SNS Solicitors offers high quality service with Eclipse's Proclaim Case Management Software solution

Eclipse Legal Systems, the sole Law Society Endorsed legal software provider, is implementing its Proclaim Case Management Software solution at SNS Solicitors, a new start-up firm based in Cheshire.

Founded by Sarah Singh, an experienced solicitor in complex RTAs and litigation, the boutique firm specialises in a range of services across the personal injury sector - from accidents at work and slips and trips, through to RTAs and holiday sickness. Based in the centre of Altrincham, SNS Solicitors is a professional, modern and dynamic firm, priding itself on its ability to deal with claims efficiently and meticulously, ensuring clients receive the best service possible.

As a new start-up, SNS Solicitors needed to implement the right legal software solution to enable streamlined case progression from day one, ultimately serving to establish a sterling reputation right away. With previous experience of the solution, Sarah knew Eclipse's Proclaim Personal Injury Case Management system could improve case handling and increase the quality of client service, without needing to employ a full team of support staff.

Additionally, Proclaim's inherent flexibility means the system can be tailored - entirely in-house - to suit SNS Solicitors, and any area of personal injury work.

Sarah Singh, Director of SNS Solicitors, comments:

"We need to be able to continually develop our services in order to meet the needs of our clients, and the dynamic personal injury sector. With previous experience of Proclaim, I knew it was the right legal software for us - geared to streamlining the entire case handling process, and eliminating administration time, it's perfect in enabling a new start-up to offer high quality client service whilst efficiently increasing case volume."

Eclipse Legal Systems announces innovative Mediation Case Management Software solution

Law Society Endorsed legal software provider, Eclipse Legal Systems, has announced the creation of an innovative addition to its portfolio of case and matter management workflows.

The new Proclaim Mediation Case Management system has been designed to eliminate time-consuming document production and simplify the complicated rates and structures associated with this particular area of legal services. Although initially being used for family-orientated processes, the Proclaim Mediation solution is entirely customisable to suit workplace, commercial and public dispute procedures.

In addition to the inherent Proclaim functionality - such as data storage, document creation, time recording etc - the solution has also been tailored to seamlessly guide fee earners through all mediation case stages. This includes the facility to detail MAIMs appointments, any subsequent joint meetings, and financial or childcare agreements, as well as capabilities for automated letter production and full diary and task management.

Furthermore, Proclaim's provision for Legal Aid work means all time is automatically recorded - available for users to effortlessly upload to the LAA - eliminating duplicate data entry and allowing for the submission of bills directly through the Proclaim desktop.

Laura Clapton (pictured), Mediator and Partner at Eclipse client, Consilia Legal, comments on the legal software:

"We simply could not carry out mediation work to this standard without using Proclaim - mediation is extremely admin intensive and requires excellent organisation - the system provides a core service delivery backbone, and is the perfect PA!"

The 'millennial advantage'

Eclipse Legal Systems spoke to Modern Claims Magazine about the skills that millennials can bring to the claims sector, and how companies can best harness these.

The millennial generation is the largest age group to emerge since the baby boom generation, and will soon make up the majority of the workforce.

Many businesses use the same method of educating new recruits, whereby the 'older' generation are seen as the experts, whilst the younger employees are commonly seen as novices with a lot to learn. Although this is often true, it can also be reversed.

Despite a poor reputation for being lazy and egotistical, millennials are some of the most productive employees around - creating new ways to work smarter rather than harder - and can introduce a renewed skillset to ultimately aid in firms' longevity:

• Use and knowledge of technology - millennials have grown up in a culture immersed in technological advancement and have embraced it incredibly quickly. Notably, this is the first time a younger generation is entering the workplace with a better grasp of a key business tool than most senior employees 

• A global perspective - most millennials have now either studied or travelled abroad, giving them a range of experience, as well as diverse opinions and a deeper understanding of different cultures 

• Adaptability - this generation of workers tend to thrive in environments of change, enabling them to provide innovative ideas for increasing productivity and development 

Businesses can take advantage of the newfound skillsets and prepare for the future by implementing a few key concepts:

Embrace technology - millennials are the most highly connected and tech-savvy generation, and although obvious to most, it's worth pointing out that technology is now playing a key role across all sectors and is set to continue its rapid development. Millennials can help to create a more efficient, engaging customer experience using social tools and apps, enabling them to instantly connect, engage and collaborate.

Embrace diversity - as the most ethically diverse generation, millennials can bring a variety of experiences, viewpoints and backgrounds that will prove extremely advantageous in engaging customers.

Embrace innovation - in such a competitive market, it's vital that claims companies are constantly adapting and delivering solutions to customers in line with their lifestyle, whether that's an online portal or a smartphone app. Millennials are a fantastic source of innovation and can not only aid in business development, but also significantly increase productivity and development in creating solutions to customers' ever-changing demands.

Client Case Study: Blakewater Solicitors

Blakewater Solicitors attributes a decade of success to Eclipse's Proclaim Practice Management Software solution 

Established in January 2007, Blackburn-based Blakewater Solicitors has rapidly evolved over the years from a leading specialist conveyancing practice into a broader firm, now offering sharia finance, immigration, personal injury and probate services.

Blakewater Solicitors has been recognised nationally for its efficient and professional service and has become one of the leading market providers for property transactions in the North of England. The flexible, expert and tailored service has allowed the firm to thrive in today's global marketplace, boasting an expansive client base in 55 cities across 33 countries.

Having won several national and international accolades, and a Lexel and CQS Law Society accredited practice with Investor in People Gold; the firm has most recently been shortlisted for the Modern Law Conveyancing Awards 2016.

Blakewater Solicitors has taken the bold move to open a second office in Bradford, West Yorkshire, despite the current legal landscape and stiff competition. The firm is confident that the quality of its legal work and client care will set it apart.

Abdul Hafeez Darr (pictured), Director at Blakewater Solicitors, speaks to Eclipse about his choice in legal software and why he's been an Eclipse client for nearly a decade. 

What was your initial reason behind implementing a practice management system?

