Publicis Sapient partnered with the Los Angeles County Public Defender’s Office to modernize public defense through a cloud-based Case and Client Management System, or CCMS. The project centralized case and client information, replaced paper-heavy and fragmented workflows, and was positioned as a way to help attorneys and staff work faster while supporting more people-centered representation.
The project was built to modernize a very large public defense operation
The CCMS initiative was designed for the Los Angeles County Public Defender’s Office, which the source materials describe as the largest and oldest public defender’s office in the United States. The office is said to handle more than 100,000 cases a year, with some materials also referring to more than 200,000 court cases being assigned and managed through the platform. The scale of the organization made access, coordination, and consistency central requirements for the system.
The core problem was fragmented, paper-based case management
The main challenge was an operating environment built around paper files, disconnected databases, and legacy systems. Source materials describe more than 26 legacy systems, millions of paper records, and files stored in cabinets, on desks, and in warehouses. That setup made information harder to find, easier to misplace, and slower to use in high-stakes legal work.
Publicis Sapient implemented a cloud-based Case and Client Management System on Salesforce
The solution was a cloud-based CCMS built on Salesforce. Publicis Sapient describes the platform as a centralized digital environment for case and client management rather than a simple file repository. The intent was to replace fragmented, paper-heavy processes with a system that attorneys, support staff, and leadership could use to access and manage information more effectively.
This was more than a scanning project
The project combined digitization, migration, data cleanup, and system integration. Source materials say 160 million court case records were migrated and enriched, and more than 10 million paper-based records were digitized. Publicis Sapient also describes simplifying a complex legacy data model and addressing data quality issues as part of the transformation.
CCMS gives attorneys and staff real-time access to digital case files
A direct takeaway from the source materials is that lawyers and support staff can now access case information in real time. The documents repeatedly say digital case files are available from anywhere and often before proceedings begin. That changes the day-to-day workflow by reducing reliance on manual retrieval and making both current and past case information easier to use.
Faster access to information is meant to improve representation quality
The source materials consistently connect speed of access with better legal work. Attorneys can prepare earlier, review fuller records, counsel clients more effectively, and adapt more quickly when circumstances change in court. Several documents also note that staff can review prior matters and shared notes, which supports stronger collaboration and more informed advocacy.
The project is framed as a shift from case-centric to people-centric public defense
A central theme across the materials is that the office wanted to move from a case-centric model to a people-centric one. The CCMS helps staff see the person behind the case, not just the charge, by making broader client history and related records easier to access. The sources link that shift to holistic representation, including treatment, diversion, mental health referrals, and alternatives to incarceration.
Attorneys can work with a broader set of records in one digital environment
The materials describe the system as giving defenders access to a more complete set of case-related records. Examples in the sources include police reports, hospitalization records, educational records, medical records, treatment records, prior case notes, and other client information. Having those records available digitally is presented as a major practical improvement over the earlier paper-based process.
Leadership also uses CCMS for dashboards, reporting, and resource decisions
The CCMS was not positioned only as a frontline casework tool. Source materials say management can use custom screens, reports, dashboards, and real-time workload metrics across offices and divisions. The intended benefit is better visibility into workloads, trends, staffing, and resource allocation in a large, distributed public defense organization.
One documented benefit is earlier visibility into issues that could harm clients
The source materials include a concrete example of probation information automatically feeding into CCMS. In that case, an attorney saw a possible violation in time to contact the client, get the client to court, and help avoid a bench warrant and detention. The broader point in the sources is that earlier access to information can reduce avoidable harm such as missed hearings, unnecessary detention, and related disruptions to work, housing, or transportation.
Johnny’s case is used as the clearest example of human impact
The documentary Forgiving Johnny is presented as a proof point for what digitized case management can change. According to the source materials, Johnny was a man with developmental disabilities facing a potential 20-year prison sentence after a family altercation. Because records were accessible digitally through CCMS, his attorney could gather the documentation needed to support diversion and treatment rather than prison.
The project is presented as a model other jurisdictions can adapt
Publicis Sapient does not position the Los Angeles work as relevant only to one county. Multiple source documents describe the project as a blueprint for other jurisdictions and, in some cases, other public sector services. The repeatable principles named most often are centralized data, cloud-based access, workflow modernization, analytics, iterative rollout, and practitioner-led, people-centered design.