve updated our interface to make NextChapter Docs more user-friendly!
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Ability to reorder Custom Fields in the case: Custom Fields related to the document template will show up, so users will no longer have to sort through a large list non-pertinent to what they are working on. Users also have the ability to sort these fields.
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Nested Logic Enhancements: When creating a document template, nested logic will allow users to include or exclude information into a document on the basis of whether or not it is pertinent to the current Custom Field. When creating a Custom Field, you have the option to “nest” fields within that field. For example, add children as a Nested Field to a parent in a divorce case.
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Multiple Entity Updates: Users now have the ability to add multiple entities to a tag. For example, if there are multiple plaintiffs, users can add “Plaintiff 1, Plaintiff 2, etc.” and they will appear as subtags.
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Duplicate Tag: This allows users to duplicate a tag in a Nested Field to create a second option. For example, if a user needs to add a second child as a Nested Field, they can duplicate Child #1 to create Child #2.
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Ability to Export PDF documents to Word: Need to upload a pdf and edit it in NextChapter Docs? NextChapter now has the ability to export PDFs into Word for edits!
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Ability to Insert Tags into Tags: This is extended nesting logic. Users have the ability to nest tags within a nested tag.
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Ability to Save Language as Optional: Users have the ability to add language options to a merge tag with a check box that enables sub-tags.
New Integration - Key Dynamics 🚀
We are thrilled to announce our integration with Key Dynamics. Our newest feature allows users to mail post-filling case updates to creditors through NextChapter, so you can skip out on a trip to the post office.
To get started, head to the Mailing Integration page in your Account Settings, and follow the prompts to get set up. Once the integration is set up, you will have access to a NextChapter Mailing tab within your case. Next, simply upload your documents directly to your case or choose from documents already in your case. You can also add or remove addresses as needed, verify and update any mailing preferences, select rush service if desired, and submit your request! Key Dynamics will handle the rest from there, including sending you a certificate of service once complete via email.
Coming Soon - MyChapter for All Areas of Law 🎉
NextChapter's client portal is being expanded to be fully customizable for all areas of law. While previously only available for bankruptcy customers, users may now build out a custom online portal to invite their clients to fill out data quickly and easily online. This information will then import directly into the case, where the user can easily transfer it to document templates, making their workflow more efficient than ever.
Industry News 🗞
Bankruptcy filings appear to be on the rise for the first time since before the pandemic. August and September have seen the first increases when compared to 2021 and 2020. Read more about these trends and what they may indicate for bankruptcies in Law Street Media’s article “Q3 Update: August Signals First Year-Over-Year Bankruptcy Increase Since Pandemic”.
NextChapter Immigration: Become a Beta Tester 👋
We are currently in the development of a NextChapter Immigration. This cloud-based program for attorneys to prepare and manage immigration cases will be a game changer! NextChapter will revolutionize immigration case preparation with an innovative linear workflow. If you practice immigration law we would love to hear your input and feedback. Click here and sign up for early access and beta testing!