Before I founded Blakewater Solicitors, I worked for one of the 'Magic Circle' law firms in London so therefore knew of the benefits to legal software, including the huge savings it could bring if used correctly.

When I established Blakewater Solicitors with my business partner, I knew a full practice management system was a necessary requirement, and we were actually one of the first firms in the North West to implement a legal software solution, and broke the mould with regards to investing in IT so heavily for a new start-up.

Why did you choose Eclipse over other providers?

Our initial selection process was extremely extensive. We looked at 5 different legal software providers and saw a range of in-depth demonstrations, as well as a number of meetings with each provider, and agreed Proclaim was the best solution on the market. Unfortunately, my business partner selected another provider - based purely on costs - and quickly realised, after 2 weeks, the system was not fit for purpose - especially in comparison to Proclaim.

Essentially, I see Eclipse and its Proclaim solution as the 'Apple' of the legal software sector. It provides a huge return on investment, and a quality, centralised case management system, providing us with the confidence to know it's entirely futureproof. Additionally, third parties have Eclipse at the top of their lists for integrations, so I can feel safe in the knowledge that our legal software is always going to be top of the range.

Blakewater Solicitors has expanded substantially since 2007 - how has Proclaim helped with this?

To put it simply, it provides us with massive efficiency gains.

For a firm of our size, we're taking on double the work that we could without Proclaim, and even better, we're achieving this seamlessly without the need for a full team of support staff.

Proclaim's workflow is so easy to tweak as and when we need to, and the process of uploading letters and editing linked actions means our junior staff can open cases, input details, send out documentation and file all correspondence. Ultimately this is saving us huge amounts in both time and money. Taking this further, we don't have the worry of needing everyone in the office at all times - our solicitors are able to work remotely, or from home, as everything is accessible and centralised.

As an Eclipse client for nearly 10 years, what are some of the benefits you've seen?

Firstly, the support that's on offer. It's excellent and there's no other way to describe it! Anytime I've needed to call, no matter who I speak to, they're always extremely friendly and approachable. I find a lot of support teams in other businesses can make you feel stupid, or like you're wasting their time when asking questions. With Eclipse, even if it's a simple problem, they're willing to log on remotely and show me, rather than just explain. The whole team are always happy to help and have a fantastic attitude.

Secondly, the integrations that are available. We're currently using the MoJ portal and LRBG integrations and have found these in particular have reduced our time in half, not to mention streamline our processes across the personal injury and conveyancing departments.

How are you using FileView to enhance your service? 

FileView is a fantastic selling point for us. Not only is it a great tool for estate agents and referrers, it's also extremely useful for our clients, enabling them to securely log in as and when they want to for case updates.

As an example, we have clients in 55 cities across 33 countries worldwide so time zones  often don't allow for us to speak with them at a convenient time. A high number of our overseas clients, particularly in Hong Kong and Singapore, are conveyancing clients looking to buy and sell property in London - they're often very tech-savvy and extremely demanding. One of the first questions we get asked is how we can ensure they're kept updated on their case when they are the other side of the world. FileView provides the perfect solution, and has enabled us to reach clients that we otherwise would've had to turn away.

How well does Proclaim suit your on-going needs as a business?

As a Proclaim user and Eclipse client of nearly a decade, I can say it suits Blakewater Solicitors perfectly!

We're always looking at new methods to improve our systems and procedures, which of course Proclaim plays a huge part in. Thankfully, its usability means we can easily tweak the system whenever we need to for business and/or client requirements. As part of this, we're currently looking to implement Eclipse's SecureDocs tool for our personal injury department as it would significantly improve our turnaround times and complement our existing system very well.

Furthermore, Eclipse is the market-leading provider so we're quietly confident that any of our future technology will always be supported - whether that's a new third party integration, or entirely new case type.

To put it simply, Proclaim has been - and will continue to be - fundamental to our success.

Client Case Study: Virtus Law Ltd

Eclipse's Proclaim Practice Management Software solution offers enhanced client on-boarding at boutique firm, Virtus Law Ltd 

Based in Manchester, Virtus Law Ltd is a boutique firm specialising in Personal Injury. Founded by Rossanna Schurink in 2015, the firm was set up to offer clients expert advice and guidance through the claims process, which can often be very stressful. The team has a wealth of knowledge and experience within the industry, and although the practice has plans for expansion, Virtus Law Ltd aims to continue offering a truly personalised service.

The challenge 
As a new start-up, Virtus Law Ltd needed a legal software solution that could enable the team to focus on developing the practice's reputation, increasing volume and forming client relationships.

Crucially for a new firm, Virtus Law Ltd needed a practice management software solution to streamline processes from case inception, whilst keeping manual administration to a minimum.

The solution 
Although Rossanna had previously used Proclaim and knew of its capabilities, she was interested to see Eclipse's overall operation and service offering from its Bradford HQ. Following a meeting and in-depth demonstration of the software, Virtus Law Ltd selected the Proclaim Personal Injury Practice Management system.

The results 
As a boutique firm, Virtus Law Ltd needed an extremely efficient on-boarding process that could cope with a high volume of cases. Since the implementation of Proclaim, the practice has seen enhanced client inception procedures - all relevant documentation is created at the start of case, and collated at the click of a button. From here, the pack is sent securely, electronically signed by the client and returned to Virtus Law, within a matter of minutes, guaranteeing work is commenced instantaneously.

Furthermore, Proclaim is used by a number of medical agencies meaning client details can be seamlessly transferred between Virtus Law Ltd and its chosen agency quickly and efficiently, ensuring clients receive details of medical appointments as soon as possible, serving to further streamline the process.

Additionally, the integrated accounting and financial toolset provides a fully centralised system and offers a seamless approach to billing and overall practice management, ensuring a detailed analysis of operations.

Rossanna Schurink (pictured), Director of Virtus Law Ltd, comments:

"As a newly established firm, our main priority is to build and maintain excellent relationships and in order to do this, our core technology needs to ensure the entire claims process is seamless - for us and our clients.

Throughout our first year of business, Eclipse's Proclaim Practice Management Software solution has proven crucial to us in saving time, streamlining client inception and reducing administrative overheads."


