Asons Solicitors reveals 8,000% growth

One of the north-west's largest law firms - Asons Solicitors - has revealed record growth figures, in a challenging environment for legal services providers.

Founded just 5 years ago, Asons recently employed its 250th staff member; all based at its central Bolton premises.  The firm implemented Eclipse's Proclaim Practice Management software solution at its inception in 2008, when headcount numbered 3 employees (equating to a staff growth to date of over 8,200%).

Proclaim is utilised by all Asons staff, the system providing a core centralised solution for the full range of injury claim types - from complex high-value cases (Asons recently won a 6-figure settlement for a client, after a significantly lower initial insurer offer) through to minor RTA (Road Traffic Accident) claims.

Proclaim has enabled the firm to structure its business so that 88% of staff are revenue generating (fee earning), with only 12% dedicated to 'support' functions.  Future strategic aims include the expansion of its Industrial Disease team to be the UK's largest (it currently numbers 110 staff), and the implementation of a dedicated Clinical Negligence department.

Imran Akram, CEO at Asons, comments:

"Our aim right from day one was to build a sustainable and solid business.  The personal injury sector is fluid and challenging - the right legal software solution, one that is flexible and adaptable, is utterly vital.  Proclaim has provided us with the power to continually enhance our processes, drive out waste and increase margins.

"Proclaim is our 'blank canvas' and has enabled us to create a van Gogh."

The Eclipse Proclaim Personal Injury Awards 2013 - the winners!

The Eclipse Proclaim Personal Injury Awards 2013, hosted by Russell Kane, took place on 26th November in London at the Park Plaza Riverbank hotel with almost 500 guests in attendance.

Eclipse is the proud headline sponsor of these prestigious awards which celebrate outstanding service and performance from firms and legal professionals in the Personal Injury sector.

The full list of winners as chosen by a cross-industry panel of high profile judges can be seen below:

• Associated Industries Award

Trevor Gilbert & Associates

• Barrister of the Year

Hugh Preston QC – 7 Bedford Row

• Barristers’ Chambers of the Year

Parklane Plowden

• Claimant Personal Injury Lawyer of the Year

Warren Collins – Simpson Millar

• Claimant Personal Injury Team of the Year

Switalskis – Child Abuse Team

• Defendant Personal Injury Lawyer of the Year

David Pugh – Keoghs

• Defendant Personal Injury Team of the Year

Keoghs

• Claims Management Company of the Year

First 4 Lawyers

• Insurance Provider of the Year

ARAG

• Mediation Achiever of the Year

Quentin Smith

• Medical Agency of the Year

Doctors Chambers

• Outstanding Case of the Year

Berrymans Lace Mawer LLP

• Practice/Operations Manager of the Year

Gladys Swaim-Rutter – Roberts Jackson Solicitors

• Rehab Provider of the Year

Medicess

• Young Achiever of the Year

Helen Tinsley – Keoghs

• Outstanding Achievement Award

Nigel Tomkins

• Lifetime Achievement Award

Michael Napier & Roger Pannone

Record year for Eclipse Legal Systems

Eclipse Legal Systems, the UK's largest independently owned legal IT supplier, has reported record operating results for its 2012/13 financial year.

The firm’s previous best results came last year (2011/12) when the audited turnover figure stood at £8.3million.  The financial year 2012/13, which ended on 30th June, saw Eclipse announce a new revenue high of £9.3million.  Highlights from the 2012/13 period include:

• The end-user count for the firm's Proclaim Case and Practice Management solutions nearing 19,000, on the back of more than 100 new client wins including:

• Carillion Advice Services (part of FTSE250 company, Carillion)
• Multi-disciplinary law firms such as Tollers Solicitors LLP
• Government bodies, including Derry City Council
• A large number of Alternative Business Structures (ABS), including insurer-backed Autonet Law LLP
• A growing number of international wins, including territories as diverse as Switzerland and Zambia

• An addition to the Eclipse board of directors (now numbering 6), with the promotion of Darren Gower to Marketing Director
• The total staff number reaching 150 across all functions

Eclipse’s founder and Chief Software Architect, Steve Ough, comments on the firm’s performance:

“To announce such strong results in challenging market times is testament to the appeal and flexibility of Proclaim.  The variety of organisations we serve is unmatched in the marketplace; we are seeing more and more full-service 'Practice Management' wins alongside our growing ABS and commercial presence.  Proclaim is seen not just as a legal management solution, but increasingly as a wider business, client and customer management solution."

Eclipse fundraising generates £8,000 for charity

Members of Yorkshire-based Eclipse Legal Systems, the UK’s largest independently owned legal software developer, successfully organised and participated in a series of charity events throughout 2013 raising thousands of pounds for their three nominated charities.

• Candlelighters, based in Yorkshire, provides essential services and support to children with cancer and their families.
• Barth’s Syndrome Trust, which is dedicated to saving lives through education, advances in treatment and finding a cure for Barth’s Syndrome – a sometimes fatal, often debilitating genetic disease affecting boys.
• Martin House, a hospice for children, young people and their families from throughout the Yorkshire region.

The Eclipse fundraising events included auctions of surplus IT equipment and a series of four physical sporting challenges which included the Leeds Half Marathon, Jayne Tomlinson’s ‘Blockbuster’ hike, the Leeds 10k and finally the 71 mile Otley Sportive Cycle.

Dolores Evelyn, Sales Director at Eclipse Legal Systems, comments:

“Congratulations to all those who took part in the events and a huge thank you to everyone who rewarded these efforts by donating and making this a record breaking fundraising year for Eclipse.   The £8,000 raised will help to make a huge difference to all who rely upon the valuable support our chosen charities provide.”

Matter Management for Court of Protection work

Eclipse Legal Systems, the legal sector's largest independent software solutions provider, has announced the release of a Court of Protection Matter Management system.

Law firms dealing with Court of Protection (CoP) matters help to look after individuals who are unable - legally and practically - to deal with their financial affairs and related decisions.  Eclipse's new CoP solution is seamlessly integrated with the Proclaim Matter and Practice Management systems, centralising all elements of work.

Proclaim CoP caters for the three core management areas - registering EPAs, preparing and / or registering LPAs, and applying to the Court of Protection for a deputyship order.  Proclaim CoP is available immediately for both existing Proclaim clients and those firms not yet using the system.  Uniquely, Proclaim CoP can also, if required, be used standalone alongside other Practice Management offerings.

Eclipse's Business Solutions Director, Tracy Blencowe, comments on the development:

"For all CoP work, especially 'fixed fee', an efficient Matter Management system is vital.  Proclaim provides an end-to-end solution for this practice area, including access to the full suite of Proclaim productivity tools.

"Much of the difficulty around CoP work rests with data collation, form filling, and tracking ongoing applications (often involving lots of geographically disparate contacts).  Proclaim manages these areas, providing 'one entry' data input, seamless form production (saving many hours of repetitive manual input), and a real-time global fee earner view to provide complete clarity on the status of all matters."

Client Focus

Russell Thomson, CEO of Eclipse Legal Systems speaks to The Briefing Magazine about how empowering clients will create loyalty and drive a better experience for them – which adds up to a more profitable relationship.

The future of client relations will be about involving them more in the process of legal work, keeping them better and more regularly informed, allowing them to input directly into the work process, and providing greater visibility of work progress. All this comes down to better communication.

How will you do that?

To win new clients, keep old ones and stay ahead of the competition, law firms need to capitalise on the information they already have to make better, more meaningful connections and interactions with both existing clients and prospects.

The legal sector’s approach to BD is evolving as more firms realise that BD, sales and marketing are, in fact, incredibly important. This realisation has come not just as a consequence of the downturn – it’s also been driven through a variety of regulatory changes, from the axe falling on referral fees to new entrants to the market, most of which understand how to cross-sell and leverage customer information extremely well.

When I speak to law firms, it seems many are at a crossroads: they have to decide whether to shut up shop, or rise to the business challenge. There is no middle road. The focus for everyone, therefore, must be on business development.

A central perception that needs to change is the client experience. Consumers (and some business clients) often expect a horrible experience in dealing with law firms. They complain of not being able to stay in touch easily, opaque processes, limited visibility of how a case is progressing and poor guidance around the processes involved from the outset.

Better transparency into the client’s legal work can fundamentally change all this, and it’s key to making clients feel at ease. They need to see what their firm contacts are doing. Their journey is really important. Often, particularly in consumer business, clients don’t understand the amount of work that goes into their matters – even with a simple conveyance.

Making contact and maintaining communications with clients also has to be made easy to do, and, crucially, through the client’s preferred channel. This means breaking down barriers and providing new channels.

Bringing clients into the process

This can all be done by rethinking process management in the firm. Until relatively recently this was an internal thing – legal processes happened inside the firm. But by extending thinking about processes to the client/consumer, a lot of the transparency and communication work happens automatically.

The widespread use of CMS and PMS solutions means that law firms today are sitting on huge amounts of useful, searchable, usable electronic data –  more, in fact, than many sectors. It therefore makes sense to use it, to push it out to clients via an online, deviceagnostic, always-on platform to bring clients into processes and make them more involved and comfortable – using the internet channels they use and already feel at home with.

This allows the publishing of elements of the case to help clients understand what’s going on, makes it easy for clients to make contact anytime, and lets them submit documents via the web. These seemingly small things add great value, create differentiation and drive up satisfaction. This also needn’t cost the firm much in return, and a great online journey also means less direct client interaction, saving fee earner time, increasing revenues and cutting costs.

