MMM Successfully Completes Contract Management Project for ERDAS

Law Firm's Contract Management System Provides Clarity, Efficiency, Effectiveness


ATLANTA, GA--(Marketwire - December 3, 2008) - Morris, Manning & Martin, LLP recently used its new Contract Management System to help Atlanta-based ERDAS, formerly known as Leica Geosystems Geospatial Imaging, make its contracts more manageable, accessible, efficient and effective.

ERDAS, based in Atlanta, is an international leader in the geospatial information market. Like many large companies, it has thousands of contracts, with various renewal dates, for a wide range of services. The team from Morris, Manning & Martin reviewed and inventoried every single contract, suggesting ways to improve future negotiation and organization.

"The project was quite large and actually turned out to be more complex than we originally thought," says ERDAS Legal and Contracts Manager Lynne Jenson. "Our acquisition of assets and stock in three other companies during a six-month period complicated the process further. Now, we finally have a system we can follow without a lot of difficulty. The work was well worth the money; the company will definitely benefit from it. It feels like Christmas for me, to be honest," she added.

Morris, Manning & Martin's Contract Management System helps businesses of all sizes manage their contracts more efficiently and effectively. The firm launched the unique, cost-effective solution earlier this year. Experienced attorneys and paralegals from the firm's Technology Group work with clients to streamline a variety of legal agreements including services, vendors, manufacturing, sales and licensing documents. Contract management is a component of MMM's patent-pending Legal Project Management System.

"ERDAS can use MMM's ERDAS-project team to provide training for future Legal/Contracts Department resources, which we hope to have as we continue to transition personnel and businesses as a result of acquisition. We can build on the strong document infrastructure the MMM team created," Jenson added. "Their personnel worked closely with my office to understand our needs and learn about our typical contracting process. They allowed good communication in working through a huge process. The team was professional and sensitive to my time constraints in meeting to discuss certain types of documents and provided good input for ERDAS' future plans to create an electronic database of all files, protected by password, but which will allow all legal and management personnel to access read-only documents as needed."

In addition to the basic services provided to ERDAS, the firm can also use the team's extensive knowledge to provide legal overflow assistance, becoming an ongoing resource for contract-related matters. The team can also analyze the volume, organizational structure and process flow, then offer "best practices" recommendations. Regular review and updates of the implemented system are available to current clients upon request in order to help access changing needs or audit the ongoing process.

"The Contract Management System helps businesses fine-tune processes, anticipate deadlines and make contract-related information more easily accessible," says Linda Klausing, Morris Manning's Project Management Director.

"In ERDAS' case, one person is responsible for all the company's contracts, but it can also add clarity and prevent duplication of efforts when responsibility is decentralized and spread throughout multiple divisions of the organization," adds Paul Arne, a Partner in Morris Manning's Technology Group. The group has represented technology, computer, medical device and Internet companies in complex transactions for more than 20 years.

For more information about contract management, contact Linda Klausing at lklausing@mmmlaw.com or (404) 504-5464.

About ERDAS

ERDAS creates geospatial business systems that transform our earth's data into business information, enabling individuals, businesses and public agencies to quickly access, manage, process and share that information from anywhere. Using secure geospatial information, ERDAS solutions improve employee, customer and partner visibility to information, enabling them to respond faster and collaborate better. It also means better decision-making, increased productivity and new revenue streams. ERDAS is a part of the Hexagon Group, Sweden. For more information about ERDAS or its products and services, please call +1 770 776 3400, toll free +1 866 534 2286, or visit www.erdas.com .

About Morris, Manning & Martin, LLP

Morris, Manning & Martin, LLP, (www.mmmlaw.com) enjoys national prominence for its corporate finance, securities, mergers and acquisitions, litigation, technology, intellectual property, real estate and real estate capital markets, environmental, insurance and healthcare practices. The firm has offices in Atlanta, Raleigh-Durham, Savannah and Washington, D.C.

Contact Information: Media Contact: Terri Thornton Thornton Communications (404) 932-4347