Case Study highlights

• Fully integrated Proclaim Practice Management system
• Streamlined and efficient client inception 
• Seamless approach to billing 
• Comprehensive management of claims 

Eclipse's Proclaim Practice Management Software solution eliminates administration at new start-up firm, Prism Family Law

Eclipse Legal Systems is further increasing its new start-up client portfolio, by implementing its Law Society Endorsed Proclaim Practice Management Software solution at Prism Family Law, a Newcastle-based firm.

Founded by Andrew Wraith, the sole trader practice will specialise in all aspects of Family Law, offering clients a friendly and personalised service through what can often be traumatic circumstances. The ambitious new start-up plans to expand in the future, and aims to establish an impeccable reputation throughout northeast England.

In order to begin practicing from its inception, Prism Family Law will implement Eclipse’s ready-to-go Proclaim Family Practice Management system. Thanks to Proclaim’s high level of automation, case opening procedures will be significantly reduced as all relevant documentation will be generated at the click of a button, saving Andrew time to be productive elsewhere. Additionally, Proclaim will transfer details into the electronic Consolidated Matter Report (CMR) – catering for multiple cost rates – and producing the summary CMR at the end of the relevant accounting period.

To further drive efficiencies, the integrated practice accounting and financial management toolset will streamline client billing and provide a detailed analysis of the start-up’s operations.

Andrew Wraith, Director of Prism Family Law, comments:

“As a new start-up - and in particular a boutique firm – I know the importance of implementing the correct legal software in order to reduce expenditure and streamline processes. Having thoroughly researched the market, it’s clear that Eclipse’s Proclaim Practice Management system will eliminate a number of time-consuming aspects, enabling me to provide the highest quality of personal service, and concentrate on establishing Prism Family Law’s reputation.”

Eclipse's Proclaim Practice Management system maximises potential at international firm, DKLM Solicitors

Eclipse Legal Systems is implementing its Law Society Endorsed Proclaim Practice Management Software solution at DKLM Solicitors, an established central London law firm.

With a strong international focus, DKLM Solicitors' expert legal team offers a complete range of services to both private and commercial clients. Formed in 2004, the firm has seen spectacular growth - doubling in size in the last five years - across both client base and areas of practice. The firm prides itself on the diversity of its clients, partners and staff, and attributes this to its continuous expansion.

The Proclaim Practice Management Software solution will be rolled out across the Conveyancing and Immigration departments, ensuring instant desktop access and a consistent approach to matter management from all users. Additionally, Proclaim's integrated financial platform will enable a seamless approach to billing and practice management firm-wide.

To further drive client service and streamline efficiencies within the Conveyancing department, DKLM Solicitors is opting for Proclaim's integration with the Land Registry Business Gateway (LRBG) and LRBG Electronic Document Service. These integrations will automate a number of stages within the Conveyancing process, as well as provide fee earners with access to Land Registry services - including completion of eDRS applications and sending of accompanying documents - entirely through the Proclaim desktop.

Alan Dixon (pictured), Managing Partner at DKLM Solicitors, comments:

"As a rapidly expanding firm with international reach, our core Practice Management system needs to be as efficient as possible in order to maximise our potential. Using Proclaim's flexibility, we can seamlessly meet the increasing complexities of client cases, and streamline a number of our processes, freeing up our time to provide quality advice, and ultimately allowing us to further perfect our clients' journey."

Cyber security in the legal sector - minimise your risk to exposure

The prevalence and wide variety of cyber-crime means it is now a major risk to businesses across any sector. However, law firms and other legal organisations are particularly attractive sources of information due to the sensitive commercial and client data they hold.

According to the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA), cyber-crime caused substantial losses to law firms last year, with figures ranging from £50,000 to £2million, whilst a further 20 firms fell victim to email scams.

Due to the increase in sophistication of cyber-crime tactics, security is no longer a back-office IT issue. The risk of exposure to cyber-crime and the steps to prevention are rapidly becoming key business decisions, and high on the agendas of senior partners, as the cost of cyber-security breaches can be disastrous in terms of financial, professional and reputational risks.

Essentially, the greatest dangers can often be overcome by taking straight-forward preventative measures. Below, we list a few of the common threats and the simple steps to combat the risk of breaches.

• Emails
  
  Perhaps most worryingly, one of the biggest risks to IT security comes from firms' own employees - maliciously or unintentionally.
  
  Email is the most common method in which employees can cause security breaches unintentionally, for example, by sending a message to the incorrect recipient. One of our recent articles commented on the increase in popularity of SecureDocs, our secure online document delivery and acceptance tool. This growing popularity can be attributed to firms' increase of awareness in the importance of sending and receiving confidential information, particularly in light of recent hacking threats. Using a tool like SecureDocs, fee earners can utilise an email messaging function that allows only the intended recipient to securely view the documents via an online portal. 

• Legal software and technology
  
  For law firms, legal software often underpins business operations and as such, acts as a storage facility for client contact details and sensitive case information.
  
  The right case management software will enable administrative users to limit file access and ensure only relevant fee earners can view and/or open a particular file.
  
  Furthermore, an effective audit trail should be in place to ensure all incoming and outgoing transactions within a case can be seen at-a-glance, as well as any amendments made to cases, including documents or fields.
  
  Taking this further, clients themselves are increasingly conducting audit inspections of law firms prior to instruction. As part of the initial research period, clients expect their potential firm to be able to demonstrate the measures and software they have in place to ensure any sensitive data remains confidential. 

• Know Your Client (KYC)
  Compliance, risk management and diligence are always at the top of the list for the legal sector, and as part of any client inception process, reliable and accurate ID checking needs to be carried out.
  
  Nowadays, sophisticated phishing tactics can involve criminals using social media information to pose as a contact of a specific individual, a prospective client, or even another law firm you're intending to do business with. This can be highly effective and ultimately allows access to account IDs, passwords or a means to install harmful software.
  
  Integrations with case management software such as Proclaim's ID and AML checker, enables fee earners to request 'one-click' ID checks, directly from their desktop, and ultimately provides them with a comprehensive solution to the KYC problem. Similarly, Proclaim's Lawyer Checker integration enables purchase conveyancers to gather information on a seller's conveyancer, identifying risks of sending funds to the suggested account. 