We’re so convinced that this is what clients want that we have built Eclipse TouchPoint, which can influence and make work happen behind the scenes in a programmed and automated way that the client can be involved in, self-serving at specific points in the process. As a law firm manages a case through a CMS, it can push information out through TouchPoint and then pull client information back in.

TouchPoint also gives vital BD and marketing information back to the firm – pulling in data around a client journey or mixing case management data from our Proclaim CMS to analyse enquiries vs sign-ups. Culturally, some firms don’t want to open up their work to the client. But it’s nothing sinister, and many firms are already going down this road.

There will be a new level of client access to information and ease of interaction, and I think it will be a central way for firms to differentiate themselves and win business in the future.

Digital dictation within Proclaim, at the click of a button

The UK's largest independently owned legal IT provider, Eclipse Legal Systems, has announced direct integration with Winscribe, the largest suppliers of Digital Dictation technology.

Winscribe is among the largest suppliers of Digital Dictation technology in the world, with installations in 25 countries representing more than 350,000 users globally.  Winscribe provides solutions for a number of industries - including Legal, Law Enforcement, Healthcare, Surveying, Insurance and Government sectors - and has a strong customer presence in North America, Europe, Australasia and South Africa.

The new integration between Eclipse’s market-leading Proclaim Case and Practice Management solution and Winscribe enables clients of both companies to benefit from a ‘1 click’ dictation recording. Users can elect to dictate documents or memos within Eclipse's Case and Practice Management solutions, utilising the Winscribe toolset while retaining secure historical view of all activities within Proclaim files.

Eclipse's Business Solutions Director, Tracy Blencowe, comments:

“The Winscribe integration is the latest in a series of Eclipse integrations with complementary and high-profile software providers, designed to streamline non-value adding administrative tasks and enhance usability for thousands of professionals."

Winscribe Client Relationship Manager, Joe DiCarlo, adds:

“At Winscribe we pride ourselves on collaborating with market-leading technology providers. Our alliance with Eclipse Legal Systems further strengthens our goal of helping our customers to make their daily business practices easier and more efficient.”

An agile approach

Charlotte Parkinson, Modern Law, spoke to Dolores Evelyn, Eclipse Legal Systems about how an agile approach to running a law firm, whether a niche firm or a full service entity, is fast becoming the solution to the challenges presented in the modern legal arena.

Recent legislative changes have forced many law firms to swiftly acclimatise and adapt to a completely new marketplace. Developments in a multitude of areas of the legal market are forcing many firms to take stock and reconsider their approach. In order to remain afloat, firms have to consider ways to run their practice as an agile business. In most recent times, changes to the personal injury sector have forced many firms to reconsider their approach to the market entirely. Consolidation of the market is a threat, and these changes have affected the whole legal market, but it is the niche law firms in particular which might be experiencing the brunt of the new landscape.

A challenge for all

The ‘Red Tape Challenge’ launched by the Government - a scheme devised to cut lengthy regulatory and administrative processes – has also lead to a number of legislative revisions in recent years and the legal sector has been on the receiving end of these. Although the scheme initially proposed changes to make processes within business easier, it has also sparked changes which have caused a greater work load for some firms. As well as the reforms to PI legislation, this government scheme has sparked change for regulation of claims management companies and commercial law amongst others. Reforms to the entire sector, such as the LASPO act and developments in commercial and public litigation in recent years have brought about swathes of change across the wider legal market. In light of these ongoing developments and reforms, there are a number of different ways in which these firms of all kinds can consider diversifying to retain a competitive offering for clients. For niche firms of all specialisms, there is an option to adjust and streamline processes to take into account these new factors and continue to remain profitable regardless of the changes.

How to streamline your service

The recent legislative changes to Road Traffic Accident Claims, for example, have seen government reforms affecting how these claims can be practised – and the new fixed fee regime being introduced, which has led to these types of claims becoming less profitable. Many firms have been looking at ways of streamlining their processes within these claims (such as utilising technology) in order to reduce overall costs – thus still benefitting from taking on RTA claims, regardless of the legislative change. Some firms are looking to restructure their processes by diversifying and taking on new areas of legal service offerings, in order to increase and expand the firms’ client base and ensure they stay ahead in the new market. Looking at ways to adapt quickly and effectively and remaining agile by adopting the ability to diversify your business offering is something which all law firms now have to do in this newly competitive and evolving market.

As Dolores, the Sales Director, at Eclipse Legal Systems, says:

“An agile business approach has to be underpinned by technology. Without the ability to create great IT processes, you are at an immediate disadvantage. Processes should reduce administration, remove duplication, and provide a ‘framework’ for increased efficiencies. So if you have the right kind of software, you can not only create processes which improve the way you do things now… but you can also expand these core processes into different work areas – using the nuts and bolts of your existing methodologies. “We have a wide range of clients, using our Proclaim Case and Practice Management systems, who have successfully expanded into new work areas – or configured the way they deal with existing ones. They have all used this ethos – taking a great ‘process’ and adapting it to a changed or new environment. The fast and agile will survive and thrive!”

Specialist private-client practice chooses Proclaim

Christchurch-based law firm, Williams Thompson Solicitors LLP, is implementing Eclipse's Proclaim Practice Management Software solution.

Stephen Bowden, Partner at Williams Thompson, comments:

"This is major investment in the future for our firm.  It reflects the confidence we have in our business and our recognition as to how essential it is to ensure that we continue to provide an exceptional quality of service to our clients.  Having investigated the market widely, we came to the firm conclusion that Eclipse’s Proclaim software was best placed to enable us to take full advantage of the latest IT developments available and will assist us in improving both our administration and our client services.  We are really looking forward to the benefits that we believe this investment will bring."

Williams Thompson specialises in private-client legal services, specifically in the areas of property, family and probate.  The firm sought to replace its incumbent system with a solution that could provide new client service tools, cross-practice matter consistency and reporting.

Eclipse's Proclaim system is being implemented as Williams Thompson's core Practice Management solution.  Dedicated Matter Management casetypes in conveyancing, family and probate are being introduced, as well as a bespoke casetype solution to cater for non-standard work areas.  The integrated Proclaim Accounts solution will provide firm-wide financial management, while Proclaim's Credit Control Centre will ensure tight management of client payments.  As part of the implementation, Eclipse is carrying out a migration of data from the incumbent financial system.

Williams Thompson is also taking the Proclaim Lead Management and Compliance toolsets to provide seamless client inception processes, with ongoing adherence to SRA regulations.

Express Solicitors: driving efficiencies and business growth

James Maxey, Managing Partner at Express Solicitors, tells us how Proclaim Practice Management Software has enabled him to grow his practice.

About Express Solicitors

• Personal Injury claims specialist, from RTAs through to complex negligence cases
• The very first firm to implement Proclaim ABS PI
• 150 staff and growing…

Click here to view video

Explosive growth at Personal Injury specialist

Leeds-based law firm, Michael Lewin Solicitors, has announced explosive growth at a time of challenging legislation for claimant solicitors.

Michael Lewin Solicitors was founded in 2001 and has recently passed the 120 employee mark (across 4 office locations). The firm implemented Eclipse’s Proclaim Practice Management software solution in 2009, when headcount numbered 15 employees, to replace its incumbent Case Management system.

Proclaim is utilised by all Michael Lewin staff, providing a core centralised solution for a range of injury claim types – from minor RTA (Road Traffic Accident) claims through to £multi-million clinical negligence matters.  The firm also utilises Proclaim as its practice accounting and reporting toolset, providing full integration with fee earner activity.

Michael Lewin’s expansion is not complete – the firm has introduced a range of non-personal injury services in recent times – all using Proclaim – including debt recovery and employment work.

Abbie Keech, Director at Michael Lewin, comments:

“Back in 2009 we sought out a system – and a supplier – aligned with our aggressive growth plans.  Proclaim has delivered over and above expectations, providing an easy to use and incredibly scalable solution.  We can process claims with greater speed, greater accuracy, and in greater volumes.  Proclaim’s flexibility in, for example, enabling us to add more work streams outside of the core personal injury work, is invaluable.”

The shortlist for the Eclipse Proclaim Personal Injury Awards

We are delighted to announce the shortlist for the Eclipse Proclaim Personal Injury Awards 2013 which take place on 26th November in London at the Park Plaza Riverbank hotel.

Due to the large number of high calibre nominations received, the panel of judges were faced with many tough decisions to make when whittling down all the entries to create the final shortlist of firms and individuals.

