Papercase Ltd is a young, dynamic company launched with the sole aim of developing and supplying a unique, modern and user-friendly case management system. Papercase can be used for a wide range of legal matters, including conveyancing, matrimonial, employment, litigation, wills and probate. It includes all the latest features with easily-navigated screens, one-click document creation, shared contacts databases, text message alerts and online case tracking. The company has years of experience in developing and maintaining software systems, including case management solutions, and they have drawn on this experience to make Papercase into a flexible and cost-effective case management system for small to medium sized practices.

ParaSol Consultancy is an umbrella group of experienced consultancy businesses that specialise in Visualfiles and Solcase scripting. ParaSol is completely independent of LexisNexis Visualfiles and SOS (Solicitors Own Software) and is able to offer good value impartial advice and practical scripting solutions for all Visualfiles and Solcase products. Between them, they have over 30 years' experience of working with Solcase and Visualfiles and have consulted for over 50 law firms or businesses. 4 are ex-employees of Solicitec (of whom 2 are former directors and three are non-practising solicitors), and this means that Parasol have a depth and breadth of product knowledge that is unsurpassed among independent contractors. The range of skills encompasses Project Management, Systems Analysis, Process and Business Analysis, System Design and Development, Testing and Developer and User Training. Parasol are able to offer advanced solutions for both Solcase and Visualfiles to integrate with third party work providers such as STARS (LMS), XIT2 (Spicerhaart & C&G PLC), Simply Conveyancing, Your Move, CaseTrackerPlus and London & European Title. ParaSol can provide integration using just the standard Solcase or Visualfiles toolkit and a little ingenuity. They also provide integrated ID checks and website integration with case-tracking and online instructions. The software can also link to third party suppliers like STARS and Spicerhaart.

Peapod Solutions Ltd is dedicated to the legal market and offers the LEGALOffice suite of products which incorporate PRINTAForm with over 1,000 legal forms. The forms are used in over 1300 firms. OFFICECase is a case management system for high street firms and start ups, used in over 450 firms. This covers private and LSC work and is fully integrated with the forms product for all complex LSC forms and meets all billing requirements. It is simple to implement only needs one day of training. For accounts, there is a product called STRONGBox which has been around for 10 years in various past versions and now, in its Visual Basic version, is linked to the other packages. This is also easy to use and simple to operate and is used by over 500 firms. They also sell a digital dictation product called DigiVoice.

PCLaw from Gavel & Gown Ltd is a legal accounts, time recording, bill production and practice management solution that is fully integrated with Amicus Attorney (see separate entry here). Used by over 25,000 law firms worldwide, PCLaw provides a simple flowchart interface. All screens and reports are fully customisable by the user and the system comes complete with an automated billing system, bank reconciliation module, purchase ledger and cashier diary (with full Outlook integration). Site says "currently inactive".

Member of the Legal Software Suppliers Assocation
Perfect Software is a company specialising in accounts and time-recording for the smaller firm. Perfect Books 3 For Windows provides full Legal Accounting & Practice Management and optional time Recording facility with Complete franchise Management facility. The system works on any PC and handles all Solicitors Accounts Rules and all Vat variations and is guaranteed to be fully compatible. Practice management requires no additional input and is computed as the accounts are posted from existing paperwork. Time Recording handles both private and Legal Aid costings automatically and has full Franchise Management facilities. In April 2001 they released an updated criminal franchise version, which now includes the production of the CDS-6 and CDS-11. September 2001 saw the launch of a new database module, which works with the Perfect Books 3 Accounts system, and also provides a diary function and the ability to produce letters, documents and reports. Supported by friendly, experience staff, they are committed to supporting changes in accounts rules, legal-aid, franchising and practice management standards

Pilgrim Systems is one of the longest established UK Practice and Case Management System Suppliers. Pilgrim's flagship LawSoft software was one of the first to be engineered from the ground up for SQL Server, is highly regarded within the market and boasts one of the richest web clients available. These include Legal Accounts, Time & Billing, Document Management, Contact Management, Management Reporting and Case and Workflow tools.LawSoft is available as both a windows or web based product. LawSoft is primarily aimed at mid to large sized practices and they have offices in Edinburgh and London.