As the importance of the internet to business increases so will the issues relating to cyber-crime. The big challenge for law firms is how to maintain a cost-effective defence, which can develop in time to match a constantly evolving threat.

A vital strategy is to identify information that matters the most - typically emails and data held in legal software - and ensure strategies are in place to prevent attacks, or quickly detect those that can't be. In addition, the basics cannot be forgotten. Law firms need to develop and maintain a robust business continuity plan in order to react quickly and effectively if compromised. Being aware and prepared for threats will enable firms to prevent incidents and react quickly enough to reduce impact.

Eclipse implements its Proclaim Debt Recovery Practice Management system at Stenfield Solicitors

Eclipse Legal Systems, the sole Law Society Endorsed legal software provider, is implementing its Proclaim Practice Management Software solution at Stenfield Solicitors, a niche practice specialising in debt collection and dispute resolution.

The specialist firm, established in 2004, acts for a range of clients - from sole traders to large corporate companies - across a variety of industries to recover money quickly and efficiently. The practice prides itself on its friendly and cost-effective service, and believes its expert team is the reason for its rapidly expanding client base.

Eclipse will implement its Proclaim Practice Management Software solution, incorporating a comprehensive accounting and financial toolset with an out-of-the-box Debt Recovery Case Management system. Fee earners will benefit from a completely centralised desktop application, ensuring consistency and security firm-wide.

Additionally, Stenfield Solicitors will benefit from Proclaim's integration with the County Court Bulk Centre (CCBC), enabling staff to submit claims seamlessly through the Secure Data Transfer (SDT) portal without leaving the Proclaim desktop. This will serve to increase case volume and reduce administration time, as manual processes associated with claim submission will be automated and therefore, significantly minimised.

Mahesh Patel, Principal of Stenfield Solicitors, comments:

"Due to the nature of our work, we need a legal software solution that can minimise the manual processes associated with debt collection and enable our team to focus on recovering our clients' money as quickly and efficiently as possible. With Proclaim, we can significantly simplify our claim submission procedures, ensuring a truly streamlined process, as well as higher levels of accuracy."

Client Case Study: Brabners

Eclipse works in conjunction with Brabners to develop bespoke Plot Sales Case Management Software solution 

"Eclipse is the market-leader for legal software solutions and it was clear that Brabners could benefit from a huge ROI with the Proclaim Case Management system. The conveyancing process is managed entirely from the desktop application, including one-click property searches, meaning our Residential Conveyancing team can increase the volume of work as well as profitability per case."
Jon Taylor, Software Developer at Brabners 

Brabners is a full service law firm operating from offices across the North West. With clients ranging from PLCs and SMEs to private clients and public sector bodies, the team brings an in-depth knowledge and a wealth of experience to a range of matters within the legal sector.

The firm's global reach has meant rapid expansion in recent years, enabling a greater range of services and a proactive approach to providing commercially realistic solutions to legal problems.

The challenge 
The team's work was entirely paper-based, resulting in a slow and inefficient process. Additionally, fee earners were working on cases individually, producing inconsistent approaches to work, and ultimately resulting in compliance issues.

Essentially, Brabners needed to standardise client inception and matter management across the department.

The solution 
Working in conjunction with Eclipse, Brabners developed a bespoke case management system for its Residential Conveyancing team - specifically for Plot Sales work - enabling high-level automation and speedier case progression.

Additionally, the firm opted for Proclaim's integration with PALI (Property and Land Information), an online conveyancing search provider, facilitating one-click searches from the Proclaim desktop, saving hours of data entry.

The results
Repetition is inherent within Plot Sales as document packs are often identical for groups of properties under a specific development or developer. Since implementation, Brabners has seen significant reductions to administrative overheads by utilising Proclaim to automate the majority of case stages, including document production. This has meant fee earners can focus on the legal aspect of their work, whilst increasing overall profitability and case volumes.

Additionally, Brabners is currently in the process of implementing Eclipse's online case tracking tool, FileView. Linked to the Plot Sales case type, developers will be able to log in securely an view real-time information as and when they need to, providing a convenient and modernised approach to case updates, eliminating continuous interruptions for fee earners.

Due to the success of the Plot Sales software, Brabners is looking to work with Eclipse again to develop a similar case type for the Social Housing department, enabling automatic matter creation and maximised matter management efficiency.

Case Study highlights: 

• Bespoke Plot Sales case type 
• Comprehensive integration with PALI 
• Standardised client inception and matter management 
• Real-time client updates via Eclipse's FileView tool 

Eclipse to implement its Proclaim Practice Management Software solution at Anderson Rowntree in 6-figure deal

Eclipse Legal Systems, the Law Society's sole Endorsed legal software provider, is implementing its Proclaim Practice Management Software solution at Anderson Rowntree, one of the oldest law firms in West Sussex.

Established around 1850, Anderson Rowntree has an enviable reputation for results and service, and prides itself on its firm roots within the local community. Offering services across property, private client, family and litigation, the experienced team provide an entirely client-focused and efficient service, earning the firm a recommendation rate of over 98%.

The 6-figure deal will see Eclipse implement pre-configured work types for all staff to provide a core centralised productivity suite. For financial management, Proclaim's Credit Control Centre (CCC) will provide the firm with a central dashboard of key financial and payment information, including the ability to drill directly into bills, clients and matters. As part of the implementation process, Eclipse will conduct a complete data migration from the practice's incumbent system, resulting in increased efficiency throughout all departments.

Furthermore, to ensure firm-wide compliance, Anderson Rowntree has opted for Eclipse's integrated compliance toolset to assist with the extensive SRA obligations, and to provide an improved risk management strategy.

Additionally, as part of the drive to further enhance client service, Anderson Rowntree will also take advantage of the integrated Proclaim lead management system, empowering the firm to track and analyse sources of new business, and streamline the inception process. Taking this further, the firm will benefit from Eclipse's integration with an online ID and AML service, providing end-to-end 'one-click' verification and instant on-screen validation.

