Mid-size law firms embrace big ideas for future
Findings suggest firms who collaborate are more likely to innovate
Mid-size law firms are looking for big ideas and are focused on strategy, according to research carried out by LawNet, the collaborative non-profit network.
Research participants said they were focused on the big issues in their businesses and ranked opportunities to learn the latest leadership thinking from outside the legal sector as most important to achieving that.
Other top-five factors reported for the future success of firms were leading-edge approaches to financial management, quality processes and risk management culture. The findings also revealed that being open to collaboration can generate big gains.
“Law firm leaders can be cautious about sharing their ideas and concerns with peers in other firms,” said LawNet chief executive Chris Marston, “but being open-minded about the opportunities offered by collaboration can make a meaningful difference in terms of thinking and attitudes. We see some exciting examples across our network, with firms working together in areas from robotics through to HR.”
He added: “Openness encourages reciprocity. I can think of a case in our network of one firm sharing their experience in developing career pathways backed up by a competency framework, and the receiving firm sharing their ideas and experiences of outsourcing in return. Our members know they can speak very openly with their network peers in a non-competing environment, but there is a real opportunity for greater co-operation in the sector generally.”
The findings were drawn from a research project undertaken with LawNet’s 70-strong membership during February and March 2020, as part of the network’s audit process.
Drilling down, the findings were analysed by size of firm across the network. This showed that despite narrow variations in the ranking at different turnover levels, the top five factors remained constant across all the firms surveyed.
Explained member engagement and strategy director Helen Hamilton Shaw: “Our members tend to be in the £2m to £25m turnover range, which gives a coherent group for research purposes in a sector ranging from sole practitioner to Magic Circle, but it’s important for us to understand variations across the membership to tailor future support.
“There were some differences in ranking of future priorities, reflecting capacity of different size firms, but it was interesting to see the consistency across the network, with every size of firm saying that embracing big ideas was vital.
“Opportunity may play a part in that, as activities like our annual conference bring in international-class speakers from across the corporate world, beyond anything most firms could access otherwise. This often takes participants out of their comfort zone, introducing them to ideas that are not yet mainstream, but we find everyone welcomes the learning, even if only to understand what is coming.”
ENDS
For further information, please contact:
Press information:
Maggie Taylor, Prima PR & Marketing
Direct line: 0207 846 0096 Mobile: 0797 3767 602 Email: maggie@primapr.co.uk
Helen Hamilton-Shaw, Member Engagement & Strategy Director, LawNet
Direct line: 01926 834622 Email: hhamilton-shaw@lawnet.co.uk
Notes to Editor:
About LawNet
LawNet was established in 1989 to enable a collaborative, mutually-owned national network where independent law firms could access big firm resources and benefit from collective purchasing, shared knowledge, best practice and expertise.
All members share a commitment to excellence and must achieve and maintain LawNet’s own ISO.9001 standard and the associated Mark of Excellence in client service.
There are currently some 70 member firms, ranging from £2m to £25m in turnover, giving a combined aggregate turnover in excess of £300m, equivalent to a UK Top 15 law firm.
Independent research shows LawNet is most highly valued by members for delivering in six key areas – learning, networking, PII, practice support, marketing, risk management and compliance. It currently places over £1bn worth of PII cover alone for members each year, which helps stabilise premiums for firms.
Trust trumps cost when clients choose a law firm
Biggest-ever sector research reveals client motivations and highlights the cultural shift needed by firms to match growing expectation
Price transparency rules require law firms to open their costings and credentials to greater scrutiny, but reputation and trust are the most important factors when it comes to choosing a firm, according to benchmarked consumer-facing research.
The findings are drawn from the biggest-ever client experience research project conducted in the legal sector, with almost 70,000 satisfaction surveys and 5,000 anonymous experience reviews undertaken during the past six years by LawNet, the collaborative non-profit network for independent law firms, as part of its ISO 9001 audited Excellence Mark.
The responses showed that just 4% of new business is won on price, with two-thirds generated through reputation and trust – comprised of 30% from existing clients, 19% by recommendation and 17% because of the people or character of the firm.
