Internet Newsletter for Lawyers |
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Of the 8,000 or so legal firms in England and Wales, only a fraction have yet taken part in initiatives that involve some form of electronic transfer of conveyancing related data to another party (apart from using BACS).
Firms which are not yet involved could be putting themselves at a disadvantage. Indeed, conveyancers not already implementing initiatives that involve some form of electronic transfer of data as part of the conveyancing process will have a lot more to learn (about ways of working, reliable and fast online communications and methods of transferring data) than other firms that do even simple things online already.
Pressure is also coming from organisations that manage panels of lawyers. Most of these now have the capability to collect and publish progress reports between members and clients online and they are planning further integration of the processes involved in the months to come.
Over the last year, my company, Practical Solutions, has been involved in a wide range of new initiatives involving use of either .csv text or XML format data to achieve some level of integration (allowing data to be passed automatically from one system to another, one way, or both ways) between case management systems and other online sources of data or web-based reporting systems. Initiatives relate to the NLIS channels, estate agents, lenders, and other introducers of business, panel managers and organisations providing services to solicitors. For example, every significant supplier of conveyancing case management systems has received a specification designed to achieve automatic transfer of data from their case management system to a third party.
This type of integration will become the norm very quickly. The Land Registry's proposals are just an extension of these initiatives. Ignoring all these moves towards electronic conveyancing is not an option and, in order not to be left behind, I believe that every firm should:
1. Use online searches through NLIS; test communications links and working practices in relation to online services;
2. Introduce case management since this creates the data that can be exchanged with other parties automatically;
3. Talk to case and practice management suppliers about their involvement in initiatives involving XML as well as to other solicitors, to find out what they are doing.
Allan Carton, Solicitor, is Director of Practical Solutions. He has written a full article for the newsletter on this topic, available in Microsoft Word, here. See also Practical Solutions' site at www.inpractice.co.uk from which other articles on e-conveyancing and case management can be downloaded free of charge.
And a course on which you can get CPD...
Michael Kaye, of Kaye Tesler & Co. (Solicitors) has recognised the profession's difficulty in seeing a complete picture of e-conveyancing. He has published a twin CD talk (3hrs CPD) covering many different aspects including Land Registry changes, NLIS and its channel holders and digital identities. Cost is £49.99 + VAT; contact Kaye Tesler & Co, DX 55600 Sth Tottenham or fax 020 8802 0660.
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