The Challenge

Krysti Monaco wears many hats at the Law Office of Nancy L. Cavey, where she oversees the smooth operation of a lean team handling hundreds of SSD clients. Before Chronicle, their workflow was defined by ERE friction, bottlenecks, and sheer manual labor.

The firm used a single shared ERE phone. Every team member had to physically walk across the office to use it, just to log in and download case documents. That inefficiency scaled with their caseload and Krysti’s two paralegals were drowning in repetitive tasks.

“Each paralegal was probably spending 15 to 20 hours per week in the ERE.”

They tried to stay ahead at the lower levels, tracking requests from SSA, chasing down missing records, verifying mail receipt, but without alerts or consolidated dashboards, they often only discovered problems after it was too late.

“Social Security would send out requests and maybe not get the medical records. Or we’d send forms that SSA wouldn’t process. And we’d be unaware they never received the forms, which was a huge communication issue since that’s why a lot of these claims are denied.”

Even collaboration suffered. Because access was tied to individual case files, team huddles became time-consuming. There was no way to see the big picture.

“It was hard to have collaboration huddles. You only get access to one person at a time in the ERE.”

The Tipping Point

The breaking point came during COVID, when SSA case volume suddenly accelerated and Krysti’s team was forced to scale ERE follow-ups from 30 to nearly 200 per day.

Krysti had always planned to hire a third paralegal once their caseload hit 400. But before reaching that threshold, she discovered Chronicle and it changed everything. By the time the firm scaled to 600 cases, they were thriving with the same two paralegals, thanks to Chronicle’s automation and visibility tools.

Why Chronicle: From Pain to Progress

Krysti didn’t demo multiple vendors. She didn’t need to.

“We tested Chronicle and signed up that day. I was so impressed.”

What caught her attention wasn’t flashy AI—it was how clearly Chronicle addressed their exact bottlenecks:

• Consolidated case access for the whole team

• Real-time alerts to prevent denials

• Upload/download directly from a single dashboard

• Live hearing transcripts to support brief writing

Her top priority was freeing up paralegal time. Hiring was on the table. But Chronicle made her reconsider.

“How is this going to free them up enough that I don’t need a third paralegal anymore?”

Usability also mattered. With little training, her team quickly adopted the tool—and never looked back.

Transformation & Results

The biggest immediate change has been time. With Chronicle’s consolidated access, her team no longer had to log in and out of the ERE. They could upload medical records and forms directly.

“This morning, I uploaded medical records, a function report, and a work history report... It was just so simple.”

Chronicle’s alerts also helped the firm stay ahead of critical moments.

“We got a call letter for a compassionate allowance case we hadn’t even received in the mail yet. It said they were going to close it, but we had already submitted the function report. Chronicle showed us that. We called SSA, got it resolved, and they approved it that day.”

What started as a tool for saving hours became the key to growth. The firm increased its active caseload by 200 without adding headcount.

Chronicle also transformed team dynamics. Now, both paralegals have access to all files and that visibility has led to faster, more collaborative problem solving.

“The newer paralegal noticed a denial on the senior paralegal’s case and took initiative, sending out appeal paperwork while the other was out of office. It was a small moment that captured the larger shift: Chronicle had created a more cohesive team, where everyone could see and support each other’s work in real time.”

Even Krysti’s own workflow has leveled up. Chronicle made it easier to prepare for hearings, and as a practicing attorney, she now reviews files more frequently.

“I can create a very comprehensive to-do list. I walk into hearings more confident now.”

The stress relief has been felt across the firm. From paralegals to attorneys, everyone works more efficiently—and confidently.

“Chronicle has changed the dynamic. It’s a life-changer. My paralegals now call clients, give real-time updates, and handle documents while they’re on the phone.”

Even internal morale has shifted.

The Takeaway

For Krysti Monaco and the Law Office of Nancy L. Cavey, Chronicle didn’t just improve operations—it reshaped their growth trajectory.

They avoided a new hire. They scaled their caseload. They resolved a denial before it ever happened. And they turned a reactive workflow into a collaborative, proactive system that serves clients better.

“What would I say to someone still manually entering the ERE? Stop. You’re making a huge mistake. Chronicle will change your life.

You will never have to put in that code ever again in your life and if you're sharing that code with four other people or people are coming to you for that code, I know giving out that 16 digit code drives you nuts. So just try it. It really is life changing.”