The shortlist for the 17 awards can be seen below:

Associated Industries Award
HARTECuk
i-sign
Trevor Gilbert & Associates

Barrister of the Year
Theo Huckle QC – Civitas Law
Stuart McKechnie – 9 Gough Square
Hugh Preston QC – 7 Bedford Row

Barristers’ Chambers of the Year
9 Gough Square
Civitas Law
Parklane Plowden

Claimant Personal Injury Lawyer of the Year
Warren Collins – Simpson Millar
Peter Garsden – Quality Solicitors Abney Garsden
David Greenwood – Switalskis
Lorna Vanderkamp – Roberts Jackson Solicitors

Claimant Personal Injury Team of the Year
Hugh James
Quality Solicitors Abney Garsden
Roberts Jackson Solicitors
Switalskis – Child Abuse Team

Defendant Personal Injury Lawyer of the Year
Jared Mallinson – Horwich Farrelly
David Pugh – Keoghs

Defendant Personal Injury Team of the Year
Direct Line Injury Teams
Horwich Farrelly
Keoghs

Claims Management Company of the Year
Atrium Legal
First4Lawyers
S&G

Insurance Provider of the Year
ARAG
DAS LawAssist
F&L

Mediation Achiever of the Year
InterResolve
Quentin Smith

Medical Agency of the Year
Doctors Chambers
IQED
Speed Medical

Outstanding Case of the Year
Hugh James
TRUE Personal Injury Solicitors
Berrymans Lace Mawer LLP

Practice/Operations Manager of the Year
Imran Akram – Asons Solicitors
Abdul W Hussain – Carter Law Ltd
Gladys Swaim-Rutter – Roberts Jackson

Rehab Provider of the Year
Medicess
Momentum Skills
Papworth Trust Rehabilitation

Young Achiever of the Year
Leila Bridgett – Roberts Jackson Solicitors
Kevin Timms – Garden House Solicitors
Helen Tinsley – Keoghs
Gladys Swaim-Rutter – Roberts Jackson

Outstanding Achievement Award
To be announced on the night

Lifetime Achievement Award
To be announced on the night

The Eclipse Proclaim Modern Law Awards 2013 – the winners!

Congratulations to all who took part in the Eclipse Proclaim Modern Law Awards on the 25th September at the Dorchester Hotel London, headline sponsored by Eclipse Legal Systems.

The awards, which celebrate innovative business and legal service providers, were hosted by Gyles Brandreth and were attended by over 400 guests.

The full list of winners as chosen by a cross-industry panel of high profile judges can be seen below:

ABS of the Year Up to 50 employees
Winner: Brilliant Law
Highly Commended: Pudsey Legal

ABS of the Year 50 – 100 employees
Winner: Just Costs Solicitors
Highly Commended: SGI Legal

ABS of the Year over 100 employees
Winner: myhomemove
Highly Commended: Knights Solicitors

Lawyer of the Year
Winner: Christina Blacklaws, The Co-operative Legal Services
Highly Commended: Peter Garsden, QualitySolicitors, Abney Garsden

Non-Lawyer of the Year
Winner: Amanda Illing, Hardwicke
Highly Commended: Gladys-Swaim Rutter, Roberts Jackson Solicitors

Team of the Year
Winner: Bott & Co Solicitors
Highly Commended: Hardwicke

Rising Star of the Year
Winner: Coby Benson, Bott & Co
Highly Commended: Gladys-Swaim Rutter, Roberts Jackson Solicitors

Innovation of the Year
Winner: Knights Solicitors
Highly Commended: Fasttrac Solicitors

Entrepreneur of the Year
Winner: Tim Oliver, Parabis Group
Highly Commended: Karen Jackson, Roberts Jackson Solicitors

Client Care Initiative of the Year
Winner: Emsleys Solicitors
Highly Commended: Winn Solicitors

Deal of the Year
Winner: NewLaw Solicitors
Joint Highly Commended: Berrymans Lace Mawer & Quindell

COLP or COFA of the Year
Winner: Robert Mares, Quindell
Highly Commended: Just Costs Solicitors

New Entrant of the Year
Winner: Zebra Legal Consulting
Highly Commended: Brilliant Law

Best Marketing Campaign of the Year
Winner: InjuryLawyers4U
Highly Commended: Fox Williams

Outstanding Achievement
Douglas Silas

Lifetime Achievement
Professor Richard Susskind OBE

Client-focused Alternative Business Structure

Andrew Cummings, Director at Pudsey Legal Services Ltd, on how Proclaim helps to enhance the client service experience.

About Pudsey Legal

• Full-service practice
• Alternative Business Structure (licence granted 15 October 2012)
• 30 staff

Click here to view video

Camps Solicitors: using Proclaim to benefit in the new era of Personal Injury

Camps Solicitors is one of the UK's largest Personal Injury and Negligence claims practices, boasting among the highest success rates in the country. The firm employs almost 300 people at its Merseyside HQ.

James Barron, IT Director at the firm, tells us about his experience of Eclipse and Proclaim.

Why did you decide to implement a new Practice Management system?

Camps was facing two significant challenges.  Firstly, our existing Case and Practice Management solutions were struggling under the demands of continued growth (we had gone from 80 staff to 300 staff in a fairly short time period).  Our financial systems and our fee earner management systems didn’t communicate as well as we would have liked.  Secondly, large-scale legislative changes in the Personal Injury arena were looming, necessitating a review of IT and working processes.

Why did you choose Proclaim?

We needed a robust system with the flexibility to adapt and develop in line with the growth of our firm.  After a detailed market analysis, we opted for Proclaim.

Why?  Well, Eclipse was widely known to be the market leading provider of its type - its Proclaim system came highly recommended and its integration as a complete 'Practice' solution was great.  But also the company stood out as the only one to have a deep knowledge of impending changes to the PI arena.  We wanted an IT partner who could support our growth in a knowledgeable and confident way, with an approachable and personable style.

What benefits do you see from Proclaim?

Proclaim gives Camps the control we need over processes and working practises.  The system has its own inbuilt toolsets which enable us to configure or create changes as the business demands.  This is powerful - it means that we can develop the system moving forward, in line with corporate, personal and legislative goals.

Just a small example - our board of directors wanted some bespoke screens creating which would give them a high-level view of key performance data across the practice.  We were able to create those screens ourselves, in short order - that engenders a tremendous amount of senior-level IT buy-in!


How does Proclaim help to enhance your client service experience?

Using Proclaim, we are now able to process and assess the validity of incoming claims much quicker, with the result of lower staffing levels at the initial point of contact.  It also means that the quality of claims that we progress is higher right off the bat.  Our FNOL (First Notification of Loss) team uses Proclaim, and the processes we have created mean that claim inception time is greatly reduced.

The experience for clients is extremely transparent.  They have access to Eclipse's FileView solution which enables secure online self-service in real-time.  It means clients have access to information 24/7 at a time and location convenient for them, offering enhanced service at a fractional cost to us.  We also utilise Proclaim's auto-SMS text message feature which means we can be proactive in contacting clients when trigger points are achieved, keeping in touch in a very direct and personal way at every key stage of a claim.

Do you utilise Proclaim's integration features?

This is one of Proclaim's big advantages for us.  The system uses Web Services which means that anything with industry-standard technology can be integrated if need be.  We have integrated Proclaim with our scanning solution (scanned files go straight to the relevant client or matter), HPI vehicle lookups, address lookups, and an online document signup system.  Because Proclaim can pull and push data so easily, you don’t need teams of people retyping or rekeying data – providing opportunities for cost saving and, importantly, negating data entry errors.

Proclaim's integration with the RTA claims Portal is exceptional and unmatched in the marketplace.  This A2A (Application to Application) solution will also be rolled out at the appropriate time across other areas (e.g. EL / PL).  As we grow, we can see the continuing possibilities of Proclaim aiding our business drivers.

How do you use Proclaim for reporting and MI?

Internally we benefit from consistent, real-time data which can be shared across the entire practice.  Proclaim enables us to use data outside of the core system, which opens up very exciting ‘insights' for us.  For example, we have created browser-based real-time graphical dashboards, taking data straight from Proclaim.  We have overlaid this with another browser-based portal which lets Camps - and key external stakeholders and partners - view statistics such as number of cases that have arrived, source, by what channel, underlying value at any particular stage, and so on.  Essentially, management reporting is at a new multi-level that can be sliced and diced as required.  Standard insightful reporting on the overall practice and channel / business type can be actioned with clear drivers, simplifying decision making.

Any future plans you can share?

Proclaim gives us a solid platform for all developments and future projects.  With previous systems, this was impossible.  Proclaim has the full support of our senior management team and its inherent capabilities mean that we have a solution to ongoing legislative change and market pressures.  Our plans have Proclaim at the core - its flexible approach delivers against known and as yet unknown requirements.  Proclaim is the clear market leader, providing us with a superb platform for ongoing commercial growth.

TouchPoint journey – Conveyancing

Legal services provision is changing – your clients, customers and business partners are demanding more for less. They require more information, more quickly wherever they are.

And at a lower cost.

Eclipse’s new TouchPoint system puts them at the centre, providing a truly personal ‘self-service’ experience. With a slick and accessible interface, personalised interactive tiles enable you to deliver bespoke real-time data, information and applications, via any device and any web browser.

The Conveyancing Journey – using TouchPoint

For most people, buying a house is one of the most daunting and stressful experiences in life – especially for those not used to dealing with the legal profession. But for those using Touchpoint, the whole experience changes for the better. TouchPoint means they are involved, in touch and in control.

Client capture

Meet Sarah – she’s buying her first house and she’s looking for a conveyancing quote. One conveyancer she visits is a TouchPoint user, so rather than phoning or visiting them, an active tile on the firm’s site takes her to a quote calculator. Sarah gets her quote using her iPhone – and once happy with it, her information is pushed automatically into the firm’s Proclaim Case Management system. From here, all sorts of workflows can be triggered that get things moving for Sarah. A welcome SMS and an email give her secure access to her new TouchPoint self-service area.