When it came to cost, more important to clients than the price quoted was understanding how charging worked. They also wanted to know the benefits of using the firm and to be kept updated as work progressed, highlighting the need for firms to tackle negotiating and sales skills, as well as strong client reporting.
This reflects findings by the Law Society suggesting buyers cannot differentiate between firms, yet only 28% of firms in national benchmarked surveying[1] explain why a client should choose them. Similarly, SRA research shows 95% percent of lawyers think they explain the charging system clearly at the outset, but only 70% of clients agree[2].
“Many lawyers see negotiating as part of their core skill set, yet our research suggests there is often a skills gap when it comes to talking about costs with clients,” said Helen Hamilton-Shaw, LawNet member engagement & strategy director. “But it is an issue that responds well to targeted action, once firms know they need to develop skills. Across the network, the way that walk-in enquiries are handled has improved by 24% in the past four years, and the way that staff handle a potential sales lead, by asking for permission to follow up on the enquiry, has shown a massive 41% improvement.”
The Excellence Mark is an integral part of the LawNet ISO 9001 standard and the measure by which client service is audited across all member firms. Delivered and measured through independent providers, the resulting knowledge is used to guide improvements, training and future development.
Added Hamilton-Shaw: “We have clear evidence that this process of measurement and support can drive significant performance improvements in firms. LawNet firms are almost 20% ahead of the sector in delivering the sales experience needed to drive new business and 13% ahead in terms of overall client satisfaction, and this follows through into their business outputs.”
Those figures are drawn from the anonymously-conducted experience reviews, where overall performance by LawNet firms increased by 15% from 2013 to 2019. This now stands at 67%, compared with 58% across the rest of the sector[3]. At headline level, overall satisfaction recorded in the benchmarked surveying across all firms stood at 89% in 2012-13. Following targeted action, this now stands at 97%, which is 13% higher than the sector as a whole, according to the LCSP Tracker Survey 2018.
With the rise of online reviews and peer-to-peer recommendations, the survey process is now integrated with ReviewSolicitors to encourage customers to leave comments. Firms are supported in developing the techniques necessary to manage these publicly-posted reviews and currently LawNet members dominate the rankings on the review website[4].
Also measured is the all-important indicator of whether a client would recommend the firm they have used to others and 95% of clients across the network say they would recommend the LawNet firm they used.
Said LawNet chief executive Chris Marston: “We developed our audited Excellence Mark because we saw client-focused service as the most important way our law firm members could add value and differentiate themselves, whilst retaining their independence, individual identity and brand. Six years on, the evidence speaks for itself.”
LawNet’s publication TARGETING EXCEPTIONAL EXPERIENCES: clients | employees | service covering the research and learning is available as a White Paper : http://bit.ly/LawNetClientExperience
HOW IT WORKS:
Regular client experience reviews are a requirement for all members, with independent researchers acting as potential clients to interact with firms. Researchers use the telephone, unscheduled walk-in, web contact, live chat, bots and out-of-hours routes to make their enquiries, with samples being taken across different departments throughout the year, equating to a monthly check-in, but avoiding any regular pattern that firms could identify and respond to. Firms receive one-to-one feedback and in-practice training to support findings.
Client feedback is captured through online satisfaction questionnaires, delivered independently through an online portal, measuring strengths and weaknesses, fee earner performance and overall satisfaction levels. While performance is benchmarked against fellow LawNet members and other firms taking part nationally, firms are offered increasing personalisation to enable tracking of specific issues and initiatives, including an option to share client feedback on the ReviewSolicitors website.
Click here to download PDF of White Paper and images
ENDS
For further information, please contact:
Press information:
Maggie Taylor, Prima PR & Marketing
Direct line: 0207 846 0096 Mobile: 0797 3767 602 Email: maggie@primapr.co.uk
Helen Hamilton-Shaw, Member Engagement & Strategy Director, LawNet
Direct line: 01926 834622 Email: hhamilton-shaw@lawnet.co.uk
Notes to Editor:
About LawNet
LawNet was established in 1989 to enable a collaborative, mutually-owned national network where independent law firms could access big firm resources and benefit from collective purchasing, shared knowledge, best practice and expertise.
