CHARLES CHRISTIAN’s £5.00 LEGAL TECHNOLOGY iNSIDER http://www.cloudnine.co.uk THE ESSENTIAL GUIDE TO WHAT’S HOT (AND WHAT’S NOT) IN LAW OFFICE SYSTEMS

In association with ➦ with BDO Stoy Hayward, the judging LASERFORM panel comprised: Alex le Clezio, director of WINS A SECOND operations at Watson Farley Williams, Mary Heaney, editor of The Lawyer, Nigel SCL AWARD Steward, senior partner of Sherwin Oliver In this Hot Chocolate’s old hit record “So You and chairman of LawNet, Ed Dean, head edition… Win Again” must now be Barry Hawley of technology of Lovell White Durrant, Green’s favourite song after his company and ex-Masons’ IT director Martin Telfer. Supplier meltdown Laserform Law won its second Society for At the time of going to press, the continues… 2 Computers & Law IT Award. finalists were due to receive their awards Laserform first won in 1996 with from Lord Saville, chairman of the ITAC LSSA threatens one of its electronics forms products and (Information Technology and the Courts) to get angry… 2 this year it was the company’s low cost committee and the man responsible for CaseControl case management system first putting a Court of Appeal judgment Major building that beat off nearly 40 other entries to on the internet, at a ceremony at the society bows to take the award. English Law Society’s Hall. ❐ Progress… 3 According John Irving, chairman of the judging panel, it was the view of Internet speech the judges that the Laserform product LIBRARIANS UP IN ARMS transcription most closely met the award criteria for Law librarians are up in arms over what service launched being “the most outstanding application one has described as the “low down, for lawyers… 4 of IT to the law” in that in terms of price sleazeball tactics” of legal publishers who and potential use, it was likely to appeal use inertia selling techniques, such as Me & My PC to the broadest cross section of lawyers. sending out unsolicited “on approval“ returns… 5 The three finalists to be pipped at copies of new books, in an attempt to the post by Laserform were: the NKT generate sales. “Push” technology Interactive Internet System. This enables In an exchange of online postings information service law firms to provide interactive legal to LINK’s librarians conference area, on way… 6 services over the internet and is now in Christina Moneta of Veale Wasbrough use by over 15 solicitors practices. said she was “amazed” publishers get Latest internet and The EGAMI-Legal litigation away with treating customers so badly. In communications support system from DPA-Egami, which a letter of complaint to Butterworths, Ms developments… 6 has been specifically designed to meet the Moneta said sending out unsolicited needs of litigation departments in law material just before Christmas and Video conferencing firms and corporations. stipulating a return date immediately latest… 7 Finally, the Costs Plus taxation after the holiday period was “outrageous”. billing and costing system from Vicki Brown of Taylor Walton said Legal technology Wordwright Associates. Irving said the Sweet & Maxwell were also doing the diary dates… 7 judges were “particularly impressed” by same thing, sending her an unsolicited this deceptively simple system which will report on the internet plus an invoice for Reader services… 8 produce a bill of costs in a format £45 and a note saying they were sure she acceptable to taxing masters. would be interested in buying it. Stop Press - Axxia Along with John Irving, who is As another librarian put it: “It’s in ACE move… 8 now stepping down as chairman to enough to turn formerly docile librarians concentrate on his consultancy work ➥ into enraged Victor Meldrews”. ❐