Personalised

Because this is Sarah’s TouchPoint, and it’s personal to her, she can create a personalised map and snapshot of the house she has fallen in love with. Further information tiles can include plain-English explanations of the process, and useful FAQs – all helping to build Sarah’s confidence in the journey.

Keeping in touch

At any point, Sarah can contact and chat with her lawyer, and behind the scenes all queries and questions can be sucked into Proclaim, to trigger workflow or be rerouted to relevant personnel. For Sarah this means no more leaving messages, wondering if and when someone will call back.
Using TouchPoint’s ‘FileView’ tool, Sarah stays informed and in control. She can check on her file and its documentation any time and from anywhere. It’s a transparent view which gives Sarah the full conveyancing picture and a greater understanding of the process. The data she sees is secure, and in real-time – her law firm decides how much (or how little) is shown – whatever is right and appropriate for them.

Marketing

Through marketing features in TouchPoint, Sarah receives tailored communications, news feeds, blogs and even special offers that are relevant to her. She is free to just pull information, so she won’t get irritated by blanket ‘junk mailers’ – but she appreciates taking a look at a relevant news feed while at work on her PC or catching up with a blog on her smartphone.

TouchPoint helps to build a closer, more positive relationship between Sarah and her law firm. Once her house is bought and all the paperwork is complete, Sarah can then take part in a Client Satisfaction survey embedded in TouchPoint. The results are automatically captured in Proclaim, triggering relevant workflow tasks inside the firm.

And of course, subsequent data analysis helps the law firm continually improve customer service – which Sarah, or the friends she recommends to the firm, will appreciate when they want to buy or sell their homes.

From LA Law to Nesbit Law

Alan Nesbit, Owner of Nesbit Law Group LLP, tells us about his journey with Proclaim Practice Management.

About Nesbit Law Group LLP

• Personal Injury claims specialist
• A “service first” ethos
• 100 staff and growing rapidly

Click here to view video

Smith Jones Solicitors

Expanding Personal Injury practice utilises Proclaim to prepare for the future

“In a competitive legal environment, Proclaim gives us the advantage we need to continue our upward trajectory.”

Beverley Bellas, Finance Director

Smith Jones Solicitors is a rapidly expanding Personal Injury practice, and one of Lancashire’s best performing businesses across all sectors. The firm currently employs 60 people at its Burnley HQ and Warwickshire office.

The Challenge

The incumbent software solution’s vendor was acquired by a large multinational organisation. This meant that the development path for that product was abruptly ended. Smith Jones took the initiative and went to market for a future-proof Practice Management system. Core requirements were a guaranteed development path, simplicity of use, and tools that would enable lean, cost cutting process creation.

The Solution

Following a detailed analysis of available solutions, the decision was made to implement Proclaim. Smith Jones saw Proclaim as “the next step” in

Practice Management – future-proof, with a strong track record and rich fee earner toolset. Importantly, the cultural fit between Eclipse and Smith

Jones was excellent – both growing companies with a long-term vision.

The Results

Proclaim is used at every step of the client journey. The system’s ‘Lead Management’ toolset comes into play at very first contact, tracking key statistics for Smith Jones to ascertain the success of marketing campaigns. Features such as SMS text messaging and automated ‘milestone’ emails keep clients in the loop through the life of their case.

Smith Jones utilises Proclaim’s ‘A2A’ system for processing RTA cases through the Portal, and will be implementing the system for EL / PL files too. The practice has also created its own costs budgeting system to take into account new rulings on high-value injury cases.

The future will see Smith Jones expand its operations, aiming to be the number 1 personal injury firm in the region. Proclaim will sit at the core, providing a flexible and future-proof practice-wide solution.

Derry City Council chooses Proclaim

The UK’s leading Case Management Software provider, Eclipse Legal Systems, has announced its latest UK Public Sector win.

Derry City Council (one of the largest district councils in Northern Ireland) is implementing Eclipse’s Proclaim Case Management solution for its in-house legal team.  Eclipse will deliver a bespoke solution to cater for property management, as well as providing flexibility for a range of multi-disciplinary matter types.

As part of the project, Eclipse is also delivering a data export routine – using Proclaim’s integrated import / export toolset.  The export will enable Derry City Council to seamlessly extract data for use in the authority’s existing Health & Safety system.

In addition, the Council will benefit from Proclaim’s ‘MIWH’ (Management Information Warehouse) solution, enabling scheduled Proclaim reports to be amalgamated with external data of Derry’s choosing.

Dolores Evelyn, Sales Director at Eclipse Legal Systems, comments:

“Proclaim’s appeal as an all-round business solution is exceptionally strong.  We can proudly boast the broadest range of clients of any UK legal software vendor – private practice, Alternative Business Structures, FTSE companies, insurers, local Government bodies, charities, medical organisations and more.

“Proclaim’s appeal lies in its ease of use and its inherent flexibility.  Business challenges – be they competitive, legislative, or otherwise – are a constant for all organisations.  But those organisations using Proclaim can be confident that the system can be easily shaped and moulded to suit any fast-moving and dynamic operational environment.”

Eclipse announces EL / PL claims A2A Portal integration

Eclipse announces EL / PL claims A2A Portal integration

Users of Proclaim Personal Injury Case Management system to be given A2A Portal access

Eclipse Legal Systems, the legal sector’s largest independent software solutions provider, has announced the forthcoming rollout of its A2A solution for EL / PL work.

Following a series of Government rulings, all Road Traffic Accident (RTA) claims of a value less than £25,000 are processed through a central electronic ‘Portal’. This has recently been extended to incorporate Employers Liability (EL) and Public Liability (PL) claim types – again, of a value less than £25,000.

Eclipse was the very first vendor to make true integration with the RTA Portal available (back in 2010) via a seamless A2A (Application-to-Application) method. The announcement of A2A integration with the new extended EL / PL Portal marks another first for the company.

Using A2A, claimant law firms with Eclipse’s Proclaim Personal Injury Case Management solution will be able to manage EL / PL claims entirely through the Proclaim desktop, without resorting to the manual entry ‘web browser’ method.

Eclipse’s Business Solutions Director, Tracy Blencowe, comments:

“Our Proclaim A2A solution is the market’s leading system by quite a margin. We currently have over 250 law firms using A2A for RTA claims, and we expect a similar number will be using our EL / PL integration.

“We are approached almost daily by claimant law firms whose incumbent suppliers can’t (or won’t) provide full A2A integration for them. Given the recently reduced margins in some areas of personal injury work, an IT system that reduces administration and improves processing time is not merely desirable, it is vital.”

Are online applications, smartphone and tablet apps the future?

Are online applications, smartphone and tablet apps the future?

In terms of customer experience – and how that customer’s journey with their lawyer unfolds – then yes an accessible tablet / smartphone solution is vital.

BUT we would raise a warning here for anyone who thinks a simple “app” is the way forward.

In managing the customer experience and journey, you need much more than what the world generally understands by the term “app”. I know of lots of firms who have had an app created for them that, for example, will provide their customers with the ability to submit a photo of an accident. Ok great, but that is one tiny part of the whole journey. What happens next?

You need to ensure that the WHOLE journey is managed consistently and in tune with your back-office IT systems. A simple app will not do that for you.

You need a way for your customer to stay in touch and in the know, throughout the entire process. To provide that level of involvement you need a customer journey tool.

Eclipse’s new TouchPoint solution provides that – the ability for your customers to stay in touch and informed, 24/7, all using an iPad on their couch (if that’s their preference).

The journey needs so much more than just a quaint sales tool to provide customers with a quick “oh that’s nice”. Proper tablet or smartphone access to the legal process is a way in which you can provide a fantastic level of differentiation over your competitors.

And a great way to cement a convenient and transparent relationship with your customers (and the people they will refer to you in future, seeing as their experience was so great)!

Director Debbie Murphy describes her journey with Proclaim and the competitive advantages brought to St Helens Law.

High street practice uses Proclaim to deliver a superb client service experience

St Helens Law is a full-service, community law firm based in the heart of St Helens. The practice prides itself on delivering the best possible service to its clients.

Debbie Murphy (pictured – foot of article), Director at the firm, tells us about her experience of Eclipse and Proclaim.

Why did you decide to implement Proclaim?

Three of the four partners who formed St Helens Law (myself included) had used the previous incarnation of Eclipse software – “Chase” – at our last firm.  We didn’t need any convincing to implement Proclaim at the new practice, as we were extremely happy with our experience of Eclipse’s systems.

We opened the office in December 2001 with just four users on Proclaim.  As well as the core Case Management software, we also implemented the Proclaim Accounts solution to give us a fully integrated Practice Management system.

What benefits do you see from Proclaim?

First and foremost, Proclaim collates every single piece of client and matter data, storing this centrally.  So rather than scrabbling through paper files and storage cabinets for information, we know exactly where our data is.

Our policy here at St Helens Law is ‘scan and shred’ wherever possible.  Proclaim’s integrated scanning tools mean that every element of information can be stored electronically against the relevant client and / or matter.  Everything we need is on screen.  We even provide access directly into Proclaim for our costs drafting partners, negating the need to print and courier bulky paper files.  So our relationships with suppliers are efficient and seamless.

In a nutshell, Proclaim provides us with practice-wide consistency.  Here at St Helens Law we offer the full range of client services – matrimonial, personal injury, negligence, conveyancing, probate and commercial litigation.  Our processes and best practises now cover every area of work we undertake, for all 25 staff.