All members share a commitment to excellence and must achieve and maintain LawNet’s own ISO.9001 standard and the associated Mark of Excellence in client service.
The combined aggregate turnover of the 70 firms comprising LawNet is currently in excess of £300m – equivalent to a UK Top 15 law firm – with members ranging from £2m to £25m turnover.
Independent research shows LawNet is most highly valued by members for delivering in six key areas – learning, networking, PII, practice development, marketing, compliance. It currently places over £1bn worth of PII cover alone for members each year, which helps stabilise premiums for firms.
[1] insight6 : legal sector client experience benchmarking, 2019
[2] LawNet 2019
[3] insight6 : Client Journey Programme, 2019
[4] ReviewSolicitors rankings September 2019: LawNet firms hold two of the top three rankings, six of the top 10 and 11 of the top 20.
Independents show off their game-raising tactics
Click here to download high res version
Click here to download high res version from Flickr. Full caption at end of press release
Independent law firms have been showcasing their inventive side, with strategies designed to keep them out in front.
The successes were highlighted at this year’s LawNet awards, and leading the winners was Buckles Solicitors LLP with Law Firm of the Year.
Peterborough-based Buckles embarked on an ambitious development strategy, based on excellent client service and investing in their people. In the last year it has seen the firm grow to employ 57 lawyers and achieve gross fees of £6.7m, with independently assessed overall client satisfaction scores of 95%, a listing in the Best Companies to Work For and securing the elite Investors In People Gold accreditation.
Said Colleen Gostick, managing partner of Buckles: “We’re thrilled to win, particularly given the quality of the competition in LawNet. Within the business we’re always focused on the next thing, so it’s great to reflect on what’s been achieved and celebrate the success with the people who made it happen.”
Alexandra Savage of Warner Goodman LLP in Hampshire was named Young Lawyer of the Year having earned the firm’s fastest-ever promotion from trainee to Associate, in just three years.
Team of the Year went to the Later Life Team at Rix & Kay Solicitors LLP Solicitors. Their holistic approach to later life planning has created a unique team, bringing together legal services with personal care coordinators. This, combined with a research-based thought leadership campaign, has brought them to the forefront of the fast expanding care sector market in the South East.
Matthew Arnold & Baldwin LLP secured Best Digital Presence for a multi-channel approach including internal and external platforms, with results that included a 700% increase in visitor traffic to their website.
Best Community Contribution went to Clarkson Wright & Jakes for a bigger-picture CSR strategy that is putting them at the heart of their local community, with fundraising and skills-sharing that’s both supporting their community partners and also boosting staff morale internally. Initiatives have included making the community more dementia-friendly.
Hart Brown received the Mark of Excellence award, for outstanding performance on LawNet’s independently assessed mystery shopping and online client satisfaction measurement.
Chris Marston, chief executive of LawNet, said: “Once again, the submissions show that independent law firms are ideally placed to demonstrate what it means to be innovative in the legal sector. That, combined with a commitment to excellence, is what our awards recognise.
“Results like this give real purpose to annual awards. Our members want to benchmark themselves against other forward-thinking firms. Our awards allow us to recognise the people behind these exceptional initiatives.”
He added: “People sometimes assume that innovation starts at the top in the legal sector, amongst the major multi-national players, but our members consistently demonstrate that they can be more nimble, quicker to react and implement, and because of that they generate outstanding performance as a result.”