Issue 53 ❶ 27 January 1998 LEGAL TECHNOLOGY iNSIDER LATEST NEWS COMMENT & ANALYSIS

JCS in name THE SUPPLIER LSSA STAMPS ITS FEET change The Legal Suppliers Association As part of its MELTDOWN - PART 2 (LSSA) is threatening to “name and overall expansion, Following on from last month’s story shame” two software suppliers who, Jackson Computer about the shakeout within the UK legal according to chairman Tony Landes, are Solutions, which technology market, (see LTi 52 for full lying to customers by pretending to be specialises in story) the past six weeks have seen the members of the association. Windows based following developments: “Two separate cases have been systems for ¨ Resolution Systems has finally brought to our attention of suppliers smaller law firms, completed the purchase of all rights and claiming to be LSSA members when has changed its source code to Mercury Computing’s they are not and never have been. Whilst name to JCS InControl Legal case management system. we are gratified that, by implication, Computing Resolution say full support membership of the association is so Solutions. There is services will be back on stream by 1st highly regarded by outsiders, we no change to the February and that a new version of the nevertheless are writing to these bogus 0121 355 6789 software, containing a number of members telling them to desist. The next phone number. enhancements, will be released in the step would be to name and shame them,” spring. Resolution also hopes to be able says Landes. Chepstow to announce the first new orders for LSSA says it will not identify the firm go to NT InControl “within a few weeks”. culprits because of “insufficient direct Long-time Norwel ¨ The Admiral group is still keeping evidence to be able to implicate them” user Francis & Co quiet about its plans for the LegalMind and suggests firms should instead in Chepstow has PMS system but user group chairman contact LSSA for the full list of members upgraded its Mark Green, of Read Hind Stewart, told and work it out for themselves. For the accounts software LTi the group is “very active in its support record, LTi has been able to establish to a Norwel Practice of the product” and would welcome that the two suppliers are not Select Management “genuine consultation” with “serious” Legal Systems and Solace Legal Systems system running on prospective purchasers. who both pulled this trick last year. Aviion hardware Admiral plc has announced it is across a Windows selling the business and assets of ☞ Comment… What is the point of NT network. Plus another subsidiary, Admiral IT Services, having a watchdog if it won’t bark? see story on page 6. to direct marketing specialists Prime Set up amid great enthusiasm in Response. (In our last report LTi should May 1996, LSSA now seems in danger of Debt work have added that Clarke Willmott Clarke losing its way. For example, it has still at 300 Mhz in the South-West and Golds in Glasgow not been able to convince some of the In a contract worth also run large LegalMind installations.) market’s leading players – notably Axxia – £125,000, Mersey- ¨ Finally, some news on Applied that there is any point in joining. And, side solicitors Computer Expertise’s plans to sell its LTi knows of at least one of its larger Thomas Higgins Infinity solicitors accounts and case current members that is now seriously & Co has bought management business. LTi understands reviewing whether it should renew its 75 ultra fast AST ACE has rejected a six figure offer made LSSA membership. ❐ Bravo 300 Mhz by MCS and appointed Peapod Solutions PCs. These will be to provide support services for the used to access the “foreseeable future”. Opinion among Y2K PATCH firm’s bespoke debt users seems split between those hoping Novell has dealt with the problem of recovery system, to establish a consortium to buy out the Year 2000 compliance in its NetWare 3.12 which makes product from ACE and those who have network by releasing extensive use of decided to cut their losses now and are the NetWare 3.2 Enhancement Pack. It document image already shopping around other suppliers includes a Y2K patch, retails for around processing (DIP). for replacement systems. See also Stop £250 per server and should be available Press on back page. ❐ from this month from Novell dealers. ❐

