Internet Newsletter for Lawyers |
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What follows is just a brief summary of the suppliers who replied to my survey saying they have software available and who already have firms using it. See also the general software pages on my site here.
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.
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.
Axxia Systems can offer its case management system either as a stand-alone system or fully integrated with Axxia's other softare.
* e-Suite provides online management and processing of legal matters. It utilises the common XML standard for data exchange and server-side Word to HTML file conversion and on-the-fly encryption for document management.
* e-Tran performs all transaction processing such as case inception, conflict checking, allocation, reporting and billing
* e-Sync is the conduit for automatic notifications and data updates; and
* e-Case enables users to log on and inspect their case plans, together with all the associated documentation and correspondence, and log requests, send emails and check Work in Progress costs.
* Axxia Advantage allows firms to run regular real time reports to user-defined criteria and publish them to the Internet or send as email attachments.
Users of Case Manager and e-Suite tools include Morton Fraser, Donns, Ricksons, Irwin Mitchell, the RAC, the Ministry of Defence and the T&G trade union.
BriefClick Solutions provide a service on their own servers - there is particular information about this here. The system can link from most leading case management systems or can be automated from Word (97 or later). Sydney Mitchell is the first user and a demo can be seen here.
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.
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.
Eclipse Legal Systems is a specialist software company with 15 years' experience in the industry. It provides IT solutions to solicitors dealing with a range of work types: Personal Injury, Conveyancing, Remortgage, Crime, Probate and Debt Recovery. Eclipse's ProCLAIM case management software allows practices' clients and referrers to have on-line access - via a secure server operated by Eclipse - to their own live case files. The practice can tailor the visible screens to provide as much, or as little, data as is required.
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.
Griersons Ltd have a customised package within their Griersons Office Manager system to allow clients access to specific matter data on line. The information available to the client is strictly controlled by the solicitor and the client does not have general access to the case detail. There is one client using this facility so far.
Infographics is the UK distribution partner for FloSuite business process and case management software, used by UK Legal 200 and major international corporate law firms (see also the FloSuite product website). Built on .NET technology, FloSuite provides access to full case details as well as interaction with processes online, including the ability for authorised users to add to and amend details on a case-by-case basis. The FloSuite Web Client allows browser-based support for secure Internet, Extranet and Intranet access to the software, with configurable end-user 'views'. Clients include Morgan Cole.
Laserform, a major supplier of case management systems, has a strategic partnership with DataCare Solutions for online tracking, Web Enablement. Web Enabled Case Management not only provides clients, lenders and agents access to an online report detailing the progress of their matter, but also displays fundamental documents and correspondence online. In addition, with this application the Solicitor can govern what information is made available in the report by assigning an access level for each user. Another important feature of the system is an online fee calculator that provides potential customers with a means for generating an estimate for both ‘sale’ and ‘purchase’. Web Enablement Clients include Slater Ellison, Khalique Kingsley Solicitors and Goldcrest Conveyancing, with many more in progress.
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.
Linetime, a long standing supplier of legal software, offers two particular products "Liberate" and "Debtime SQL" which can provide users with on-line client access. The service is provided via a secure dedicated server giving access only to selected live data. Clients are also able to send new instructions, and receive and respond to fee-earner requests for instructions via the system.
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.
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.
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.
Pericom PLC provide software called Office Management System Software (OMS) which includes on line case tracking. This module allows fee earners to mark a case as web active and assign users access to it. The Client or Source can then view the case on line via the firm's website. The data is hosted on a secure web site and access is only achieved via the firm's input. The interactive law module is self updating as part of the OMS document management system and alerts users via email and/or text messaging that updates are available when the case is updated. This solution is provided in conjunction with FWBS (see above).
Pilgrim Systems offer Online Case Tracking for both their LawSoft and IntelliCentre products. Firstly Pilgrim offer organisations the ability to present clients with a customised, web based, extranet access directly onto the live database. Secondly Pilgrim offer the ability to export sets of client specific data that can be uploaded to either an in-house or hosted web service. With either option Pilgrim are also able to offer interaction with their workflow tool to allow for collaborative working between the law firm and their clients.
Pracctice provide a number of web enabled features to work in conjunction with their Osprey software. Users include Sykes Anderson.
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. There are nearly 30 Users of the software, including Bates & Partners and Roberts Rose.
Solicitec has 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 Frodsham and (as a small High Street firm offering facilities to individual private clients) Fitzpatricks. The latest version of the software, called Visualfiles, 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. Visualfiles 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.
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.
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.
Videss has offered this type of software for 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.
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