Technology

Lees Solicitors LLP is a Wirral-based, multi-disciplinary practice employing over 100 staff at offices in Birkenhead, Heswall, and West Kirby. The practice recently chose the Proclaim Practice Management system from Legal Futures Associate Eclipse as a firm-wide replacement to its incumbent software. Eleni Kinch, professional support principal at Lees, discusses the practice, its reasons for IT investment and its strategy for the future.

Birmingham-based HBJ Gateley Wareing has moved quickly to integrate its new Manchester operation into its network by migrating the office to its LawSoft practice management system by the end of September.

West Midlands law firm Forum Law is planning to give legal advice over the Internet after buying Capita Assistance’s legal helpline business. Called Legal Assistance Direct (LAD), the service already had contracts to provide legal advice to over five million client customers of various institutions. It currently receives around 35-40,000 calls a year.

IT plays a key role in increasing business efficiency and a change in the way the systems are run can have a great impact on the efficiency of a firm. Below I have outlined two key back-office processes, print management and automation.

Leading Scottish law firm Harper Macleod is moving towards 100% automated billing after delivering significant time savings and a better service for clients through its increased use of LawSoft Auto Billing from Legal Futures Associate Pilgrim Systems.

The rate of new lawyer comparison websites is speeding up, with at least four ramping up in the past month. Arguably the most significant has been the launch of a UK version of FindLaw, the leading free legal information website in the US.

Devon law firm Toller Beattie LLP this week launched anytime client online access to their files after fully implementing SOS Connect from Solicitors Own Software. Last month the firm picked up the Federation of Small Businesses’ awards for best use of IT and overall Devon county winner.

The number of UK consumer online searches for legal-related services in May was up 25% over the quarter to 1.5 million, new figures have shown. National Accident Helpline was the most visible site – meaning a front-page Google ranking.

Kidderminster-based mfg Solicitors LLP has become the latest law firm to move to Solicitors Own Software for a new IT system serving 140 users.

Thames Valley law firm Harris Cartier and south-west solicitors Stones have become the latest practices to switch to SOS Connect from Solicitors Own Software.

At a time when firms need to move forward if they are not going to be left behind, fast-growing west country law firm Everys outlines the benefits of integrating case and practice management systems since going live with SOS Connect last year.

The growing interest in so-called virtual law firms has led to one technology provider seeing a 200% increase in customers over the past year. Virtual Practices says it now has hundreds of users for its product, with London start-up Matrix Legal the latest.

Regional law firm Woodfines and Jackson Brierley Hudson Stoney (JBHS) in Rochdale have both selected SOS Connect from Solicitors Own Software to standardise their software, citing the need to prepare for the post-Legal Services Act landscape.

The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) will this week ask the Law Society Council for around £22 million to invest in a new IT system, Legal Futures can reveal. The ‘Enabling Programme’ will also offer benefits to the wider Law Society but has come in at more than 50% more than estimated a year ago.

Dominic Cullis, chairman of the Legal Software Suppliers Association, considers what alternative business structures mean for high street firms that want to retain their current model and the role IT has in the new legal landscape.