In the top four of the Institute of Legal Cashier's survey of user satisfaction 2007
Member of the Legal Software Suppliers Assocation
Pracctice, has been supplying technology solutions to the UK legal market since the mid 1980's. They have a portfolio of around 600 clients ranging from single user installations to firms with over 500 staff. In February 2004, Pracctice launched two new products: "Osprey", a PMS and Case Management system and "Groupware" an Email, Calendar and Contact Management solution. Both of these products are pure web-based applications and have been developed using the latest Microsoft .NET technology. Osprey and Groupware are available as Hosted systems with all programs and data stored in Pracctices' secure data centres with users accessing their systems via a broadband type internet connection. This approach removes the need for firms to supply any dedicated hardware, onsite servers, expensive database licences and complicated communication links. This is an ideal solution for any firm looking to link offices or offer home / remote working to their staff. Osprey also provides automatic extranet access for a law firms' clients and associated 3rd parties, allowing firms to embrace e-commerce and online working with their clients.

Practical Solutions (now rebranded as Inpractice) helps solicitors and lawyers in private practice, industry and Local Government across the UK to get results from technology and marketing. Led by well known consultant Allan Carton, the team have worked for a host of legal firms over the last 15 years, ranging from sole practitioners operating in niche areas to Top 100 firms. Offering a wide range of skills, they can assist a firm to improve profitability, streamline operations and ease pressure. The site provides regular (free) updates on business development options for lawyers.

Probate Plus software, originally from Law Systems but now marketed by Sweet & Maxwell, is a program to automate the processes of probate work. The system, which is very widely used, records estate details and dealings from the first instructions to the final distributions.

Professional Choice Consultancy was formed in March 2006 to target a critical niche in the legal market place. Key director is Bill Kirby who spent 10 years with Axxia as sales director and had a major role in building up the success of that company. Now he has brnached out in a new venture. The company offers a bespoke service for legal, accountancy and other professional organisations specialising in commercial and IT strategy with particular relevance to managing operational change in the areas of performance competition, clients, legislation and compliance.

Professional Computer Group Limited (PCGL) is a well established supplier (30 years)of legal computer systems on the South Coast. They work with in excess of 100 Practices, and as well as providing day to day hardware and software support, they design, install and support large networks (both NT and Novell), specialising in thin client (Citrix) and VPN (Netpilot) solutions. The specialist legal software they supply comes from Mountain Software.

Professional Technology (UK) Ltd is a long-established supplier of legal systems, having been active in this market for nearly 20 years. It is privately owned, based in Rochester, Kent and has a strong presence throughout England. Some 300 firms rely on their systems and they supply solutions for all sizes of practice. Their software is developed in-house and integrates with industry-standard programs such as Word Perfect, Microsoft products, Shaws Forms on Disk and Laser Forms. The company carries out training and maintenance and can also provide hardware and networking infrastructure. Their products, Seriatim Case Management and Financial Management systems, include extensive management reporting features that provide information to meet organisational needs as well as statutory requirements. Seriatim Case Management is provided on a 'pay-as-you-use' basis and thus does not impact significantly on the practice's financial resources.

Put into Practice Ltd are Legal Software Specialists, offering a wide range of services to the Legal Profession. They are specialists in developing and implementing Case Management systems for Private Practice and Local Authority Legal Departments. They can also assist with Billing Systems, Forms Processing and Document Conversions. They offer Consultancy, Training, Data Integration all specifically geared to the Legal Profession.

Q

Featured in the Law Society's Software Solutions Guide 2007
Member of the Legal Software Suppliers Assocation
Quill Computer Systems is a well established firm and incorporates PINpoint. Formed in 1978, Quill now has offices in Manchester Liverpool, Bolton and Redcar. The Quill Group employs over 80 staff with almost 40 being legal cashiers. This must make them the largest single employer of legal cashiers in the country. Quill has a combined client base of over 500 practices. Quillennium Interactive is used by over 320 small to medium sized private and publicly funded practices. The system not only assists practices with Risk Management solutions but also can be expanded from a simple single user system to over 100 users and many branches without changing versions. The system integrates with Microsoft Word, Excel and Outllook as well as third party case management. For Civil and Criminal Legally Aided practices Quillennium Interactive can produce the on line submission automatically. PINpoint Interactive is Quill's web based legal accounting bureau which appears constantly in the Law Society's Software Solutions Guide. Over 175 practices now use the PINpoint service making it not only the largest of its kind but also the most established. With 10 years experience of outsourcing, PINpoint has quite unique solutions to the back and front office problems which face many practices today. With no capital expenditure on software and no training, recruitment or retention costs for a legal cashier. PINpoint can assist practices to conform to the Law Society's SAR. To compliment PINpoint Interactive, the system and service can also be used in conjunction with a third party pay as you go conveyancing, wills and probate case management solution. Like PINpoint Interactive the case management solution is web based therefore there is no need for complex network infrastructures to be installed.

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