John Dickerson (pictured), Partner and Practice Director at Anderson Rowntree, comments:

"It is crucial that we achieve our goal of staying ahead of the competition and strengthening our enviable reputation for outstanding client service. Proclaim will be fundamental to our future success, by providing a flexible central solution, embraced by all departments and therefore guaranteeing a consistent approach to matter management.

"Proclaim will not only improve our internal efficiencies and compliance, but will also provide client-facing systems to enable an online service. The fact that Proclaim's scope is this broad made the system our first choice by a large margin."

Eclipse implements its Proclaim Case Management Software solution at boutique Bognor Regis firm, MJR Solicitors

Eclipse Legal Systems, the sole Law Society Endorsed legal software provider, is implementing its Proclaim Case Management Software solution at new start-up, MJR Solicitors.

The practice was established by Mark Riley, an experienced solicitors specialising in Probate services. Based in Bognor Regis, MJR Solicitors is a boutique and friendly firm offering a truly personalised service to both private and commercial clients.

A considerable amount of Probate work is administrative and necessitates heavy document production. As a new start-up, MJR Solicitors recognised the need to implement Eclipse's Proclaim Case Management Software solution to streamline these processes and enhance profitability from inception.

The Proclaim Probate Case Management system will eliminate time-consuming duplicate data entry through its integrated document management system. MJR Solicitors will benefit from fast document production, including hundreds of precedents that can be added to and amended whenever required. Additionally, any incoming mail can be quickly scanned and linked to the relevant client matter.

Furthermore, Proclaim will complete the relevant IHT forms based upon data entered in the case, and at the click of a button, MJR Solicitors will be able to view the preparation of the complete Estate Accounts, saving hours of repetitive data entry and time-sapping administration.

Mark Riley (pictured), Owner and Principal of MJR Solicitors, comments:

"As a sole practitioner, it was vital I selected the correct legal software provider. Eclipse's Proclaim solution will enable me to automate a huge number of processes, meaning I can focus on the legal aspect of my business, rather than maintaining technology.

"Additionally, and perhaps most importantly, Eclipse has been fantastic throughout the entire implementation process, and the service I've received completely reinforces the company's market leading reputation."

Eclipse's Proclaim Case Management Software enables Total Legal Solutions to operate as an entirely paperless office

Law Society Endorsed legal software provider, Eclipse Legal Systems, is implementing its Proclaim Case Management Software at Total Legal Solutions, a nationwide costs and claims service.

The firm operates from its office in Sheffield, providing clients with cost services from bill drafting and negotiations to points of dispute and advocacy for a range of sectors including Personal Injury, Litigation, Property and Negligence. Total Legal Solutions prides itself on its reputation to offer an entirely bespoke service to each client depending on their specific requirements.

A ready-to-go Proclaim Costs Drafting Case Management solution is being rolled out across the new firm, providing a high level of automation in all aspects of case handling, eliminating a number of administration-heavy duties in bill preparation, whilst maintaining the highest quality of standards.

To meet with Total Legal Solutions' aim of providing an entirely paperless offering to clients, Eclipse's Proclaim Case Management Software will enable the firm to operate completely electronically, allowing schedules, negotiations, bills of costs and points of dispute to be forwarded to clients for instant review. Furthermore, as Total Legal Solutions has a number of clients utilising Proclaim, the system's capability to provide seamless Proclaim-to-Proclaim file transfers will enhance the firm's service offering, ensuring fee earners can commence work immediately, greatly reducing settlement times.

Simon Wadlow, Business Development Manager at Total Legal Solutions, comments:

"As a new start-up business we are incredibly busy. The level of automation within Proclaim means we can eradicate a number of time-consuming tasks that are inherent within bill preparation, enabling us to process larger volumes of cases at a much quicker rate. Furthermore, by offering our clients a fully electronic service, it ensures work is commenced as soon as we receive instruction, eliminating lead times and significantly reducing expenditure for our clients - something that is now crucial as a result of the fixed costs introduced within the PI sector."

Eclipse works in conjunction with UCL Consultants Ltd to develop bespoke Proclaim Case Management Software solution

Eclipse Legal Systems, the sole Law Society Endorsed legal software provider, is implementing its Proclaim Case Management Software solution at UCL Consultants, a wholly-owned subsidiary of University College London (UCL) and one of the UK's leading providers of academic consultancy services.

Offering a bespoke consultancy service, UCL Consultants handles a variety of projects for a range of clients - from small, single day projects, to large, milestone-focused multi-party projects. The team provides organisations with world-class expertise from over 6,000 academic staff across a wide range of disciplines, to help solve the many challenges faced by society and businesses today.

Due to a significant increase in business volume, UCL Consultants recognised the need for a comprehensive system to automate its contract and client relationship management activities. Working in conjunction with Eclipse, UCL Consultants will develop a bespoke Proclaim Case Management system to ensure maximum productivity and streamline the opportunity to contract process.

Additionally, Eclipse's Lead Management tool will aid with overall opportunity management. This will enable the consultants to track, analyse and report upon all live opportunities for academics, as well as provide intelligence as to which companies and academics have previously worked together.

Roger de Montfort (pictured), Managing Director of UCL Consultants, comments:

"As a leading provider for academic consultancy services, we've seen a huge increase in business volume - so much so that we've over doubled in size in the last three years - and as a result, it became clear that we could benefit from enhanced automation of our processes.

"Eclipse's Proclaim Case Management system will be crucial to our business operations by stripping away the time-consuming elements of opportunity and contract management, enabling us to provide an even better service to our clients and support our continued expansion."

Eclipse's Proclaim Case Management Software solution selected by established housing association, Network Homes

Eclipse Legal Systems is implementing its Law Society Endorsed Proclaim Case Management Software solution at Network Homes, one of the country's leading housing association developers.

Founded in 1974, Network Homes has continually grown to become an established organisation, providing homes of all tenures and operating across the entire housing market. It strives to cultivate a forward-thinking, service driven and financially strong operation, and now manages over 20,500 homes throughout London and the Home Counties. Due to its excellent track record in delivering on time and budget, Network Homes is one of seven 'Trusted Partner' housing association developers for the Government's Homes and Communities Agency.

