News from LSSA member companies

Select Legal. Press Release. February 2020.

Law Firms: When It Comes To Texting – Are You Getting The Message?

It’s hard to believe texting has been around for almost three decades. As in many ways it still feels like a fairly modern technology.  However, the first ever text message was sent  on 3-12-92 (when Neil Papworth of Sema Group wished Richard Jarvis of Vodafone a “Merry Christmas”.) This means for some of your clients, it’s safe to say, that text messaging has been available their entire life. Read more.

=====================================================================================

Software Extras for Law Firms

Select Legal. Press Release: December 2019

When buying a new software package for 2020 and beyond, a law firm should expect their software supplier to provide, as a minimum;  a slick sales process, outstanding data migration capabilities and project management on-boarding, excellent training, support and account management and the following six staple software modules – with robust integration to mission critical third-party tools such as Microsoft Office and Exchange and legal forms packages. Read more.

=====================================================================================

Technology predictions for the legal sector in 2020 – the impact of AI

by Doug Hargrove, Managing Director – Legal, Advanced

The legal sector is quickly moving to embrace digital transformation and leaning towards innovation as it recognises the opportunity to improve customer services, drive productivity and adhere to the raft of compliance checks that all law firms have to meet. In fact, in feedback from legal professionals in our recent Advanced Trends Survey Report 2019/2020, only 40% felt their law firm wasn’t acting fast enough to keep up with the pace of technology innovation – so that means 60% are acting with pace and are certainly well ahead on that journey. Read more.

=====================================================================================

2020 vision. What your legal tech should look like in 2020

John Espley, LEAP UK CEO, gives a snapshot of what you should be looking for from legal software to maximise your practice’s productivity in 2020 and beyond.

If a customer wanted to see a lawyer ten years ago, then they would have had to call the firm’s office, talk to a receptionist and wait to have an appointment at the lawyer’s convenience. The customer would have no idea how much the lawyer would charge them and the whole process was overshadowed by fear and doubt – not the best start for any business transaction or relationship. Read more.

=====================================================================================

Making Tax Digital is forcing firms to review their outdated legal IT systems

Article. Tim Smith, Insight Legal. January 2020.

The first year of Making Tax Digital (MTD) for VAT, known as the soft landing period, ends this April. During these first 12 months, VAT-registered firms used to keying in their quarterly return have been required to install suitable software that records all VAT transactions and then submits the data to the HMRC via an Application Programming Interface (API). For firms without a compliant legal accounts package or which use Excel to record their accounts, bridging software has existed to meet the electronic VAT filing requirements. Read more.

=====================================================================================

Major award win for AI-driven legal technology innovation partnership

Advanced. Press Release. 15th November 2019

St John’s Buildings barristers’ chambers has won Technology Venture of the Year at the British Legal Technology Awards 2019. The award was a result of a venture between three major players in the legal services market collaborating to create the first truly automated end-to-end digital solution for insurers, solicitors and counsel using Artificial Intelligence (AI). Read more.

=====================================================================================

Playing roulette with outdated IT just isn’t worth the gamble

Insight Legal article by Tim Smith, Technical Director

If a letter spelling out the name of a firm fell from outside the office, I’m confident it would be fixed quickly. Why? Because left unattended, it’s evidence of not caring and is a risk to a firm’s reputation. The same logic can be applied to outdated technology. Read more.

=====================================================================================

CASA 6 has Fresh New Look

easy convey/ Press Release. 19th October 2019

CASA has had a makeover. Read more.

=====================================================================================

The New SRA Accounts Rules – A Practice’s Checklist for Compliant Software

Insight Legal article by Deborah Witkiss, Professional Services Director.

20th November 2019

In the wake of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and Making Tax Digital, law firms are now facing yet another wave of regulatory change. Read more.

=====================================================================================

How to overcome the legal skills shortage

LEAP. Press Release: 1st October 2019

by Richard Hugo-Hamman, LEAP Executive Chairman

In the UK, unemployment has fallen to the lowest level since 1975 with employers now facing a skills shortage. Employees are choosing to move to greener pastures and the inability to replace a good employee may now pose an existential threat to businesses. Read more.

=====================================================================================

New Mental Health Software Module For Law Firms

Select Legal. Press Release: 26th September 2019

=====================================================================================

Quill’s “Quillathlon” charity fundraiser for Cancer Research UK

Quill. Press Release: 19^th September 2019

With Cancer Research UK as its charity of the year, Quill is currently holding an aptly named Quillathlon charity fundraiser. As the name suggests, Quill employees are running, swimming, cycling and walking virtually to its furthest-away client which is Falklands Legal located at Port Stanley in the Falkland Islands. As Quill’s head office is based in Manchester, the total distance between the start and end points is 7,940 miles. Read more.

=====================================================================================

poweredbypie Launches Document Portal to enable Secure Exchange of Sensitive Client Data

poweredbypie. Press Release. 12 September 2019

Search and software provider poweredbypie has announced the launch of Document Portal, a new solution for solicitors to enable the secure electronic exchange of all documentation within the conveyancing process.  By removing the need to ‘print and post’, Document Portal offers a simple, secure solution to speed-up the exchange of documentation between solicitors and clients. Read more.

=====================================================================================