Best use of technology

For the firm that has used technology to create competitive advantage. Evidence was required of effective uptake of the technology by employees.

2007 WINNER

The team at Linklaters

Unusually this is for the recognition of a range of developments, rather than one single system. Now reaping the benefit of their multi-million pound investment in SAP and Microsoft technology, Linklaters impressed then judges with their delivery of KPI ‘Scorecards’ to the desktops of their lawyers based on a Balanced Scorecard methodology. It provides a range of users with tailored information that presents a large amount of information in an immediately intelligible format, which effectively empowers them by putting them in control of the key factors by which they are to be measured; whether they be fee-earners, Business Managers, or Partner Managers. Many firms effectively disenfranchise their people by determining that they will be measured, and rewarded, according to factors that they cannot get up-to-date information about, and therefore feel they cannot get control over – Linklaters is not one of those firms.

2ND PLACE

Lovells has dedicated area of the Web site specifically for law students to get an idea of what working as a trainee in a City law firm will actually be like, and to try and persuade them that Lovells should be the firm to which they apply. It worked on the judges; if they were law students they would certainly have been tempted to put Lovells at the top of their list. The site was clear, attractive and easily navigable – and much thought and imagination had been applied to get across the realities of daily life throughout a young lawyer’s traineeship. It also provided an attractive self-assessment skills test which simultaneously entertains and engages the user, whilst at the same time – hopefully – qualifying out sub-standard applicants.

3RD PLACE

A novel and imaginative application of technology, Berwin Leighton Paisner has developed and implemented a system to manage its International referrals between the firm and its global network of preferred firms, by tracking and understanding these referrals. What many firms do by the seat of their pants, or on the back of an envelope – i.e. “manage” the relationship with their international network of firms - BLP now does in a methodical strategic fashion. Involving customisation and integration between Microsoft Outlook, and the firm’s PMS and CRM systems, BLP is able to produce granular and accurate management information which helps them analyse and manage the relationship with foreign ‘partner’ firms in a wholly new fashion.

EUROPEAN WINNER 2007

The team at A&L Goodbody

Two years in the making, A&L Goodbody has focused on integrating best-of-breed technology to broadly increase lawyer productivity. The IT Department has used its document management system as the centre of a firmwide shared electronic e-mail and document filing system, while expanding its capabilities to provide web-based specialist topic sites shared with clients. Despite having 25% fewer IT staff than the average law firm, the Department also brought together its practice management systems into a management information portal and further affected lawyer productivity by streamlining the document production processes and tools.

ROLL OF HONOUR

Click on each year to view previous winners

2006 - Lovells

2005 - Eversheds

2004 - Berwin Leighton Paisner

2003 - Browne Jacobson

2002 - Eversheds

OTHER SHORTLISTED FIRMS

2007 SPONSOR

For nearly three decades, ILTA (International Legal Technology Association) has provided peer-networking and information resources to those who support technology in law firms and law departments worldwide. The non-profit user group is truly peer-powered. For information about ILTA, or to obtain a membership application, visit www.iltanet.org.