Eclipse will be implementing its Proclaim Case Management Software solution within the newly formed in-house legal team at Network Homes, in order to streamline processes and help to reduce spends on external solicitor fees. Additionally, Proclaim will centralise all the team's key information into one desktop application, ready to view and extract at the click of a button, providing a seamless and efficient service.

Furthermore, the comprehensive legal software solution will provide unrivalled automation via the Task Server tool, which will serve to significantly reduce administration time by automating routine tasks, and allowing the legal team to concentrate on providing a quality service.

Tabitha Kassem, Head of Legal Services at Network Homes, comments:

"As one of the country's leading housing associations, our in-house legal team needs to be as efficient as possible. With Proclaim, manual document production will be eliminated, ensuring fast processing and the removal of human error. Additionally, thanks to Eclipse and Proclaim's inherent scalability we can continue to develop our property portfolio."

Eclipse's Proclaim Case Management Software solution enables seamless file transfer at Sterling Costs

Eclipse Legal Systems, the sole Law Society Endorsed legal software provider, is implementing its Proclaim Case Management Software solution at Sterling Costs, a national firm of Costs Lawyers and Law Costs Draftsmen.

The firm, which has offices in Cheshire and London, prides itself on its team of Costs Lawyers and Draftsmen who specialise in all areas of costs law. With clients nationwide, ranging from sole practitioners to large city practices, and separate departments for privately and publically funded matters, Sterling Costs is one of the relatively few firms to offer a full service in relation to Legal Aid costs (including submission to the Legal Aid Agency via CCMS).

Eclipse has implemented an out-of-the-box Proclaim Costs Drafting Software application to integrate a core case management system with reporting and task management, providing a complete solution for the firm's business requirements.

The comprehensive legal software solution will provide unrivalled flexibility in terms of the provision of services offered by Sterling Costs, enabling seamless file transfer between clients, with minimal intervention from staff. Additionally, the team will benefit from Proclaim's ability to assist with a number of aspects for bill creation, including production of a 'red line' bill, which will significantly increase turnaround time.

Louise Carlisle (pictured), Director at Sterling Costs, comments:

"Our decision to implement Proclaim will not only enhance our service to existing clients, but also to prospective clients seeking to instruct costs draftsmen via a 'one-click' inception process. Eclipse's Proclaim Case Management system has eliminated the time-consuming physical file transfer process, resulting in a faster turnaround time for clients, and enabling us to increase our case volume, whilst maintaining high levels of service."

Eclipse implements its Proclaim Case Management Software solution at new start-up firm, McDermott Smith Law

Eclipse Legal Systems is implementing its Law Society Endorsed Proclaim Case Management Software solution at new start-up, McDermott Smith Law.

The Liverpool-based firm has been founded by Andrew Smith and will focus solely on Personal Injury work. Possessing a wealth of experience from larger firms, Andrew took the decision to establish his own practice in order to offer friendly and expert advice, combined with truly individual client service.

As a new start-up within the Personal Injury sector, McDermott Smith Law recognised the need for a comprehensive and centralised software solution. The practice has selected Eclipse's Proclaim Personal Injury Case Management system to ensure maximum productivity from its inception. Furthermore, Proclaim will eliminate a number of administrative duties including document production, and will enable staff to focus on building strong client relationships.

In addition, McDermott Smith will benefit from Proclaim's integration with the MoJ's RTA and EL/PL Claims portals. Access from the desktop application will be 2-way, ensuring a quick and efficient method of processing cases and resulting in full compliance with the MoJ's claims process.

Andrew Smith, Director of McDermott Smith, comments:

"I have worked with Proclaim at previous firms so I knew when starting my own practice that it would provide a solid platform on which to develop and expand.

"The Personal Injury sector is incredibly competitive, and involved considerable volumes of document production. Implementing Proclaim means we can overcome these hurdles and benefit from high levels of automation, ultimately resulting in our time being spent on client relationships and business development."

Client Case Study: Smooth Law

Smooth Law develops bespoke client journey with Eclipse's Proclaim Practice Management Software solution 

Established in July 2015, Smooth Law is a modern progressive law firm providing claimant legal services to a wide range of clients. The firm prides itself on operating as an entirely paperless office, communicating with clients via email, telephone and SMS text messaging for speed and efficiency.

Paul Keelan (pictured), Senior Proclaim Developer at Smooth Law, has worked with Eclipse's Proclaim legal software since 2003 at a variety of firms, and as a result, possesses extensive knowledge of the system. Most recently, Paul has worked with Eclipse to efficiently implement the Proclaim Practice Management software at Smooth Law and now works as practice's primary Proclaim developer.

Why was Eclipse the chosen supplier for Smooth Law?

The partner here had previously worked at a large Liverpool firm which utilised Proclaim heavily so from first-hand experience, it was the solution of choice. As a smaller firm, but with ambitious plans, it's great that Proclaim is not just exclusive to large firms - whether it's a 100+ fee earner practice, or a sole practitioner, Proclaim remains the same and is always just as simple-to-use.

Additionally, the Law Society Endorsement was a factor in our decision. Although Eclipse and its Proclaim solution were already known to us - and we were certain it was the software suited to us - the endorsement announcement just cemented our confidence in the decision. It meant that, to us, Eclipse was continuing to move forward and although it had already conquered the legal sector market, it wasn't resting on its laurels.

Furthermore, the complete flexibility of Proclaim means we can develop the solution entirely in-house, without the need to bring in external IT consultants - I personally have yet to be in a position to say "we can't do that."

Smooth Law originally implemented Eclipse's out-of-the-box Personal Injury system - how has this been configured to fit in with business requirements? 

We did initially take an off-the-shelf Personal Injury solution as that's the area of law we predominantly practice. However, we've recently created our own case type for Holiday Sickness claims, which is an entirely bespoke solution to Smooth Law, and designed completely in-house using the Personal Injury workflow as a platform.

The sheer flexibility of Proclaim means we have the ability to do this. It gives us the boldness to expand and the confidence to know it's a possibility - we now have over 1000 live claims in the system.