This makes things like achieving and maintaining Lexcel accreditation straightforward.  Proclaim provides visual reminders for fee earners, limitation warnings, and enables on-screen file reviews (no more hunting for paper!)

Fee earner management is also facilitated by Proclaim.  The system allows us to supervise work and channel what fee earners can and cannot do.  So for prescriptive work areas we can enforce very tight, process-driven workflows.  And for work which is more variable we can allow fee earners scope to really enhance the client service experience.

How does Proclaim help to enhance your client service?

Service and client experience is ultra-important for us.  Legal services are often distress purchases, so we need to make the process as clean, transparent, and caring as possible.  We benefit from a large amount of word-of-mouth recommendation, so keeping that service level high is vital.

Our clients have access to Eclipse’s FileView tool – FileView displays live case data from Proclaim within a secure online environment.  Our clients simply log in to their own personal area and they can view as much or as little about their file as is appropriate.  We can make documents available if we wish, or we can streamline the view to present a simplified milestone view.  Whatever is best for the client.

A key benefit of using Proclaim is that everything is centralised.  As I commented on earlier, Proclaim collates every single piece of client and matter data, so we know exactly where our data is.  What this means for clients is that any member of staff can respond to a query.  If the fee earner in charge of the case is on holiday, or ill, then no matter – somebody else can quickly give that client an update.  Nobody has a personal filing system any more, so we don’t have to overcome individual organisational quirks!

Do you use Proclaim for management reporting and statistics?

We utilise the full Proclaim Practice Management solution, and that gives us unrivalled reporting abilities.  On the financial side, we have access to departmental and company data, with the option to drill down into minute detail.  Proclaim’s inclusive reporting suite means that we can create and configure our own reports whenever we like – even setting these to automatically run and distribute at set times and frequencies.

This ‘information access’ means that we are always in the picture, empowering decisions and future planning.

Any future plans you can share?

Moving forward, we are looking at further utilising Proclaim as an all-round business solution, not just for purely legal work.  The system provides so much flexibility that we can tailor its usage to pretty much any process that we have internally.

In summation, I would say that providing a great service and experience for clients is our core ethos – and Proclaim helps us to achieve that.

Award-winning conveyancer bucks the trend

Advantage Property Lawyers (APL) is announcing continued strong growth, against a backdrop of challenging economic conditions.

APL, a licensed conveyancing practice, was founded in 2009 with 15 staff and has since seen headcount grow by 200%.  At its inception, the firm implemented Eclipse’s Proclaim Practice Management software solution to provide a solid and scalable technology backbone.

Proclaim is utilised by all APL staff, providing a centralised desktop toolkit for all property transactions.  Proclaim also provides the practice’s core financial and reporting toolset, enabling instant data retrieval with ongoing monitoring and analysis.

The ethos at APL focuses firmly on service and the provision of a superb client experience.  Despite its youth, the firm has already picked up the ‘Best Small UK Conveyancer’ prize at the Estate Agency of the Year Awards, and regularly features in the Land Registry’s top 50 conveyancers by completion volume.

Figures recently released show a 29% annual turnover increase to £1.51M for 2012. A further uplift of 40% is projected for 2013. Completions for 2013 are expected to increase to 4000.

Stephen Coupland, Head of Sales & Marketing at APL, comments:

“We are on track to achieve ‘Top 25 Status’ in 2014. Working with Proclaim will enable us to increase turnaround times and continue to provide a first class service to both our clients and introducers.”

TouchPoint going live at Fentons Solicitors LLP

Leading UK personal injury specialist, Fentons Solicitors LLP, is amongst the first to adopt Eclipse’s new TouchPoint solution.

Fentons – which recently gained its Alternative Business Structure licence – employs 300 staff at offices in Manchester and London.  The firm specialises in matters ranging from road traffic accidents and industrial disease claims through to complex, multi-million pound medical negligence cases.  Fentons utilises Eclipse’s Proclaim Practice Management Software solution for all staff and is now bringing onboard TouchPoint functionality.

Recently launched, TouchPoint provides an ‘always on’ self-service solution for firms’ clients and business partners.  A personalised, convenient experience, TouchPoint can be delivered via any device (e.g. iPad, smartphone), operating on any platform (iOS, Android, Windows).

TouchPoint provides users with a choice of ’tiles’ that can be presented to clients to provide a transparent and user-friendly interface with case progress, KPIs, marketing systems, document management, geo-mapping, and more.

Paul Medcalfe, Partner and Head of IT at Fentons Solicitors, comments:

“One of the main advantages of TouchPoint is the fact that it is not dependent on any one operating system, enabling users – our business partners or clients – to benefit.  As a firm we are proud of our reputation, secured by delivering the best in client service and support, and we always want our clients to have the best possible experience.  Initially we will be introducing TouchPoint to our business partners – such as our costs draftsmen – but then we plan to roll this out to those clients who want to track progression and communicate with us from the solution.”

Steve Ough, Chief Software Architect at Eclipse, comments:

“TouchPoint is a genuinely unique solution in the legal services market – we are delighted that our latest innovation is so in tune with forward-thinking law firms.”

Eclipse team completes 'The Blockbuster'

A huge well done to all 27 members of Team Eclipse, who recently completed the Jane Tomlinson’s Walk for All “Blockbuster” charity hike.

The Blockbuster event saw hundreds of participants take on the challenge of a 14-mile hike in the Yorkshire Dales.  The hikers experienced all weather seasons – from heavy rain and gale-force winds, through to welcoming sunshine – whilst tackling the arduous route which included a 418-step climb up Malham Cove.

Eclipse’s nominated charity for the event was for the Barth Syndrome Foundation.  BST is dedicated to saving lives through education, advances in treatment, and finding a cure for Barth syndrome – a sometimes fatal, oftentimes debilitating genetic disease affecting boys.

Team Eclipse raised over £2,000 for the charity, and would like to thank all of those who kindly made donations.  To show your support, you can still donate – please visit the Eclipse Virgin Money Giving page.

The shortlist for the Eclipse Proclaim Modern Law Awards

We are delighted to announce this year’s shortlist for the inaugural Eclipse Proclaim Modern Law Awards 2013 which take place on Wednesday 25th September at The Dorchester hotel in London.

The Judges were extremely impressed with the high calibre of the nominations for the 17 award categories and had an overwhelming number of individual entries to consider. After much deliberation the panel of expert judges have whittled down all the entries to the final shortlist of firms and individuals below:

• Alan Nesbit – Nesbit Law Group
• Allsquare Legal
• Amanda Illing – Hardwicke
• Berrymans Lace Mawer
• Bott & Co
• Brilliant Law
• Camps Solicitors
• Christina Blacklaws – Co-Op Legal Services
• Clifford James Consultants
• Coby Benson – Bott & Co
• Co-Op Legal Services
• Eileen Pembridge – Fischer Meredith
• Emsleys Solicitors
• Fasstrac Solicitors
• Fox Williams
• Gladys Swaim-Rutter – Roberts Jackson
• Gelbergs Solicitors
• Hardwicke
• Hatti Suvari – Red Bar Law
• Helen Molyneux – NewLaw Solicitors
• Injurylawyers4U
• Just Costs Solicitors
• Karen Jackson – Roberts Jackson
• Keoghs
• Knights Solicitors
• Laura Hobey-Harmsher – Fischer Meredith
• McMillan Wi
• lliam
• myhomemove
• NewLaw Solicitors
• Ostrich Law
• Parabis
• Paul Addison – DevAssist
• Peter Garsden – QualitySolicitors Abney Garsden
• Pudsey Legal
• QualitySolicitors Abney Garsden
• Quindell Legal Services
• Roberts Jackson
• Sameer Karim – Douglas Wemyss LLP
• Schillings
• SGI Law
• Tim Oliver – Parabis
• Trevor Gilbert – Trevor Gilbert & Associates
• True Solicitors
• Winn Solicitors
• Wolf Law
• Zebra Legal Consulting

Are you innovating or window dressing?

Are ABSs and other legal entities doing enough to innovate legal services for the customer or are they simply changing the window dressing?

By ‘innovate’, we’re going to make a bit of a leap here and suggest that a key way to do that is to make the ‘buying’ process for customers easier.  Generally, the simpler and more convenient the ‘buying’ process is, the happier customers will be… and the more ‘buying’ they will do.

To illustrate this, one of the best places to look is the big online retailers and how they do it (so Amazon, for example).

Despite operating in a very different sector, what facets of their service make the buying process easier? Generalising (again), it comes down to:

• Simplicity of finding the right product (service)
• An easy and streamlined way to buy the product (service)
• A clear and simple way to keep track of the transaction
• An easy and convenient way to stay in touch (via a range of devices, e.g. iPhone, tablet, etc)

In the days when everyone spoke of ‘Tesco Law’, everyone assumed that the new wave of legal service providers would roll out this more ‘retail’ based approach to buying legal products. And the assumption was that it would happen on day 1.

In reality, the change has been more ‘subtle drip, drip’ than ‘big bang’. Yes some organisations are moving more towards this ‘make the process easy’ model for their customers. But it’s a slow transition, and the likes of Tesco have not marched along and transformed legal service provision overnight. So the scope for innovative service delivery is still there, and that is very exciting.

And note that there is nothing to stop ‘traditional’ law firm structures from innovating here – it’s just a mindset change and a marketing focus that is required.