The award winners:
| Law Firm of the Year | Buckles Solicitors LLP : Sponsored by Wilkinson Read & Partners |
| Team of the Year | Rix & Kay Solicitors LLP : Sponsored by STL |
| Young Lawyer of the year | Alexandra Savage, Warner Goodman LLP : Sponsored by Econocom |
| Excellence in Employee Engagement |
Gardner Leader LLP : Sponsored by Tikit |
| Best Community Contribution | Clarkson Wright & Jakes Ltd : Sponsored by Francis Clark |
| Best Digital Presence | Matthew Arnold & Baldwin LLP : sponsored by Conscious Solutions |
| LawNet Mark of Excellence | Hart Brown |
| Most active member within LawNet | Gepp & Sons Solicitors |
Pictured: Front Row L – R Derek Rodgers, Gardner Leade, Alexandra Savage, Warner Goodman LLP, Colleen Gostick, Buckles Solicitors LLP, Linda Smith, Buckles Solicitors LLP, Amanda Mehlin, Clarkson Wright & Jakes Ltd, Angie Law, Clarkson Wright & Jakes Ltd Back Row L-R : Helen Hamilton-Shaw, LawNet, Nigel Maud, Hart Brown, Michael Rabbett, Buckles Solicitors LLP, Neil Crees, Buckles Solicitors LLP, Nigel Moore, Buckles Solicitors LLP, Steven Payne, Gepp & Sons Solicitors, Richard Phillips, Matthew Arnold & Baldwin LLP, Richard Bates, Rix & Kay Solicitors LLP, James Maxey, Buckles Solicitors LLP, Bruce Hayter, Rix & Kay Solicitors LLP, Chris Marston, LawNet, Robin Evans, Clarkson Wright & Jakes Ltd
ENDS
For further information, please contact:
Press information:
Maggie Taylor, Prima PR & Marketing
Direct line: 020 7 846 0096 Mobile: 0797 3767 602 Email: maggie@primapr.co.uk
Helen Hamilton-Shaw, Director of Services, LawNet
Direct line: 01926 834622 Email: hhamilton-shaw@lawnet.co.uk
Notes to Editor:
About LawNet
LawNet was established in 1989 to enable a collaborative, mutually-owned national network where independent law firms could access big firm resources and benefit from collective purchasing, shared knowledge, best practice and expertise.
All members share a commitment to excellence and must achieve and maintain LawNet’s own ISO.9001 standard and the associated Mark of Excellence in client service.
The combined income of the 65 firms comprising LawNet is currently in excess of £250m – equivalent to a UK Top 15 law firm – with members ranging from £2m to £20m turnover.
Independent research shows LawNet is most highly valued by members for delivering in six key areas – training, networking, PII, practice development, marketing and compliance. It currently places over £1bn worth of PI cover alone for members each year, which helps stabilise premiums for firms.
Twitter: @LawNetUK
LawNet leading the way in service delivery
Customer focus puts a smile on the face of the lawyers with a 92% satisfaction rating
LawNet members are reporting real results from a £300,000 initiative launched by the network to tackle the image of lawyers as aloof, arrogant and unapproachable.
The first of its kind for law firms, the initiative is focussed on helping the mid-size independent law firms that make up the LawNet network to stand out from the competition.
The package for member firms includes mystery shopping, online customer satisfaction questionnaires and customer service training, all designed to give lawyers lessons that are drawn from the retail sector.
LawNet’s Excellence Mark is wrapped up in a bespoke ISO standard and auditing system, so it’s robust and measurable, but designed to be more than a compliance straightjacket, according to LawNet, so as to add value for clients.
And the results to date run in the face of the latest survey from the Legal Services Board1 which suggested that consumers are likely to view legal professionals as intimidating and typically described them as ‘arrogant, disinterested or unapproachable’.
“Initial results certainly show that our firms are keeping clients happy,” said Helen Hamilton Shaw, director of services for LawNet. “We’re investing back into member firms with this initiative, which will see £300,000 being spent during the first three years.”
She added: “Research always hits the headlines about how bad solicitors are at communicating with their clients, that they’re arrogant, unapproachable and aloof, and we have set out to counter that by helping our members to embed a customer-centric approach and achieve a recognisable standard that clients can look out for.
“We can see that it’s working. The first results have shown a 92% satisfaction rate for friendliness and approachability, from customers of LawNet firms who have completed the online survey. Customers have asked for better communication and transparency on costs, so that’s what we’re measuring.”
All LawNet firms are independently audited as part of their ISO accreditation and the new Mark of Excellence will form part of all future auditing, to check that firms are keeping up with the terms of the LawNet customer charter, including completing customer satisfaction surveys, mystery shopping, response times, transparent costing, backed up by regular staff training and a focus on boosting internal morale.