How was the transition to the latest iteration of Proclaim (v3.3.1)?

it was very easy. Although we have a small database, there are still a wide range of issues that can occur when upgrading software but this wasn't a problem with Eclipse, it was extremely simple.

I've done a number of migrations throughout my time working with Proclaim and have never had a problem. In my experience, this is down to two things:

1. Good internal planning 
2. Excellent communication 

As part of this second point, Eclipse's Transition Support team is brilliant, as are all the staff and I've found everyone is always happy to help and go that extra mile if needed.

How are you benefiting from Proclaim's new 'Option Images' feature?

This is an absolutely fantastic feature!

One of the main benefits is the ability we now have to develop our client journey. We have two stages of a claim - portal and non-portal - and using Option Images we've been able to create an entirely bespoke yet simple case status feature within FileView (Eclipse's online case tracking tool).

Depending on the stage of the claim, the client's view will differ and due to Proclaim's inherent flexibility, we've been able to build in high-level automation so the stages are instantly updated to correspond with actions taken by our fee earners.

This is an excellent feature for our clients that like instant access to updated information and an at-a-glance view of their case. It's also proven vital for those instances we experience a language barrier - the stages are now displayed in simple images and enable clients to see case changes as and when they need to.

Perhaps best of all, and as with a variety of aspects to our Proclaim solution, this was developed entirely in-house. No additional training was required, nor was support from Eclipse - it was all designed purely using the latest release notes, which supplied a user-friendly, step-by-step guide.

How have Eclipse's additional tools, SecureDocs, FileView and TouchPoint enhanced your service offering?

We've used SecureDocs from day one. The online delivery and acceptance tool has proven vital in enhancing our client on-boarding process as it's now all done with the click of a button. We often receive an initial enquiry in the morning, and by lunch time, they're a client. There is no doubt this is a result of the automation and quick turnaround times supplied by SecureDocs.

Furthermore, we pride ourselves on our ability to operate as an entirely paperless office and offer a wholly transparent service - this simply couldn't be achieved without SecureDocs. It provides peace of mind for our clients by providing a completely secure service to access and action important documents, whilst also resulting in speedier case progression and an enhanced service offering.

With regards to FileView, and as previously mentioned, using this tool we've been able to provide clients with an easy snapshot of their cases. Taking this further, we're using the online case tracking feature to send details of, for example, medical appointments to clients, as well as allow them to upload images of receipts and expenses such as taxi fares. Before FileView this would have involved photocopies or originals being sent to us via post, and in turn, would delay the claims process. With FileView, everything is effortlessly uploaded via smartphone or tablet, ensuring an innovative, instantaneous and device-operated option.

Similarly, we've taken advantage of Eclipse's TouchPoint tool and are going live with it this week (at the time of writing) to further enhance our service and provide clients with a complete self-service experience. As part of this, we've linked it with FileView and SecureDocs for a centralised solution so clients can access everything associated with their case, from correspondence to file status. To use my previous example, once a client has received details of their medical appointment, they can log in to their customised TouchPoint portal and find directions to the appointment through the Google Maps tile.

Essentially, the additional toolsets provide modernised and future-proof approaches to keeping in contact with clients and ensuring we are supplying them with the most relevant and up-to-date information - all with minimal input from our staff. In turn, this means we can concentrate on increasing our case volumes but with the added reassurance our current clients remain informed.

Overall, how well does Proclaim suit your on-going requirements? 

Without a doubt Proclaim suits us down to the ground.

We have ambitious plans for our firm and as part of this we will be looking to develop other avenues of work. With Proclaim ,we no longer need to delay these plans due to software limitations - we can simply design our own case type as and when we need to, to suit our way of working and our future service offering.

With Proclaim the possibilities are endless and in my opinion, its sheer flexibility means the only restriction is imagination!

Eclipse's Proclaim Case Management Software solution proves crucial to client relationships at Williams & Co

Eclipse Legal Systems, the sole Law Society Endorsed legal software provider, has been chosen by established firm, Williams & Co, to implement its Proclaim Case Management Software solution.

Established in 1997, Williams & Co is a reputable, local practice operating across West Yorkshire. With an aim to provide a more hands on, personal service, the firm believes in building strong client relationships and guarantees competitive fees and a single point of contact for each client.

Eclipse will implement its out-of-the-box Proclaim Case Management Software solution at Williams & Co, providing fee earners with a streamlined client inception process and a powerful centralised database, enabling the firm to maximise its matter management efficiencies.

In a drive to further enhance client service, Williams & Co will benefit from Proclaim's inbuilt integration with Outlook, ensuring all correspondence is recorded and allocated to the correct client matter. Furthermore, Proclaim will enable staff to find and extract information with ease, whilst its diary and task management facility will link to case activities to provide fee earners with automated reminders, ensuring important events and dates are not overlooked.

Jeremy Garside (pictured), Partner at Williams & Co, comments:

"Having used Proclaim at my previous firm, I knew of its capabilities in enhancing and standardising matter management. For Williams & Co to continue building strong client relationships, we needed a robust legal software solution that could automate our administrative tasks and in turn, enable us to focus solely on our clients - Proclaim will be crucial to this."

Proclaim in Canada - Litwiniuk and Company implements Eclipse's Proclaim Practice Management Software solution

Eclipse Legal Systems, the sole Law Society Endorsed legal software provider, is implementing its Proclaim Practice Management Software solution at Canadian law firm, Litwiniuk and Company.

Founded in 1976, Litwiniuk and Company is a family-run practice that adheres to a simple set of principles - service, trust and hard work. Since its inception, the firm has predominantly focused on Personal Injury law, enabling its lawyers to develop a vast amount of experience and finely honed negotiation skills.

Eclipse's Proclaim Practice Management Software came highly recommended to Litwiniuk and Company via previous Proclaim users, who now work for the firm. The 6-figure deal will see Eclipse conduct a full data migration from the firm's incumbent system, and implement an out-of-the-box Personal Injury Case Management Software solution practice-wide. Staff will benefit from streamlined and automated processes, with a clear and user-friendly interface that will eliminate duplicate data entry and ultimately enable them to focus purely on client service.

