Proclaim software earns long-term loyalty from QualitySolicitors Lockings

Proclaim’s evolution has led to long-term loyalty from QualitySolicitors Lockings

QualitySolicitors Lockings is part of a national network of law firms dedicated to customer service excellence. Covering Hull, Beverley, Hessle, Hedon and the surrounding areas, Lockings offers a range of legal services to both individuals and businesses, from Conveyancing and Wills through to Employment and Litigation. The firm prides itself on responsiveness and making access to legal services easier. In 2005, after reviewing internal IT processes, Lockings made the decision to implement the Proclaim Practice Management Software Solution, and over a decade later, the firm remains a satisfied Eclipse client. Richard Swaine, Operations Director at Lockings, explains the reasoning behind the firm’s long-term loyalty to Eclipse.

Lockings has been an Eclipse client since 2005 – why was Eclipse your chosen provider?
 We undertook an extensive selection process, which included demonstrations, product reviews and meetings with our chosen shortlist of suppliers. In the end, we opted for Eclipse for many reasons, but two of the standout aspects were Proclaim’s feature-rich toolsets and its user-friendliness. At the time, we had a growing need to maintain high service levels and client retention rates due to stiff competition, and Proclaim’s features, including the reporting and the ability to send text messages, not only helped our team to achieve these high standards, but also enabled us to offer transparency – both to our clients, and our internal teams. Additionally, Proclaim stood out as being easy-to-use, which meant our staff were able to get to grips with the software quickly, and were therefore able to maintain large volumes of cases. Over 10 years on and Proclaim’s adaptability, and its ability to move with the times has meant we are more than equipped to deal with the changing demands of the legal industry, whilst also developing the system for our firm specific requirements.

How configurable do you find Proclaim?
 Very configurable – and I think that particular feature of Proclaim has been one of the key elements in terms of its longevity within the legal sector. When we initially implemented Proclaim, we opted for Eclipse’s out-of-the-box Conveyancing case management system, which was – and still is – well suited to our wide range of clients. An important factor for us was to ensure that our standard of work was kept in line with our brand at all times, and Proclaim’s flexibility has meant we can build workflow steps, documents, calendar entries and reminders to suit our staff and our clients, and at any time. As a result of this flexibility, and following the successful implementation of the Conveyancing system, we extended Proclaim’s use into our other teams. We’re also able to develop the system further based upon staff suggestions and requirements. As an example, we’ve been able to adapt and streamline our retainer process for our Conveyancing team, and we’ve created an entirely new system for Service Charge Debt Recovery. This would have been more difficult without Proclaim. Crucially for us, we have been able to build the system around our way of working.

How has Proclaim evolved over the years?
I think Eclipse has faced many expectations to develop Proclaim and create a system that can fit most areas of law. Over the years it has become more intuitive and increasingly advanced in dealing with the ever-changing legal sector, and therefore the ever-changing needs of clients. Eclipse has managed to simultaneously build a robust platform, but with room for flexibility so that it’s by no means a ‘one size fits all’ solution. It’s adaptable to fit in with businesses’ bespoke requirements. It’s no longer purely an office-facing platform, but has evolved into something that our clients can understand and benefit from.

What are some of the benefits you see day-to-day?
For a busy firm like ours, one of the biggest benefits is the adaptability of Proclaim – whether that’s to accommodate different work areas, or changes in existing work types. The in-built toolsets available to us mean that we can develop the system in-house to suit the needs of our business and clients. Additionally, Eclipse is regularly rolling out updates or upgrades to Proclaim, which makes maintaining the software so easy. Proclaim’s user-friendliness is also good. Since implementation, we’ve rolled the system out over a number of departments, equating to over 80 staff, but its logical layout of screens and case stages, coupled with its ease-of-use has meant our staff have always been able to continue delivering a high standard of work with minimal disruption. Another benefit is that Eclipse is used in a large number of firms so when we recruit it means many of our new staff members have previously used Proclaim in other roles which in turn makes our staff induction process easier.

How well does Proclaim suit your ongoing needs as a business?
 Very well – it’s a good fit for our firm and has evolved with us as we’ve developed our service offering, as well as enabled us to mold it to our changing and practice-specific requirements.

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How to keep your clients coming back for more

Darren Gower (pictured), Marketing Director at Eclipse spoke to LPM Magazine to discuss how law firms can better engage with clients.

Few firms look closely at ways to shift how a service is delivered, as long as they feel they’re keeping up with the status quo. That’s especially true for SME firms who don’t have the enormous resources that big, international firms have to throw at innovation initiatives or business development. And, the sector being what it is, the shadow of regulation is a constant threat. Taking a more proactive stance towards delivering the very best service for your customers can become a matter of self-preservation, because one cost-effective way to tackle uncertainty is to get existing clients into the repeat business loop. But ultimately, it’s about improving services for clients.