ENDS
http://www.lawgazette.co.uk/news/public-still-sees-lawyers-arrogant
1 https://research.legalservicesboard.org.uk/news/latest-research-3/
For further information, please contact:
Press information:
Maggie Taylor, Prima PR & Marketing
Direct line: 01400 251557 Mobile: 0797 3767602 Email: maggie@primapr.co.uk
Helen Hamilton-Shaw, Director of Services, LawNet
Direct line: 01926 834622 Email: hhamilton-shaw@lawnet.co.uk
Notes to Editor:
About LawNet:
LawNet was established in 1989 to enable a collaborative, non-competing national network where independent law firms could access big firm resources and benefit from collective purchasing, shared knowledge, best practice and expertise.
All members share a commitment to excellence and must achieve and maintain LawNet’s own ISO.9001 standard and the associated Mark of Excellence in client service.
The combined income of the 66 firms comprising LawNet is currently in excess of £250m – equivalent to a UK Top 15 law firm – with members ranging from £2m to £15m turnover.
Independent research shows LawNet is most highly valued by members for delivering in six key areas – training, networking, PII, practice development, marketing and compliance. It currently places some £1.2bn worth of PI cover alone for members each year, which helps stabilise premiums for firms.
Twitter: @LawNetUK
Free CPD training for LawNet members
LawNet is to provide its CPD accredited training free of charge to members, saying it wants to help firms maintain training standards against a backdrop of tough economic trading conditions.
The scheme was successfully piloted on a selection of courses earlier this year and is now to be rolled out for a full year.
LawNet, the leading law firm network with nearly 70 mid size independent law firm members, delivers over 50 CPD accredited learning events each year for its member firms, covering a wide range of technical, practice management and business development topics.
And now around 35 of these will be delivered free of charge during the coming year, with 1400 delegate places across over 20 specialist practice areas.
“We recognise that in tough economic times, it’s often training budgets that get slashed but this is just the time that firms most need to invest in skills to stay ahead. We do not want our firms to suffer from lack of skills or the benefits that come from getting together and engaging in face-to-face learning,” explained director of services Helen Hamilton-Shaw.
“As we operate as a mutual organisation for the benefit of members, our training delivery has always been delivered on a not for profit basis. Because of the growth of the network over the last year, combined with savings elsewhere, we’ve been able to make this happen and help our firms at a very practical level. The backbone of our network is the quality ethos; all our firms must maintain our ISO.9001 standard, and ongoing training is key to good practice and risk management.”
John Britten of Actons, LawNet member in Nottingham, has welcomed the free CPD saying: “For me the training and sharing of knowledge continues to be one of the most important aspects of membership.
“The training is developed in response to what members actually want, and as we are a group of like-minded firms of a similar profile, wanting broadly the same sort of training, it’s a bit like having bespoke in-house training but at a very good value rate – even better value now that so many courses will be free.”
Specialist professional development and residential courses run by LawNet will continue to be chargeable, including their strategic leadership and management programme, which involves leading specialist speakers.
ENDS
For further information, please contact:
Press information:
Maggie Taylor, Prima PR & Marketing
Direct line: 01400 251557 Mobile: 0797 3767602 Email: maggie@primapr.co.uk Twitter : @magtay
Helen Hamilton-Shaw, Director of Services, LawNet
Direct line: 01926 834622 Email: hhamilton-shaw@lawnet.co.uk Twitter: @helenhshaw
Notes to Editor:
About LawNet:
LawNet was established in 1989 to enable a collaborative, non-competing national network where independent law firms could access big firm resources and benefit from collective purchasing, shared knowledge, best practice and expertise. Each firm has an exclusive geographical operating area to enable collaboration.
The combined income of the 68 firms comprising LawNet is currently in excess of £250m – equivalent to a UK Top 15 law firm – with members ranging from £2m to £15m turnover.
