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Solicitec have been providing case management software for over 10 years and in 1997 they were the first legal software company to develop a web browser interface. The software, called SolCase Online is in fact more than "just" case tracking since the software also allows the client to set up new cases on the system and to generate and view documents and correspondence. This type of software is primarily aimed at firms or companies providing information for major case providers, such as estate agents, debt collection agencies or remortgaging companies. In some cases the software is run by the introducer company rather than the firm, with the firm entering data to the introducer's case tracking system. The software is also flexible enough to be able to be used by High Street firms for their individual clients. There are over 30 users including Legal Recoveries and Collections (formerly part of Eversheds), Hammond Suddards Edge, JST Mackintosh, Yuill & Kyle and Frodshams and (as a small High Street firm offering facilities to individual private clients) Fitzpatricks. The latest version of the software, called Visual Files, was one of the finalists in the 2003 Society for Computers & Law Award for the most outstanding application of Information Technology to the Law in the UK and Ireland. Visual Files allows many different ways of looking at the data relating to "entities" and crosses the line from software to knowledge management.
Solicitors Own Software (SOS), who are closely connected with Solicitec, also offer the Solcase Online software and have a number of users including TLT Solicitors.
DPS Software, a leading supplier of case management software, offer an online tracking service called Progress which works in the background and then transfers changes automatically to the secure website hosted by DPS which is called caseprogress.co.uk. There are 8 firms using the system with around 6,000 files already hosted. DPS prefer to host the website since they can then take care of the security aspect although they are happy for a user to take on the hosting of their own site if they have the skills to do so. Users include Stanley Tee who provide online services to their conveyancing clients.
AIM Professional Systems offer a product called ClientConnect which allows referrers and clients to dial in and enquire about the progress of their matters, obtain quotations and give new instructions. This works in conjunction with the Evolution case management. One of AIM’s users AMS Law was recently a runner up in the LOTIES for Best Legal E-commerce award.
Videss have offered this type of softwarefor over 2 years. Data can be automatically exported from the practice management software allowing firms to give their clients access to live online case information. The reports can be hosted on the Videss site, which means that they handle the security aspects of the system. If suitably equipped, the firm can host the site itself or a practice can use an intermediary or referrer of work to publish the data on their own systems. Videss users include Warner Goodman & Streat, Blake Lapthorne, Sills & Betteridge and Credit Collections.
Axxia Systems have software which generates reports in real time according to the client’s requirements. Clients include Donns, Irwin Mitchell, Ricksons and Morton Fraser.
Norwel Computer Services offer a product called Desktop Online which allows for general case management tracking and also specifically debt collection. The reports can be hosted on either the Norwel site or on the client’s site. Clients include Martineau Johnson and Lees Lloyd Whitley.
Technology For Business (TFB) offer a case tracking online solution called TFB WebServer which works in real time in conjunction with their case management system. Firms can control what information is published and who has access to it. The site can be hosted by TFB or by the client. There are two users so far, Wake Smith and Forshaws.
Legal IT are an Irish software supplier who use TFB software and who are also in the process of installing systems in some Irish firms including Malcomson Law.
MSS offer a client based case tracking tool but is open about the fact that take up has so far been disappointing. They think that there are problems with a client loading up information to a website hosted elsewhere and feel it is better for the client to have their own web server so that the information provided to clients can be in real time and so totally up to date - but this is expensive and requires IT skills.
Pracctice provide a number of web enabled features to work in conjunction with their Osprey software. Users include Sykes Anderson.
Mountain Software have a facility for case tracking, originally developed for some large users who wished to meet the criteria of some of the large lenders. The system includes automatic updating to a secure server and also the issue of bulk instructions. They also have a system for automatic conveyancing quotations. Users include Moore & Tibbits, Charles Platel & Partners and Dixon Stewart Webb.
Laserform, another major supplier of case management systems, provide a product which produces reports for clients with the facility to view documents, provide online quotes and (soon) initiate matters online. Several users are just going online at the present time.
BriefClick Solutions provide a service on their own servers. Sydney Mitchell is the first user with several more in the pipeline.
Amicus Attorney provide a case tracking module called Casewatch which works in association with the case management. They work with an ISP called SOSI to provide a secure site.
Franklins Walker Business Systems (FWBS), who developed as a commercial arm of solicitors Franklins a few years ago, and also provide case mangement from Pericom, offer a secure site for their users called www.interactive-law.com. This enables the firms to output their reports to the secure site. The features that may be seen are individually tailored per case. I.e. it is possible to allow the client to see the milestone plan, the notepad and the document, but (say) for the agent only to see the milestone plan. Users include Franklins, William Hicks, Melville Baber and Donnelly Elliott.
Easy Convey is a web-based conveyancing case management system designed specifically for the smaller firm. The firm runs the case management software (called Conveyancing Administration Software Application, or CASA for short) on their own system and can then provide case tracking information for their clients by exporting data to a secure site managed by Easy Convey. This case tracking process is called Track-A-Matter and can be “customised” to provide a style chosen by the firm. Easy Convey was one of the finalists in the 2003 Society for Computers & Law Award for the most outstanding application of Information Technology to the Law in the UK and Ireland.
SellersLink design systems for estate agents and property lawyers. The software for conveyancers, ConveyanceLink, enables instructions to be set up by an agent and then keeps an up to date progress log on the site, which is hosted by SellersLinks. Users include Bates & Partners and Roberts Rose.
Eclipse Legal Systems is a small software company providing a personal service to specialist Personal Injury, Conveyancing and Criminal Solicitors. They work with a number of different case management suppliers to provide a tracking system on the firm’s own site.
TheClaimRoom.com provide a "virtual office" which includes documents and communications as well as the current state of a case.
Transact Direct offer a remote (ASP) service to firms using Solicitec software and hosting the resultant case reports on the Transact Direct site.
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