There are plenty of things your firm can do to keep clients coming back. A few tweaks to the way that things are done when onboarding and looking after clients can actually make a law firm stand out from the competition to a surprising extent.

To start, you need to take a look at whether your systems are up to scratch. I tend to see too much underachievement in SME law firms – many opportunities aren’t taken. For example, firms aren’t taking advantage of how clients interact with them online. The vast majority of experiences with a law firm are manual, whether you’re buying a house or making an injury claim – it can be like wading through treacle. Making things easy and reliable for clients is key. Unfortunately, very few firms in the SME space have fully embraced some of the basic tools that can make their services slicker and simpler. These may not necessarily be cutting-edge, but they aren’t hideously expensive. Put the destiny of the client’s case file in their own hands and enable them to see what’s going on with their matter online. Uploading documents to a portal rather than posting them through a letterbox can make a world of difference for clients – as well as cutting down time taken to respond.

To better engage with clients, you should be collecting as much data as you can, which will help you to spot opportunities and better cross-sell. But to achieve that you need someone within the practice, whether that’s a partner in charge of growth or someone similar, who can take on these responsibilities. It’s up to that person to know which information is relevant to the business, how it’s stored and can be used going forward, and to make sure it’s accurate. The best time to collect data is during onboarding, but don’t just rely on an over worked paralegal or whoever is dealing with the case to collect it. It should be approached as a key exercise – you need people who are trained to do it, with the proper tools to get that information in a useable format.

Once the right questions are being asked and the correct data is being gathered, the next step is to have that data recorded in a centralised location. You can’t have silos of information where you’re asking the same questions but storing the information in separate places – that’s messy and terrible for your strategy; keeping one, central source of truth to work from is crucial.

After data is collected, the firm should have a clear strategy for how it’s used and, if possible, apply it to your processes. The objectives need to be quite tight and well-defined, whether you have a routine review to try to support opportunities, or a technological solution – it’s important to make the most of the clients you have.

The Scottish Legal Awards 2019 - the winners!

Congratulations to all who took part in the Scottish Legal Awards 2019, proudly sponsored by Eclipse. The event took place on the 21st March at the Hilton Hotel, Glasgow.

The prestigious awards which bring the best and brightest in the Scottish legal profession together celebrate and reward outstanding contributions being made by solicitors, teams and organisations across Scotland.

The glittering ceremony which saw hundreds in attendance was hosted by comedian Hardeep Singh Kohli.

The Legal Technology Award was presented to the winners DWF by John Keane (pictured), Sales Consultant at Eclipse.

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


Firm of the year
Digby Brown Solicitors

Lawyer of the Year
Jill Sinclair, DWF

In-House Lawyer of the Year (Public sector)
Maree Allison, Scottish Social Services Council

In-House Lawyer of the Year (Commercial)
Kenny Robertson, Royal Bank of Scotland

Commercial Property Team of the Year
CMS

Community Contribution Awards
Digby Brown Solicitors
Scullion LAW

Corporate and Commercial Team of the Year
Shepherd and Wedderburn

Criminal Defence Firm of the Year
Livingstone Brown

Employment Team of the Year
Blackadders

Family Law Team of the Year
Livingstone Brown

Commercial In-House Legal Team of the Year
Royal Bank of Scotland

Public Sector In-House Legal Team of the Year
The City of Edinburgh Council – Legal Services Division

Legal Technology Award
DWF

Litigation Team of the Year
Allan McDougall Solicitors

Paralegal of the Year
Fiona Anderson, MacPhee and Partners

Residential Property Team of the Year
Coulters

Rising Star of the Year
Jamie Apted, MBM Commercial

Support Team of the Year
ESPC

Managing Partner of the Year
Johnston Clark, Blackadders

Lifetime Achievement Award
Professor Lorne Crerar

Eclipse strengthens position in Scottish legal sector with the launch of a regional hub

Eclipse Legal Systems, the UK’s leading case and practice management software provider, has responded to the increased demand for its Proclaim solution within the Scottish legal sector with the launch of a dedicated Edinburgh office and region-specific sales and innovation teams.

Eclipse’s in-house subject matter experts, which include The Society of Law Accountants in Scotland (SOLAS) qualified consultants, have enabled Proclaim to be tailored for use specifically in Scotland. The growing number of law firms in Scotland replacing their incumbent systems with Proclaim includes heavyweights Drummond Miller and property specialists DJ Alexander.

The Proclaim practice management and Scotland specific accounting platform provides a fully integrated system, equipping senior management with robust reporting facilities and access to live financial data and operational performance. As part of the solution’s core flexibility, law firms are also provided with Proclaim’s configuration toolset, facilitating practices to easily create their own unique system workflows to suit individual business requirements.

Chris Buckle (pictured), sales director at Eclipse, comments:

“Eclipse’s ambitious ongoing growth and innovation strategy has led us to meet the needs of forward-thinking Scottish law firms keen to adopt the best technologies to streamline activities and improve the all-important client experience.