Independent research shows LawNet is most highly valued by members for delivering in six key areas – training, networking, PII, business development, marketing and compliance. It currently places some £1.2bn worth of PI cover alone for members each year, which helps stabilise premiums for firms.
Twitter: @LawNetUK
Blog: http://thelawnetblog.wordpress.com/
New training model poses another challenge for legal sector
See coverage of this in The Guardian Law: click to view Guardian website
Following the announcement by the SRA on the outcome of last year’s Work Based Learning pilot scheme for trainee solicitors, one of the organisations involved has said the sector will face a tough learning curve to implement the new rules.
LawNet, the collaborative network for independents, joined together with The Oxford Institute of Legal Practice (OXILP) to run a pilot of the Work Based Learning scheme for 8 trainee solicitors within LawNet member firms, typically mid-size independents.
This pilot was designed for small to medium sized firms and under the scheme OXILP helped trainees prepare a development plan, review their progress against SRA outcomes and provide a final assessment while LawNet supported the training programme on behalf of firms, including bespoke training sessions to supplement the trainees’ learning experience and support the learning outcomes.
This differed from the other pilots – which were for Magic Circle firms and for paralegals - where trainees were supported and assessed either wholly in-house by their employers, or externally by Nottingham Law School.
Helen Hamilton-Shaw, director of services at LawNet, said: “This was a very interesting exercise and a successful one for us, although inevitably there were varying experiences across the trainees and the firms. If Work Based Learning is to go ahead, firms have the prospect of managing the introduction of yet another significant internal change.
“Fortunately, we are very well placed to support our firms in implementing the new regime, as we’ve already created the infrastructure and proved it in the market through this pilot, so that will make things easier for our members, but it’s likely to be a tough learning curve for others without that infrastructure, even though the long term gain may be better quality.”
Julie Brannan, Director of OXILP said: “Despite the inevitable challenge of the new, it is clear from the LawNet/OXILP pilot that Work Based Learning has the potential to provide real training gains for firms who implement a successful programme.”
The OXILP/LawNet pilot scheme was undertaken with member firms Parrott & Coales LLP, Aylesbury; IBB, Uxbridge; Aldridge Brownlee Solicitors LLP, Bournemouth and Lamb Brooks, Basingstoke.
ENDS
For further information, please contact:
Press information:
Maggie Taylor, Prima PR & Marketing
Direct line: 01400 251557 Mobile: 0797 3767602 Email: maggie@primapr.co.uk
Helen Hamilton-Shaw, Director of Services, LawNet
Direct line: 01926 834622 Email: hhamilton-shaw@lawnet.co.uk
Notes to Editor:
About LawNet:
LawNet was established in 1989 to enable a collaborative, non-competing national network where independent law firms could access big firm resources and benefit from collective purchasing, shared knowledge, best practice and expertise. Each firm has an exclusive geographical operating area to enable collaboration.
The combined income of the 68 firms comprising LawNet is currently in excess of £250m – equivalent to a UK Top 15 law firm – with members ranging from £2m to £15m turnover.
Independent research shows LawNet is most highly valued by members for delivering in six key areas – training, networking, PII, business development, marketing and compliance. It currently places some £1.2bn worth of PI cover alone for members each year, which helps stabilise premiums for firms.
Twitter: @LawNetUK
Blog: http://thelawnetblog.wordpress.com/
Independent law firms look to ABS opportunities
News Release:
ABS and investor strategy opportunities are top of the agenda for a group of independent firms.
They will be working with leading industry strategists in a LawNet masterclass that has been designed to place law firm leadership development in the context of the Legal Services Act.
- Robert Mowbray
This two day residential programme is delivered by four industry experts and authorities in their field – including Robert Mowbray on financial well being and Andrew Hedley on law firm strategy. Other topics will cover business development, people development and leadership.
- Andrew Hedley
The masterclass is part of LawNet’s specialist Strategic Leadership and Management Programme launched last year. Open to all law firms, not just LawNet members, it’s designed for both existing and up and coming partners.
“We’ve got some of the best and most talented strategic practitioners in the legal sector, each with an outstanding track record,” said LawNet director of services Helen Hamilton-Shaw.
