Legend Solicitors selects market-leading Proclaim Case Management Software solution to replace its current system

London law firm, Legend Solicitors, is implementing the Proclaim Case Management Software solution from Eclipse Legal Systems, the sole Law Society Endorsed legal software provider.

Legend Solicitors boasts an experienced team of solicitors that specialises in immigration, conveyancing and personal injury. Operating from its East Ham office, the firm offers a professional, friendly and reliable client service, and has earnt a reputation of expertise within the local community.

After an extensive selection process, a range of in-depth demonstrations and a number of meetings, Legend Solicitors saw Eclipse’s Proclaim Case Management system as the best on the market. Initially, the firm decided to implement another system based upon costs, but quickly realised that it was not fit for purpose and following this, selected the Proclaim software solution to cover its conveyancing, immigration and personal injury work areas.

Once implemented, Proclaim will provide all departments with a centralised and consistent desktop application, whilst enabling the firm to streamline its processes and significantly reduce administrative overheads. As a result, fee earners’ time will be freed up to focus on exceptional client service. Additionally, thanks to Proclaim’s flexibility, Legend Solicitors will be able to seamlessly integrate the financial accounting and practice management system in a staged roll-out.

To further drive efficiencies within the personal injury department, Legend Solicitors has opted to implement Eclipse’s full A2A (Application-to-Application) software integration with the MoJ Claims Portal, which will provide the team with a seamless method of submitting claims and eliminating duplicate data entry.

Aravind Sreevalsalan, director of Legend Solicitors, comments:

“Eclipse is the clear market-leader when it comes to legal software and its Proclaim system stands head and shoulders above the rest in terms of functionality and adaptability.

“Overall, Proclaim will help us to streamline our case progression, and reduce the time we spend processing cases, therefore helping us to maintain our enviable reputation with our clients.”

Eclipse launches Subject Access Requests workflow to aid law firm GDPR compliance

Eclipse Legal Systems, the Law Society’s sole endorsed software provider, has announced the release of a dedicated Subject Access Requests (SARs) workflow system.

As of May 2018, all organisations will be required to comply with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), the new legal framework which seeks to strengthen and unify data protection for all individuals within the EU. More wide-reaching and onerous than the existing Data Protection Act, GDPR also carries the threat of severe financial penalties for firms found to be in breach, with maximum fines being 20 million Euros, or 4% of the firm’s global turnover – whichever is higher.

Under GDPR, the process around SARs – the mechanism by which individuals can request from an organisation what data is held about them and why – is set to change, with organisations expected to respond quicker and waive any charges they may have once made. As a result, SARs are expected to grow in volume and create an administrative overhead.

Eclipse has created a dedicated SARs workflow solution, seamlessly integrated into its market-leading Proclaim case and practice management software system. The new SARs workflow is available either standalone for non-Eclipse customers, or as a unified toolset for current customers. The SARs workflow will manage requests and automate their handling, reducing cost and aiding compliance with ongoing legislation.

Eclipse’s business solutions director, Tracy Blencowe (pictured), comments:

“GDPR needs to be taken seriously, and existing processes need to be engineered around ensuring that law firms are compliant. We are dedicated to helping law firms make this transition as painlessly as possible, by providing ready-made tools that make compliance a much less onerous task. The SARs workflow joins our recently-released ‘Information Asset Register’ tool and together they provide a robust and scalable platform to enable law firms to enter the new GDPR era with confidence.”

Eclipse Legal Systems, the Law Society’s sole endorsed software provider, has today announced the release of TouchPoint App – a native app enabling law firms and legal organisations to offer self-service control to their customers via their mobile phones.

TouchPoint App complements Eclipse’s existing TouchPoint+ self-service portal, which is a device-independent and interactive online experience for legal service providers, their business partners and clients, using real-time data from Eclipse’s core Proclaim Case and Practice Management solution.

