Use of Technology
Creating an edge
For the technology team that has used technology to create competitive advantage for their firm. Evidence will be required of effective uptake by employees.
2009 WINNER
From left: Simon Beswick (Osborne Clarke), Graham Lawrence, Richard Pollins (DMH Stallard) and Peter Attwood (on behalf of ILTA)
DMH Stallard provide clients with 24-hour access to a secure, client-friendly portal to its case management system. The judges were impressed by the design and execution of DMH Direct. It enhances customer service by improving communications and streamlining the processes across the client interface. It allows clients to instruct the firm online, track progress, and access further functionality and reporting capabilities. Client adoption of the system has been rapid. Client and internal management talk about how it is improving their working practices and how it is frequently a deciding factor for clients when the firm is pitching for business.
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2ND PLACE
Spanish law firm Garrigues – in conjunction with technology firm T-Systems - has come up with a highly innovative application of technology to a uniquely practical legal issue: how to sign and maintain the integrity of electronic legal agreements. Their Logalty system allows parties to sign an electronic document electronically, and a mechanism for the document to be stored in its signed format in a way that allows all parties to demonstrate to a court that the document has been retained in its original signed format. It has been used for a number of banking transactions and is a singularly imaginative initiative for a law firm.
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3RD PLACE
Rather than focus on the development of a single solution or product A&L Goodbody has developed a comprehensive range of IT services aligned to the needs of the internal business units and to clients. The services span knowledge management, e-learning, and business development. Key to the IT strategy is cost reduction achieved through the extensive exploitation of existing systems, open source tools, Sharepoint, Extranets, video conferencing, systems integration, outsourced transcription services, training and self service call logging to improve operational efficiency, and server virtualisation. Further savings are expected from Cloud Computing solutions as and when they can be implemented.
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ROLL OF HONOUR
Click on each year to view previous winners
2008
PricewaterhouseCoopers
2004
Berwin Leighton Paisner