“This programme gives firms access to the sort of development previously only afforded by Top 50 firms through in-house corporate programmes.”
Each year, leading law firm network LawNet delivers over 60 CPD accredited learning events for member firms, covering a wide range of technical, practice management and business development topics.
Strategic Leadership and Management Programme June 2011
Strategic Leadership and Management Programme 2011 Order form
ENDS
211 words
For further information, please contact:
Press information:
Maggie Taylor, Prima PR & Marketing
Direct line: 01400 251557 Mobile: 0797 3767602 Email: maggie@primapr.co.uk
Helen Hamilton-Shaw, Director of Services, LawNet
Direct line: 01926 834622 Email: hhamilton-shaw@lawnet.co.uk
Independent law firm network and online specialists tie the knot
Technology-based services for legal solutions will improve internal efficiencies and open new markets without compromising professional offering
A group of leading independent firms are pioneering online legal service delivery following an exclusive deal between the LawNet network and Epoq’s DirectLaw online document automation solution.
Under the agreement, each of the 68 LawNet member firms will be able to deliver online legal services to clients through their own personalised portal, designed and integrated with each firm’s individual web site.
The move is designed to help create a new edge to the firms’ traditional service offering, but there’s no plan to push customers into DIY, according to LawNet.
“This agreement provides a perfect fit to the ambitions we have to provide members with online marketing and technology-based legal solutions,” explained director of services Helen Hamilton-Shaw.
“DirectLaw should help firms secure a strong position in online markets as well as delivering internal efficiencies, by getting to first draft documents faster. It gives them new options in terms of services, whilst still assuring their customers that there will be an expert and careful eye over anything undertaken online.”
She added: “We are committed to helping our firms keep ahead of the competition through the LawNet national framework which gives them quality accreditation, networking, knowledge sharing and buying group services, and outsourcing is high on the list of where we will be delivering over the coming year.”
Epoq’s executive chairman, solicitor Richard Cohen, said: “Creating a successful offering depends on how inbound enquiries are dealt with. Customers are drawn to a service giving accessibility and clear pricing, but don’t want to be roaming around the web unaided. DirectLaw provides a differentiator for firms, a move towards enabling greater involvement by clients and the ability to make more from each hour for the firm by using document automation.”
LawNet firms will have access to five libraries of DirectLaw documents covering wills and probate, family, landlord and tenant, employment and business start-up.
ENDS
308 words
For further information, please contact:
Press information:
Maggie Taylor, Prima PR & Marketing
Direct line: 01400 251557 Mobile: 0797 3767602 Email: maggie@primapr.co.uk
Helen Hamilton-Shaw, Director of Services, LawNet
Direct line: 01926 834622 Email: hhamilton-shaw@lawnet.co.uk
Emma Hopson, Marketing Manager, Epoq
Direct line: 020 8731 2432 Email: emma@epoq.co.uk
Notes to Editor:
About LawNet:
LawNet was established in 1989 to enable a collaborative, non-competing national network where independent law firms could access big firm resources and benefit from collective purchasing, shared knowledge, best practice and expertise. Each firm has an exclusive geographical operating area to enable collaboration.
The combined income of the 68 firms comprising LawNet is currently in excess of £250m – equivalent to a UK Top 15 law firm – with members ranging from £2m to £15m turnover.
Independent research shows LawNet is most highly valued by members for delivering in six key areas – training, networking, PII, business development, marketing and compliance. It currently places some £1.2bn worth of PI cover alone for members each year, which helps stabilise premiums for firms.
About Epoq and DirectLaw:
DirectLaw from Epoq has led the way in enabling law firms to deliver legal services online. By utilising Rapidocs®, Epoq’s unique, content rich document automation system and delivering it seamlessly via the web, DirectLaw allows solicitors to engage with clients conveniently online and make their firms more competitive, efficient and profitable.
And, because Epoq is the leader of developments in online legal solutions, law firms can be sure of technological excellence as well as affordability. Today, over 150 law firms are using Epoq’s online technology to differentiate their firms and deliver legal services more efficiently and profitably.