TouchPoint+ provides a broad self-service toolset enabling online tracking, document signing, direct messaging, and real-time graphical MI. TouchPoint App refines this suite into tools most suited for smartphones, enabling law firms and legal service providers to offer multiple access points for their customers, dependent upon need and context. An optimised experience is designed specifically for iOS and Android smartphones, and enables:

Push notifications —update messages automatically sent to a customer’s phone at defined points in the case and matter workflow
Display of key stages reached, and what further tasks need to be completed
Contact options, including the ability to attach a message or image to the specific file being worked on
A customisable environment carrying the firm’s colours, logos and branding
Eclipse’s Marketing Director, Darren Gower (pictured), comments:

“TouchPoint App is the latest development to empower law firms and really enable them to create a customer-centric service model. Our goal is to provide technology to our customers that helps them to do things better, faster, smarter, and more cost-effectively. TouchPoint App is deliberately positioned as a low-cost option for our customers so that there are no barriers for them to provide the highest levels of service and transparency.”

The Eclipse Proclaim Modern Law Awards 2017/18 – the winners!

Congratulations to all who took part in the Eclipse Proclaim Modern Law Awards on the 18th January at the Royal Lancaster Hotel, London, headline sponsored by Eclipse.

The awards, which offer the perfect opportunity to showcase best practice across the diverse landscape of law, were hosted by comedian Tom Allen and saw over 500 guests attend.

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

ABS of the Year
Excello Law

Law Firm of the Year
Osbornes Law

Chambers of the Year
Serjeants’ Inn Chambers

Lawyer of the Year
Angela Jackman, Simpson Millar LLP

Barrister of the Year
Katie Gollop QC, Serjeants’ Inn Chambers

Rising Star of the Year
Amy Clowrey, Switalskis Solicitors Ltd

Innovation of the Year
rradar ltd

Best Marketing Campaign of the Year
Keystone Law

Client Care Initiative of the Year
Roberts Jackson

Outstanding Commitment to Training
FBC Manby Bowdler LLP

Best Use of Technology
iManage

Business Growth Award
JDX Consulting

Combatting Fraud Award
BLM

Crime Team of the Year
The David Sellu Appeal Team – Birnberg Peirce Ltd Solicitors / QEB Hollis Whiteman / Garden Court Chambers

Corporate / Commercial Team of the Year
ARC Pensions Law

Property Team of the Year
Wedlake Bell LLP

Personal Injury Team of the Year
Switalskis Solicitors Ltd

Private Client Team of the Year
Simpson Millar LLP

Supporting the Industry 1-25 Employees
O’Connors LLP

Supporting the Industry 26+ Employees
CILEx Law School

Outstanding Achievement Award
Dinah Rose QC, Blackstone Chambers & Shantha David, UNISON Legal Services

Lifetime Achievement Award
Tony Fisher, Fisher Jones Greenwood LLP

Eclipse and hr inspire work together to develop a bespoke HR Case Management system

Buckinghamshire firm, hr inspire works with SMEs providing HR Outsourced Services and is currently implementing the Proclaim Software solution to deliver a bespoke HR Case Management system to better support its customers, provided by Eclipse Legal Systems, the UK’s leading legal software provider.

Working with customers across a range of sectors, from public and private businesses, through to not-for-profit organisations, the team at hr inspire offers reassuring, practical and expert advice in HR and Employment practices, recruitment and management training. The firm is passionate about building lasting partnerships with its customers and prides itself on its ability to enable customers to develop and grow their businesses.

hr inspire has chosen to replace its current systems with the Proclaim Case Management Software solution to provide a consolidated and efficient services for its customers and team of HR consultants.

Due to the specific nature of work carried out by hr inspire, Eclipse will work in conjunction with the team to configure a bespoke HR Management system and will conduct a phased roll-out. As a result, the team will benefit from Proclaim’s market-leading range of toolsets, suitably customised to hr inspire’s work and the HR industry practice, ensuring matters are being driven forward in a cost-effective and personalised manner.

To further complement the system, hr inspire is implementing Eclipse’s Task Server ‘robot’ tool, which will minimise manual processes and automate as much of the workflow as possible.