The market is waiting!

TouchPoint – true client self-service

How to retain competitive advantage in the ABS era

Charlotte Parkinson, Modern Law Magazine, spoke to Dolores Evelyn (pictured); Eclipse Legal Systems, about how technology can help small to medium sized firms retain competitive advantage following the emergence of ABS giants, since the ABS Act was passed through parliament at the end of 2011.

It has been just over a year since the ABS Act cleared its final hurdle and was conceded through Parliament and already some big players within the legal services sector have began to emerge. The appearance of ABS firms such as BT Law, Quindell, The Co-op, Thompsons, Admiral Law, Ageas Law and Stobarts, has left many smaller law firms wondering how they can streamline their service offerings in order to retain competitive advantage and avoid their clients being swallowed up by these new ABS giants.

While it is feared that many of these newly emerging industry heavyweights will begin to swamp the market, some consumers feel as though firms of this size can lose the personal aspect of service which can often be instrumental to success in an exceptionally competitive market. The client may be afraid of being subject to endless options on an automated telephone service for example. Although there are some larger corporations, such as NatWest, breaking the mould with their innovative NatWest Mobile Branch Banking, which creates an accessible service for its customers in rural areas by providing them with access to banking without having to travel to towns and cities, many larger firms have neglected the personal aspect of customer service.

A pro-active approach

So, what are the ways in which the smaller law firms can remain at the fore of the market now that these huge ABS corporations are in play? The average person will use a lawyer four times in their life and this will broadly be across four consumer areas of law; conveyancing, probate and possibly family and personal injury. As it will be a necessity for most people to use these services at some point in their life there is certainly the demand for the service, so it is the competitive edge for the small to medium sized firms that is vital.

Technology has advanced beyond recognition within the last 10 years and has changed the scope for possibility within the legal sector. Many firms are therefore looking towards their technological service providers to aid in giving them the competitive advantage and market share and while some of these firms are being pro-active in the way they approach market uncertainty and change, there are some firms where this much needed pro-active nature is lacking. They must listen to their service providers in these times of change as they can help them remain slick and efficient and give them the advantage they so desperately need.

Dolores Evelyn, Sales Director at Eclipse Legal Systems, comments:

“One technology recently revealed - which perfectly fits this ‘service’ ethos – is Eclipse’s own TouchPoint client self-service portal. TouchPoint provides a secure, online, device independent way for clients and customers to manage their own cases. The TouchPoint ‘experience’ and client journey has simplicity at its heart, and carries the none-too-small advantage of providing great savings in administrative costs.

As the market changes, clients will demand a different ‘type’ of service - one that is ‘always on’ and provides the most hassle-free way of staying in contact. TouchPoint is open to firms of all sizes, enabling smaller operators to really level the playing field and provide a ‘big firm’ self-service portal experience.”

St Helens Law

High street practice uses Proclaim to deliver a superb client service experience

“Providing a great service and ‘experience’ for clients is our core ethos. Proclaim helps us to achieve that.”

Debbie Murphy, Director

St Helens Law is a full-service, community law firm based in the heart of St Helens. The practice prides itself on delivering the best possible service to its clients.

The Challenge

St Helens Law was born in 2001, the founders (and current directors) aiming to build a local law firm with a reputation for impeccable client service. The requirement was for a full Practice Management solution that could be implemented for a small firm, but which had the scope to be expanded in line with future growth.

The Solution

As a previous – and very happy – user of Eclipse’s last generation of software (entitled ‘CHASE’), the new law firm chose to implement a Proclaim Practice Management solution. Proclaim has its own integrated development toolsets, providing the opportunity for active growth and enhancement in line with operational requirements.

The Results

St Helens Law now uses Proclaim for 25 staff across all departments – personal injury and clinical negligence, family, conveyancing, probate and commercial litigation. Proclaim was vital in enabling the practice to gain Lexcel accreditation, standardising processes across all departments, setting tasks and limitation warnings, and providing instant onscreen case review information.

The firm uses a ‘scan and shred’ methodology – the result being that all client and matter information is accessible within Proclaim by all authorised staff. This makes answering client queries very straightforward (“no hunting for information!”), and is enhanced by the firm’s use of Eclipse’s FileView system to provide secure, live online case viewing for clients.

Looking to the future, St Helens Law intends to further its use of Proclaim, looking upon the solution as a “full business package” – not just ‘Practice Management’.

Claims management – technology, process improvement, culture

Is improving technological process enough to energise claims departments, make them more efficient and prove value to clients / funders / partners? Is culture a barrier to processing claims more effectively?

Improving technological process is crucial, and to some degree a bit of a ‘no brainer’. But making the leap between “an improvement in technological process” to creating a “real value improvement for stakeholders”… that’s a bit more involved.

To add value to everybody in the chain (clients, funders, partners), the end result has to be simplification. Can these stakeholders see (or get) what they want, when they want it, as a result of the “technological process improvement”. Cultural barriers exist when technical advance on paper does not translate to value in real life.

So it’s about accessibility and simplicity. Does the process improvement:

• Simplify service delivery?
• Streamline the relevant steps required through the claim process?
• Maintain clarity in the process?
• Provide convenience and a ‘value feel’ for all stakeholders?

Any technological improvement that impacts so many different stakeholders has to be assessed from all angles – client, funder and partner. So yes that cultural barrier is present, and needs to be attacked from multiple angles to break through it – not just one.

But if this can be achieved, with the right implementation of the right technology, the benefits are obvious.

• Proclaim Case Management Software
• TouchPoint – true client self-service

Pre-Sales Consultant

Join the UK Market Leader!

Who are we?

Eclipse Legal Systems is the UK’s leading provider of software solutions to legal services firms.  Our core product, Proclaim, is in use by 18,000 individuals at over 700 organisations.  We currently employ 145 people (and rising) at our Bradford HQ.

What do we need?

We’re growing fast and we need a bright, motivated sales person to join our growing team.  The role specifically requires you to nurture ‘Early Interest’ prospects – who have already made contact with Eclipse – and manage the relationship to the point where these prospects are ready to take the next step.  At this point, the prospects are referred on to our field sales team.

Who are you?

You might be a determined graduate looking for the next step to a sales career, or you may already have some sales experience and be looking to bring that to a company that values it.  What we are looking for is:

• Patience
• Empathy
• Great organisation and the ability to work unsupervised
• Possession of a driving licence
• Good technical skills (e.g. Microsoft Office)
• Excellent personal presentation and communication skills
• Strong work ethic with ability to meet and exceed expectations.

What do you get?

Fantastic exposure to a professional selling role – with the opportunity to progress further based upon your results.

Salary is in line with ability and achievements.  In addition, we provide benefits (after a qualifying period) such as:

Loyalty reward scheme – examples include car parking, additional holiday entitlement, iPad, golf club membership, etc…

On-site – and free – company gym

Annual conference events (previous years have seen us visit Rome, Prague, Amsterdam and more).

Apply now

please email your CV and covering letter to careers@eclipselegal.co.uk.

Please note that due to the volume of applications received, we will unfortunately not be able to respond to unsuccessful candidates

Camps Solicitors - Using Proclaim Practice Management to benefit in the new era of Personal Injury

“Proclaim is the clear market leader, providing us with a superb platform for ongoing commercial growth”

James Barron, IT Director 

Camps Solicitors is one of the UK’s largest Personal Injury and Negligence claims practices, boasting among the highest success rates in the country. The firm employs almost 300 people at its Merseyside HQ.

The Challenge

Camps was facing two significant challenges. Firstly, the firm’s existing Case and Practice Management solutions were struggling under the demands of continued growth (Camps had gone from 80 to 300 staff). Secondly, large-scale legislative changes in the personal injury arena were looming, necessitating a review of IT and working practices.

The Solution

Following an intensive selection process, Proclaim was chosen as the firm’s core Practice and Case Management solution. Proclaim is utilised by all case handlers at Camps, providing a single desktop approach across every claim type. The integrated Proclaim development toolset provides the Camps technical team with an independent means to manage, configure, and expand the system as required.

The Results

Proclaim’s integration with the Claims Portal means that Camps has a future-proof solution to legislative change across all claim types (including RTA, EL / PL and clinical negligence). By implementing process guidelines, efficiencies have been introduced which bring simplified claim inception, reduced timescales, and improved quality.

Camps is a proactive user of Proclaim’s integration capabilities, with Web Services technology providing a range of platforms for the firm to both view and distribute MI and data trends. This also provides Camps with the ability to provide an optimised customer journey, keeping claimants advised of progress via SMS text messaging and an online portal.

Camps has ambitious growth plans, with Proclaim providing a solid platform for future developments and projects.

Conveyancing ABS chooses Proclaim

DC Law, part of heavyweight property services group ‘Move with Us’, is implementing Eclipse’s Proclaim Practice Management Software solution. DC Law provides a full range of conveyancing services for an expanding, nationwide clientbase. The firm was among the first tranche of organisations to be licensed as an Alternative Business Structure, back in 2012.

Proclaim is being implemented as DC Law’s core Practice Management solution as part of its preparation for high growth. Proclaim Conveyancing will be rolled out to all users, with the integrated Proclaim Accounts solution providing firm-wide financial management. As part of the implementation, Eclipse is carrying out a migration of data from the incumbent financial system.