The Proclaim practice management and accounting toolset will provide a fully integrated system, providing senior management with a robust reporting facility and access to live financial data and operational performance.

Additionally, in a drive to further enhance the firm's service offering, Eclipse's self-service client portal, TouchPoint, will be implemented to provide a transparent and flexible interactive service, whilst FileView will enable staff to securely display important case information to its clients via the firm's website.

Fredric J.R. Litwiniuk (pictured), Director of Business Development and Marketing at Litwiniuk and Company, comments:

"We'd heard of Proclaim through word of mouth, and after extensive research, we realised Eclipse was the only legal software provider on the market that could provide us with the centralised and integrated practice management solution that we required.

"After a thorough demonstration of Proclaim and its core functionality, we saw the system as a breath of fresh air in comparison to our previous solution. The simple user interface and the vast opportunities for automation mean we can greatly enhance our productivity firm-wide, meeting our clients' needs with exceptional skill and efficiency."

Eclipse's Proclaim Case Management Software solution enhances client service at Three Graces Legal

Eclipse Legal Systems, the Law Society's sole endorsed legal software provider, is implementing its Proclaim Case Management Software solution at Liverpool-based law firm, Three Graces Legal.

The new start-up, established in November 2015, offers a wealth of experience in working for organisations of all sizes, as well as providing legal services for individuals. As part of a fast-developing sector, Three Graces Legal prides itself on its ability to continuously improve its building processes, and provide clients with an exceptional standard of service, taking into account the individual needs and circumstances of each.

Eclipse is implementing its out-of-the-box Employment and Personal Injury Case Management systems at the firm, providing all staff with step-by-step procedures to streamline case progression. Due to Proclaim's ability to improve speed and efficiency through high levels of automation, Three Graces Legal will be able to enhance the quality of client service, whilst greatly improving the bottom line.

Furthermore, Proclaim will enable the firm to increase its productivity and cope with an expanding volume of cases, by providing fee earners with all the necessary documents - produced at the click of a button - eliminating the need for duplicate data entry and saving hours of administration time.

Aaron Pearson (pictured), Director at Three Graces Legal, comments:

"We needed our core technology to be as efficient as possible, which is why we chose Eclipse's Proclaim Case Management solution. Essentially, it will streamline a huge number of our administrative tasks and allow us to build upon our already established reputation of excellence. Eclipse is more than qualified to scale with us as we grow and develop, and its position as the Law Society's sole endorsed provider only cements our confidence in the decision."

Client Case Study: Chadwick Lawrence

Proclaim Practice Management Software solution delivers above and beyond expectations at Chadwick Lawrence 

"Essentially, our primary goal was to have a system that could expand with us, as well as provide the necessary tools to maintain our stellar reputation. Eclipse and its Proclaim solution has delivered above and beyond, providing us with unrivalled intelligence, detailed reporting and most importantly, a consistent solution with room to grow."
Dan Bell, Head of IT at Chadwick Lawrence 

Chadwick Lawrence operates from 7 offices across the West Yorkshire region and is now listed as one of the twenty largest firms in Yorkshire and Humberside. Offering a range of legal services, from Conveyancing and Family law through to Employment law and Personal Injury, the firm is proud to offer an exceptionally high level of service, combined with first-rate legal advice.

The challenge
Chadwick Lawrence was using an extremely prescriptive software solution that simply didn't offer the facilities the firm required to develop the system without involving substantial costs. Based on this, an upgrade was imperative and the search began for an extremely configurable, yet robust software solution.

The solution
The Proclaim Practice Management Software solution was implemented in a phased departmental roll-out, initially within the Personal Injury department, quickly followed by the Conveyancing department.

Additionally, in order to effectively manage the large volume of referral enquiries received, Chadwick Lawrence opted for Eclipse's Lead Management toolset, enabling staff to record, store and verify all pre-client work until accepted or rejected.

The results
Since implementation, Chadwick Lawrence has been able to demonstrate the configurability of Proclaim to some of its less standardised teams, resulting in ambitious plans to roll the software out to other areas of the business over the coming months.

To drive business performance, the integrated KPI toolset has proven vital to senior staff, who now have a clear visibility of performance - whether that's staff or company - at the click of a button. Taking this further, statistics can be drilled down into, from specific fee earner KPIs, to team KPIs, or for all staff across the practice, proving essential for efficiently planning and managing workloads.

Case Study highlights

• Staged roll-out of the Proclaim Practice Management Software solution
• Effective management of new enquiries 
• Driving business performance with KPI toolset 
• Detailed cross-departmental reporting 

Mansfield and Chaston offers a seamless client journey with Eclipse's Proclaim Practice Management Software solution

Eclipse Legal Systems has today announced the implementation of its Law Society Endorsed Proclaim Practice Management Software solution at Kent-based law firm, Mansfield and Chaston.

The practice provides a personal and affordable service, offering legal assistance across a range of areas, from Personal Injury to Probate and Commercial law. The firm understands the costs involved in the legal services and therefore strives to keep its overheads low by offering a fixed fee service to maximise accessibility for clients.

Eclipse has implemented its ready-to-go Personal Injury Proclaim software within Mansfield and Chaston's core integrated Proclaim Practice Management solution, serving to improve efficiency and transparency whilst providing staff with a range of tools to enhance the overall client journey. Furthermore, the integrated practice management and accounting toolset will form an entirely centralised desktop application and provide firm-wide financial management.

In addition, Mansfield and Chaston will take advantage of Proclaim's A2A (Application-to-Application) functionality to process RTA (Road Traffic Accident) and EL/PL (Employer Liability/Public Liability) claims seamlessly through the Government's Portal system without having to leave Proclaim.

John Duncombe, Director at Mansfield and Chaston, comments:

"Client care is our highest priority so our core Practice Management system needed to be as efficient as possible to enable us to maximise our potential. It was clear to us that Eclipse offered the best solution in the legal software market and utilising Proclaim will enable us to provide a seamless client journey and build upon our existing reputation of excellence."