Sandra McLellan (pictured), hr inspire’s Director, comments:

“Due to the nature of our business, not only do we need a dynamic HR Management system, but also a provider that can meet our specific business prerequisites and integrate a powerful solution. Eclipse and Proclaim are exactly that, and will provide us with a fluid, cost-effective and time-effective way of working, enabling us to enhance our expert and dedicated approach to client service.” 

Phoenix Legal benefits from smoother case progression with Eclipse Compact, the legal software solution for small law firms

New start-up firm, Phoenix Legal, is implementing the Eclipse Compact solution from Eclipse Legal Systems, the sole Law Society Endorsed legal software provider.

Phoenix Legal is an ambitious boutique firm, providing specialist knowledge and expertise within the personal injury sector. Recovering compensation for a range of claims, including road traffic accidents, slips, trips and falls, and accidents at work, the team is quickly gaining a reputation of excellence for its client-focused service.

As a new start-up, Phoenix Legal needed a robust case management system that would enable the team to manage its caseloads efficiently, but with an accessible payment model to suit the financial demands of a new business. After an initial demonstration, the firm selected Compact, Eclipse's new legal software solution for small law firms and new start-ups.

A personal injury Compact solution will be rolled out across the boutique firm, enabling the team to hit the ground running and manage matters in an organised and centralised fashion. Taking the core functions of Eclipse's Law Society Endorsed Proclaim Case Management system, Compact will enable Phoenix Legal to benefit from fast and effortless document production, high level automation and smoother case progression.

Alisha Butler, director of Phoenix Legal (pictured), comments:

"Having used Proclaim extensively at other firms throughout the course of my career, I knew it would be the system of choice when starting my own practice. The release of Compact however, means I can benefit from a selected suite of Proclaim toolsets that are relevant to the size and requirements of my firm, and that are available on a suitable pricing model.

"This new release demonstrates Eclipse's ability to recognise the requirements of boutique firms, and as such develop a solution to specifically cater for the smaller market, further cementing its reputation as the go-to legal software supplier."

Harnessing the power of social media

Eclipse Legal Systems spoke to Modern Law Magazine on the advantages of social media, and how law firms can use it as a tool to stand out.

Social media isn't a flash in the pan, it's here to stay and these days it plays an important role in the daily lives of virtually everyone, and it's changing the way clients and businesses interact.

A strong social media campaign is one of the most cost-effective ways to reach thousands of potential clients, and with that comes the ability to increase revenue at a much lower cost than traditional marketing methods. As an added benefit, it also increases a firm's visibility, and the chance to establish a reputation as an industry leader.

Savvier law firms are using some of the below techniques to harness the power of social media and effectively handle the risks, simultaneously building an online presence of expertise and approachability:

• To improve client service -  as a starting point, social media can be used to 'listen', that is, to see what clients and prospective clients are saying about the services on offer; the solicitors at the firm; client care; and the overall client experience.
  
  Armed with an understanding of how a firm is portrayed online will provide in-house marketing teams and/or senior management with insights as to how the client service and experience can be enhanced (whether this discussions taking place are positive or negative), and from here can set realistic benchmarks and integrate these into the wider marketing strategy. 

• To build authority - one of the major perks to using social media is that it allows firms to demonstrate their industry knowledge, whether that's sector-specific information, or general advice for those experiencing legal issues. The use of online platforms means that firms are in control of what they post and when, and this can include helpful resources and thought-leadership articles on trending topics, or even to simply demonstrate a more 'human' side to the firm using its culture and social engagement.
  
  
• To gain a competitive advantage - the increasing use of social media within the legal profession means it's easier for firms to gain competitive intelligence, and keeps tabs on competitors. This information can then be leveraged, enabling firms to provide differing insights and new perspectives on particular topics, and contributing to a reputation of authority. 

For many firms the perceived risks of social media can outweigh the benefits, however missing out on a social media marketing strategy means missing out on an untapped resource of potential business that most firms simply cannot afford to ignore.