As an integral part of the core Proclaim solution, DC Law will also be taking the Proclaim Lead Management and Compliance toolsets to provide seamless marketing, file opening, and ongoing adherence to CLC (Council for Licensed Conveyancers) regulations.

Rachel Khan, Head of Operations at Move with Us, comments:

Rachel Khan“Our selection process was intensive – for us it was vital for the chosen system to provide the maximum possible ‘streamlining’, and also the best possible ‘client experience’. This aligns with the Move with Us drive to “deliver Property, properly”. Our goal is provide a beacon conveyancing practice which we can use to develop the whole Move with Us conveyancing panel nationally.

“Proclaim will provide us with the full range of management and service tools. What stood out to us, in comparison to other solutions in the market, was the feel that Proclaim is a dynamic, living system. Configuration options are endless, whether that be the creation of bespoke operational reporting, integration with third-party solutions, or the provision of customer-friendly marketing touchpoints.”

Vehicle lookups at the click of a button

The UK’s leading provider of Case Management Software – Eclipse Legal Systems – has announced integration with the leading UK provider of vehicle lookup data, CDL Vehicle Information Services (CDL VIS).

CDL is perhaps best known for popular consumer services such as MyCarCheck and MyTextCheck. The company carries out over 2,000,000 vehicle checks per day for partners including GoCompare, Moneysupermarket, Swiftcover and What Car? From a vehicle registration number, CDL can provide a huge range of information, from make, model and fuel-type to the recorded mileage, estimated value, accident and theft history, or if there is outstanding finance. The data used is obtained from numerous different sources, including the Police National Computer (PNC), the DVLA, and the Association of British Insurers (ABI).

Eclipse’s integration work with the CDL system means that users of Eclipse’s Proclaim solutions can now benefit from one-click vehicle lookup. The data provided by CDL can be seamlessly populated into the Proclaim system for further analysis or reporting.

Tracy Blencowe, Business Solutions Director at Eclipse, comments:

“Part of Proclaim’s attraction for forward-thinking businesses is its ease of integration with complementary solutions. This latest integration further strengthens that appeal to any organisation whose processes include vehicle management.”

Trevor Greenwood, Business Manager at CDL, comments:

“At CDL we have an unrivalled track record in working with market-leading service and technology providers – we are delighted to have released this latest integration for the benefit of the legal sector.”

Congratulations to our Leeds 10k Runners

A huge well done to all 14 members of Team Eclipse who took part in the Leeds 10k on Sunday. The runners endured a tough race as the temperature had already reached 24°c  by the time the 9:30 event got under way.

Despite the soaring sun there were some excellent times posted by our runners. Karen Butler led the charge finishing 93rd overall out of 3,250 female runners, this put her in the top 3% off all the ladies.

• Karen Butler (Sales Consultant):                  47m 56s
• Tim Barlow (Project Consultant):                 50m 15s
• James Fletcher (Integration Consultant):       50m 45s

A special congratulations to Tabrez Butt (Relationship Manager), who on his own has managed to raise over £800, a fantastic effort!

All the money raised is for the Martin House children’s hospice. Thank you to every one who has donated so far, every donation makes a difference to the difficult lives of both the children and families who rely on the Hospice.

To show your support for our runners and the Hospice, visit the Eclipse Virgin Money Giving page.

Client service – make it easy to buy

How easy do you make it for your clients to do business with you?

Odd question maybe, but despite its simple premise the easier you make the ‘buying’ process, the happier your clients will be.  And that means more word-of-mouth business, as those happy clients will talk about their experience.

Ok so where to begin, how do you make that ‘experience’ for your clients better?  One of the best places to start is by looking at how big online retailers do it (so Amazon, for example). Despite operating in a very different sector, what facets of their service can you replicate?

• How easy it is to find out about your service?
• How easy is it to get in touch?
• How easy is it for your clients to STAY in touch and track progress of their transaction with you?
• Can they stay abreast of proceedings via a range of devices (e.g. iPhone, tablet, etc)?

This ‘ease’ will become more and more of a service differentiator as the legal sector is forced to look outside of traditional models for getting new business.

Technologies such as Eclipse’s TouchPoint client self-service portal will be vital.

Do you have the tools to succeed…?

Eclipse 2013 Company Conference - Rome

This weekend saw the amazing Eclipse 2013 Company Conference held in Rome, to celebrate another great year. All staff were invited and a wonderful time was had by all. The Tivoli Fountain was one of the many hi-lights.

The Time is Now

Charlotte Parkinson, Modern Law Magazine, spoke to Darren Gower, Eclipse Legal Systems, about how service providers are helping law firms remain efficient and cost effective during a time when many clients are expecting the same high levels of service for lower costs.

At a time when many law firms are being forced to adapt and look for fresh and innovative ways of running their firms, many are looking to their service providers for guidance. Of course, one of the largest and arguably the least utilised and understood of these is the IT service provider.

While it is impossible not to have noticed the – to use the word of the moment – change, some people are still uncertain about exactly how and why utilising technology could benefit them and enable them to start running their law firms as businesses. It has certainly become clear that, in light of the ABS era and other developments in the field, firms need to move away from the thinking and towards the doing in order to achieve this. In the past, many have viewed IT as an unknown quantity, preferring to stay in line with the traditional way of running their firms. Many have felt unsure of how they should be using technology to assist in the transition from the old to the new era of legal services.

Change for growth

There is no doubt that the time is definitely now for the legal sector to embrace technology, as other sectors have done already and it is clear that here are definitely lessons that can be learned by looking at these. The Insurance division, for example, now utilise aggregator websites to streamline the process of claims handling for all parties involved. There are certainly some law firms that either have already, or are in the process of, acting and reacting to changes. They have realised the responsibility their decision makers have to understand and embrace technology so they can use it to deliver tangible business results. There are, however, still those whose understanding of technology leaves something to be desired.

It is therefore key to look at where the future of technology is heading as it is fast becoming a primary driver of market differentiation, business growth and profitability. Of course, while the needs and demands of each firm will differ depending on such factors as specialisms and size, all firms wishing to embrace the change are looking to their service providers to supply them with secure, efficient, value for money and innovative solutions.

So, in an ever evolving era where client expectation is rising, what is out there? While there is no doubt that the challenges that face the legal sector have never been greater, therein also lays opportunity to truly differentiate and generate competitive advantage.

Darren Gower comments:

“For example, one technology recently revealed is Eclipse’s own ‘TouchPoint’ client self-service portal. TouchPoint provides a secure, online, device-independent way for clients and customers to manage their own cases. Administrative costs are saved, and the opportunity to provide a transparent and instantaneous service is presented. As the market changes, and clients demand a different ‘type’ of service, firms should look to technology such as self-service portals as a key way to stand out from the crowd and deliver a truly different standard of client experience.”

The Eclipse Proclaim Personal Injury Awards 2013 – Nominations now open!

The Eclipse Proclaim Personal Injury Awards 2013 takes place on the 26th November at The Riverbank Park Plaza Hotel, London. Once again, Eclipse is proud to be the headline sponsor of this market-leading event, celebrating excellence in the PI sector.

The Eclipse Proclaim Personal Injury Awards, now in their sixth year, provide a unique opportunity to highlight and celebrate the excellence of individuals and organisations across the personal injury sector.

They bridge the partisan ‘claimant/defendant divide’ by encompassing all professionals and key service providers working in this field. The objectives of the Awards are to identify high standards of practice and to inspire others to emulate the achievements demonstrated by those who have been shortlisted.

Click here for a full list of the awards and to make your nominations. And yes you can nominate yourself!

For further information regarding the Awards please contact darren.gower@eclipselegal.co.uk

The Eclipse Proclaim Modern Law Awards 2013 – Nominations now open!

The Eclipse Proclaim Modern Law Awards 2013 takes place on the 25th September at The Dorchester Hotel, Park Lane London.

Eclipse is proud to be the headline sponsor of these exclusive new awards, which celebrate innovative businesses and legal service providers.

Champions in ABSs, new legal entrants and pre-existing law firms that have successfully led engaging, relevant and new strategies for gold-plated services and business growth will be praised in the first of these national awards.

The winners will be chosen by a cross-industry panel of high profile judges.

Click here for a full list of the awards and to make your nominations. And yes you can nominate yourself!

For further information regarding the Awards please contact darren.gower@eclipselegal.co.uk

Eclipse announces Doctors Chambers integration

Leading legal software provider, Eclipse Legal Systems, has announced direct integration with the Doctors Chambers medical expert solution.

Eclipse's Proclaim Personal Injury case management solution (one of the family of Proclaim casetypes) is in use at a huge range of claimant law firms who utilise the system to manage claims 'end-to-end'.  As part of this process, practitioners need to engage a medical agency to provide timely and reliable medical reports from appropriate experts and GPs.  Doctors Chambers is one of the country's leading medical agencies, providing a full medical reporting and rehabilitation service to UK law firms of all sizes.

The new integration between Eclipse and Doctors Chambers enables those law firms who use both companies to benefit from rapid and automated medical report management.  Proclaim users can make a '1 click' request from the system which directly communicates with the Doctors Chambers 'DC Cloud' solution.  Information is passed back to Proclaim (for example, a list of available GP appointments) and from here the two systems can share information about the claim and ongoing progress.  Documentation, payment data and invoices can be shared between the two, in real-time, streamlining traditional manual 'request and wait' processes.