The launch of the Edinburgh hub and our commitment to continuous development of both preconfigured and bespoke Scottish law specific solutions will provide Scottish law firms with more immediate access to an unequalled set of efficiency and productivity tools.”

Eclipse’s new Proclaim MTD toolset officially recognised by HMRC as Making Tax Digital compliant

Law Society endorsed legal software provider, Eclipse Legal Systems, has announced new functionality in its Proclaim Practice Management solution to enable law firms to remain compliant with HMRC Making Tax Digital requirements.

Making Tax Digital is a key part of the Government’s plans to make it easier for individuals and businesses to get their tax right and keep on top of their affairs – meaning the end of the annual tax return for millions. From 1st April 2019 all businesses with a taxable turnover above the VAT threshold will be mandated to use the Making Tax Digital service to keep records digitally and submit their VAT returns using compatible compliant software.

The new Proclaim MTD solution has been rigorously tested by HMRC which has officially recognised the system as being compliant with the Making Tax Digital regulations. The Proclaim MTD toolset is additional functionality to be utilised within the Proclaim Practice Management solution and is immediately available for new and existing Proclaim users.

Tracy Blencowe (pictured), Business Solutions Director at Eclipse, comments:

“The Proclaim MTD functionality is Eclipse’s latest innovation designed to empower law firms to easily remain compliant with the new VAT regulations. This time saving technology is easily utilised with minimal effort required from the user – freeing their time up to concentrate on what really matters to them, delivering a great service to their clients.”

The Eclipse Proclaim Modern Law Conveyancing Awards 2019 – nominations open!

The Eclipse Proclaim Modern Law Conveyancing Awards are taking place on 18th July at The Rum Warehouse, Liverpool.

Eclipse is proud to be headline sponsor of the event, which celebrates conveyancing trailblazers and property pioneers by recognising those taking the lead in innovation; those who have achieved successes as teams or individuals; and those championing client care.

The winners will be chosen by an esteemed panel of judges, who have been carefully selected based upon their knowledge and experience within the industry.

Click here for a full list of the award categories, and to make your nominations before the deadline of Wednesday 5th June, don’t forget you can nominate yourself!

Going Green

Darren Gower (pictured), Marketing Director at Eclipse spoke to LPM Magazine to discuss why law firms should be going green.

For law firms, direct environmental impacts may be small in comparison to companies in sectors such as extractives or energy, but increasingly stakeholders, clients and employees expect firms to minimise their impacts and report on their environmental performance – and firms may begin to lose out to competitors who do. There’s most certainly a business case for law firms going green: it reduces costs by using fewer resources, requiring less energy and generating less waste. This keeps firms competitive as environmental credentials become a bigger part of clients’ buying decisions, and improves employee attraction and retention.

For many law firms, office waste and travel are often among the first areas to come under the spotlight to drive down costs and carbon emissions. It seems that many organisations still underestimate just how much office waste is actually costing – Waste and Resources Action Programme reports that it could be as high as 4% of turnover. It has been estimated that the average office worker in the UK uses 45 sheets of paper a day and I suspect this figure is much higher in our sector, so it follows that going paperless is a key step that a law firm can take in its environmental journey.

Cut out paper – cut out cost. I’ve worked with mid-sized law firms that have gone paperless, one of which makes a conservative estimate that it’s now saving £65,000 per year. Others tell me how time-sapping manual document production has been eliminated thanks to going paperless, and associated costs of secure storage and expensive DX services are eliminated too.

Today’s technology functionality can drive you closer to a paperless office at pace. Several law firms I work with take pride in operating with no physical documents and virtual mail rooms. Yet, in saving natural resources and reducing a firm’s carbon footprint in this way, business value is also created from what this automation brings to communicating and collaborating with clients: more efficiency, via selfservice technologies, creating auditable automated workflows, and the like. Such technology innovations not only enable the paperless office but bring efficiency, improved case progression and transparency, and also significant reductions in staff time spent on administrative tasks.

Minimising the need for staff and client travel is also important when law firms set about reducing their environmental impact. Accessible conference venues and locating new offices near public transport can help. But, encouraging and supporting employees to use technology to collaborate anywhere at any time – way beyond email and mobile phones, with cloud services, SaaS models, videoconferencing and distributed case management systems, and self-service tools for clients – can help decouple environmental impact from revenue growth. Enabling working from home in this way delivers significant savings in the form of commuter carbon. But again, the planet’s not the only winner. I’ve spoken with firms where it has helped with staff retention because their people can relocate to different cities, working entirely without paper or at least working at home part of the week in harmony with their domestic needs. And, of course, they no longer need to transport heavy physical files backwards and forwards.

So, from what I’ve seen, using technology to support your environment strategy is absolutely the right thing to do: it’s good for your people, your profit and the planet.