1. Start with the Peabody firm’s actual bottleneck
A custom build should solve a defined operational problem rather than reproduce a generic software category. Bosseo describes examples such as client portals, intake tools and internal dashboards, and its public service page says the process begins with the firm describing a bottleneck in plain English. For a law firm serving Peabody and Essex County, location does not tell you which workflow deserves attention. Your own matter volume, staffing pattern, handoffs and existing applications do. Ask where a task is repeated, delayed or difficult to audit. A useful description is concrete: who receives the information, where it is entered, who checks it, and what happens if the next person misses it.
Recommended approach
Bring one recurring process to the consultation. Compare its current steps with the smallest useful tool, and do not approve a broader build until the firm can identify the problem the software must remove.