Eclipse's Business Solutions Director, Tracy Blencowe, comments: "This integration provides clients of Eclipse and Doctors Chambers with a fat-reducing way in which to manage medical reporting.  Streamlining administration is becoming vital in light of legislative pressures on personal injury, and solutions which remove non value-adding work are in high demand."

Dr Bippon Vinayak, CEO of Doctors Chambers, adds: "The integration between Proclaim and DC Cloud is truly application-to-application, and this provides the quickest and most secure way in which to rapidly share confidential medical information.  We have worked together to produce a truly efficiency-enhancing solution."

Eclipse expands international presence with Zambia win

Eclipse has announced its latest international client with the win of Zambia-based Folotiya and Chiumya Legal Practitioners. This latest win adds a further international territory to Eclipse's portfolio which also includes Latvia, Switzerland, Australia and Nigeria.

Folotiya and Chiumya was among the very first niche legal practices to open in Zambia, focusing solely on corporate and commercial law. Prior to founding the firm with her partner, Natasha Chiumya was an instrumental part of PricewaterhouseCooper’s (PwC) corporate recovery team and has extensive experience in private sector development.

The practice majors in advising on banking and financial transactions, liquidations and receiverships, attending to corporate acquisitions, and managing property transactions of medium- and large-scale developments.

Folotiya and Chiumya is implementing Eclipse's Proclaim system throughout the firm as its core Practice Management solution. A conveyancing workflow is also being taken, with consultancy work provided by Eclipse to tailor that system specifically for use in the African territory. In addition, the firm is taking Eclipse's FileView solution to provide real-time, transparent online access to matter information.

Natasha Chiumya of the practice comments:

"As a niche practitioner we were looking for a solution that would provide us with both internal efficiencies and external competitive differentiation. Proclaim provides that fit for us, and will be invaluable as we grow our presence and our brand."

Walker Prestons Solicitors

The growth of an Industrial Disease heavyweight

“Proclaim enables us to deliver an excellent level of service, optimising the quality of the client's journey with us every step of the way."

Anser Amin, Partner

Walker Prestons Solicitors is one of the country's leading Industrial Disease firms, providing a full end-to-end claims service. With offices in Blackburn and Sheffield, the firm employs around 60 legal professionals and celebrates its 10^th birthday in 2013.

The Challenge
As a young firm, Walker Prestons was looking for a way to increase claim throughput, without the need to radically scale up its headcount. A system was sought that could automate much of the 'standard' procedure within claims, but which provided the freedom to manage them in the firm's preferred way.

The Solution
Eclipse's Proclaim Case Management system was implemented to provide a complete, centralised desktop solution for the firm's claim handlers and fee earners. Initially implemented to manage RTA claims, staff at Walker Prestons have been able to utilise Proclaim's in-built toolset to create a dedicated Industrial Disease system. This was possible following a short series of Eclipse training courses and some advice from the Eclipse Support Team, and has not necessitated advanced technical knowledge, nor the employment of dedicated IT staff.

The Results
Proclaim is used to manage a huge number and variety of Industrial Disease claims, as well as a consistently high number of RTA cases. Proclaim lends itself to organising complex cases with multiple correspondents and heavy document production - staff can handle more work and benefit from automated task lists and reminders to keep organised.
The firm has expanded from 10 to 60 staff, enjoying a great level of word-of-mouth and recommendation business. Proclaim helps clients of Walker Prestons to stay informed through intelligent (personalised) document production and automated SMS text messaging. The firm has ambitious plans to grow further, with Proclaim at the centre of its operations.

New Alternative Business Structure invests in Eclipse's Proclaim solution

Autonet Law LLP, which was granted its ABS licence by the SRA in April 2013, has selected Eclipse's Proclaim Practice Management Software solution.

Autonet Law has been established by Autonet Insurance Services Ltd to provide a personal injury claims solution for its client base. Formed in 1998, Autonet currently writes over £100 million GWP per annum and employs over 650 staff at its site in Stoke on Trent.

Autonet Law is implementing Proclaim throughout the firm as its core Practice Management solution. Proclaim's integrated Lead Management system is included to provide seamless marketing, file opening, and ongoing adherence to SRA regulations. In addition, Autonet Law is taking advantage of Proclaim's A2A (Application-to-Application) functionality to process low-value RTA (Road Traffic Accident) claims through the Government's Portal system.

Ian Donaldson, Managing Director of Autonet, comments:

"As a newly formed practice, our primary goal was to implement an established and scalable solution that is already proven and in use by other Alternative Business Structures. It’s of vital importance to us that all matters we handle follow our strict quality guidelines, from both a business angle and a compliance one.

Proclaim will allow us to progress claims in an effective and transparent manner, removing any duplication and non-value adding administration. We see Proclaim as an excellent fit for our business moving forward, and see the system as an integral part of our growth strategy."

FTSE 250 company, Carillion, implements Proclaim

Carillion Advice Services (CAS), part of FTSE 250 company, Carillion, has implemented Eclipse's Proclaim Case Management Software solution.

As a group, Carillion employs 40,000 people and generates global revenues of over £4billion. Majoring in construction and investment activities, Carillion has expanded its portfolio to offer legal and advice services, with CAS delivering quality, timely, advice to individuals and organisations. CAS operates in both the public and private sectors and is known for both quality and the competitive rates at which advice is provided. The innovative CAS model and expertise in managed legal service and outsourcing offers a highly scalable platform for growth.

CAS recently won a 5-year contract with the Legal Aid Agency to provide legally aided telephone advice (having last year taken over the contract holder, Eaga). Managed by Carillion Legal, the contract is being run by CAS which is now the country's largest advice provider of its type.

Following an exhaustive selection process, Carillion chose Eclipse's Proclaim system to manage all core CAS advice and matter progression work. Proclaim provides a complete, centralised desktop solution for all CAS fee earners and advisors, managing the full lifecycle of each file, from inception to conclusion.

Helen Ord, who heads CAS, comments:

"Of key importance for us was a solution that provides a slick and user-friendly environment for our advisors, whilst also providing the best possible experience for the people we help. Proclaim fits the bill on both accounts, and in it we have found the perfect framework in which to deliver our service promise."

Eclipse's Chief Business Executive, Russell Thomson, comments:

"We are delighted to welcome Carillion onboard - Proclaim provides a fantastic solution for organisations wanting to deliver an optimum service experience both internally and externally. We look forward to a long and successful relationship."

Proclaim integrates with Lawyer Checker

The UK’s largest independently owned legal IT provider, Eclipse Legal Systems, has announced integration with the new ‘Lawyer Checker’ service.

Lawyer Checker is an online service that allows a purchase conveyancer to gather further information on the seller’s conveyancer.  Specifically, the service identifies if bank account details provided by the buyer’s conveyancer have a track record of use in conveyancing.

Lawyer Checker was born from a need to avoid a growing trend for fraud, whereby a fictitious firm, or disqualified firm, would pose as a legitimate conveyancer.  Some fraudsters have even gone so far as to enter their details into the SRA list of solicitors’ practices, thereby assuming an initial mask of legitimacy.  Lawyer Checker analyses a database of law firm client account numbers to see if the account requesting funds is one that is ‘known’, or if the details appear to be new (or infrequently used).  The service can provide further checks on over ten databases including Land Registry previous transaction data, CQS list and FCA Registers to provide a comprehensive report on the entity associated with that account.

Eclipse’s Proclaim Case and Practice Management Solutions now enable conveyancers to action a Lawyer Checker search at the click of a button – the search can even be triggered automatically as part of a workflow process, at pre-defined points.  The results of the check are then used to judge the risk of sending funds to the suggested account.

Tracy Blencowe, Business Solutions Director at Eclipse, comments:

“Lawyer Checker adds a valuable risk control element to conveyancing.  Our Proclaim Conveyancing systems are in use at over 200 law firms, and this tool is a great fit for practices wanting to add an extra dimension to their risk management processes.”

Eclipse appoints The Black Hole marketing agency

(Reproduced with kind permission from The Black Hole)

Business growth opportunities for the nation’s legal services firms are to be bolstered as the UK’s leading Case Management Software provider, Eclipse Legal Systems, appoints Leeds-based response marketing agency, The Black Hole, to help increase its lead on the competition.

The appointment, following a four-way pitch, supports Eclipse’s ambitious growth plans and work will include a market positioning review, new messaging, branding and customer contact strategies.

Darren Gower, Head of Marketing at Eclipse Legal Systems, said:

“Today’s lawyers must be quick to respond to changing customer requirements & spot new opportunities. Not only is our Proclaim software best in class for effectively managing caseloads, it actively helps develop the client relationship, opening up new avenues for business growth. So we need a marketing partner that can help us to cement our position and open up new business opportunities.

“It is key for us to work with a team offering a proven ability to understand customers and generate significant response, and as a response specialist, The Black Hole is right for us. We were very impressed at the effort and level of understanding displayed by The Black Hole. Not only did the initial creative suggestions stand out for me, but also the agency’s understanding of our market place and how to drive more opportunities from it.”

Ian Feber, Founder and Creative Strategy Director, The Black Hole, said:

“We’re very pleased to be working with a market-leader like Eclipse. The Black Hole brings specialist experience in developing propositions, marketing strategy and creative that grows businesses, providing clear returns on investment, and we look forward to generating significant results with the team at Eclipse.”