Issue 53 ❷ 27 January 1998 LEGAL TECHNOLOGY iNSIDER LATEST NEWS COMMENT & ANALYSIS

PROGRESS ➦ Meanwhile Axxia is making good its claim to be market leader by signing up DOS support MAKING GROUND over the Christmas period both Edge Irwin Associates, Although frequently under-rated and & Ellison in Birmingham and London (☎ 0171 237 6356) over-looked as a 4GL development tool commercial practice Lewis Silkin. (One of part of the team and relational database, Progress-based Ireland’s biggest firms, LK Shields, has that originally applications are fast emerging as some of also recently signed up to buy Arista.) developed the the most widely used within the legal The Edge & Ellison project will Kestrel accounts market. Solicitec, Fathom Technologies, begin with the rolling out of Axxia’s system for smaller AIM, SOS, Videss and Thompson Moore Windows-based fee earner desktop system firms before it was now base some or all of their products on to 300 fee earners in the firm’s London, acquired by Progress and are winning orders from a Birmingham and Leicester offices. This Laserform, can broad range of clients. will be followed later in the year by the now offer support Paul Sanderson of Videss says implementation of further applications, services for users sales of his company’s Progress/Windows including EIS and case management. who want to NT-based Legal Office product are proving At Lewis Silkin, Axxia won the remain with the an “unprecedented” success with the competition to replace an old Ushers DOS version of the company over-taking its 1995/96 practice management system after the Kestrel rather than turnover figures just seven months into original shortlist of six narrowed down upgrade to its current financial year. Recent orders to a two-horse race with Norwel. Windows. include Matthew Arnold & Baldwin and Turner & Debenhams in Hertfordshire ☞ Comment… The company has Costs Plus and Glaisyers in Birmingham. also announced the availability of a upgrade Another new convert to Progress series of standardised case management Wordwright is the Bradford & Bingley Building templates. These will be offered free of Associates has Society, the second largest building charge as an alternative to individually introduced a major society in Britain. The B&B has just tailoring systems during installation and, upgrade to its installed a combination of Windows NT4 by offering greater convenience, should Costs Plus servers and workstations on which it will help answer the criticism that case taxation billing and be running Fathom’s Progress based management is the least impressive costing software, Caseflow case management system to element in the Axxia product range. which was one of help bring a higher degree of automation The specific worktype templates the finalists for to its mortgage repossession procedures. already available now comprise personal this year’s SCL The Progress web site can be injury, medical negligence and uninsured Award (see front found at http://www.progress.com ❐ loss recovery applications, as well as a page). The upgrade suite of conveyancing related modules, adds a complete including residential sales and purchase, automatic AXXIA GEARING UP FOR remortgaging, right to buy and estate 6-column billing SPRING NT LAUNCH conveyancing. facility to the Axxia Systems is now expected to launch Further templates will be existing 3-column the long awaited Windows NT version of announced later in the year both option. Cost Plus its Arista practice management system in conventionally and via Axxia’s web site prices run from the spring – a timing that will coincide at http://www.axxia.com ❐ £85 to £1900. For with the third anniversary of Axxia’s information 1995 management buyout from Digital. or a copy of a Described as being “just a few WORDPERFECT FOR white paper months away” as long ago as 1996, LTi STILL AVAILABLE discussing understands Axxia considered launching IT integrator Text Systems is currently computerised the NT system at the GMEX show in able to supply fully licensed copies of taxation billing call October but delayed the move to allow WordPerfect 5.1 for Unix. For details call ☎ 01473 212752. additional time for final beta testing. ➥ Gary Levy on ☎ 0171 403 4033. ❐

Issue 53 ❸ 27 January 1998 LEGAL TECHNOLOGY iNSIDER LATEST NEWS COMMENT & ANALYSIS

INTERNET-BASED ➦ advantages of speech recognition but SPEECH without having to invest in the Common technology or only being able to use it Market Law TRANSCRIPTION when they are sitting in front of a PC. on CD-Rom SERVICE LAUNCHED The company’s chairman Henry In a joint venture Speech Machines, a company which until Hyde-Thomson believes the service will be Sweet & Maxwell now has focussed on the development of of particular interest to users of and electronic speech recognition applications for the conventional dictation services, such as publishers Context Ministry of Defence, has launched what it lawyers, as well as “mobile professionals” (☎ 0171 267 8989) believes to be the world’s first internet- who need documents to be transcribed have launched a based automatic transcription service. when they are out of the office. CD-Rom version of Called CyberTranscriber, the Pricing for the service is based on the Common service is available on a global, 24-hours a rate of £2 per page. In addition there is Market Law a day basis and gives users the ability to a one-off registration fee of approximately Reports (CMLR). dictate into a central transcription facility £18.50 (although this is being waived for These provide a and receive completed documents back the first 1000 users) and a £6 per month comprehensive within three hours. subscription, which entitles users to source of EU case Where the service differs from about £8.50 worth of free transcription. law from 1962 conventional typing bureaux is that it Readers can take advantage of a onwards, which can does not involve audio tapes flying back free trial offer or register for the service by be accessed via and forth. Instead, customers dictate visiting the company’s web site at http:// Context’s JUSTIS their work via a call from a conventional www.speechmachines.com or calling search interface. or mobile phone and it is then ☎ 01684 894440 ❐ The full archive automatically transcribed by the speech plus one year’s recognition system that lies at the heart updates is £5000. of the CyberTranscriber service. NELSON BUYS A PILGRIM Subsequent up- Speech Machines admits this can Lawyers at Nelson & Co in Leeds are to dates are £750 pa. only offer 95% accuracy and the next run the firm using the new LawSoft stage in the process is to forward the job practice management system they have Clifford to one of the company’s team of contract bought from Pilgrim Systems (☎ 0131 226 Chance up to typists who check the transcriptions for 5528 and at http://www.pilgrim.org.uk). 3000 users quality and make final corrections. The nine partner firm chose Mega-law firm Depending upon the level of LawSoft to replace its incumbent PMS Clifford Chance has service chosen, the finished job can be supplier’s Unix system after an initial ordered another returned to the customer by or as an roll-call of 12 suppliers was whittled 800 licences for attachment to an email message within down to a shortlist of four. the DOCS Open three hours or else by the start of the Explaining the move, the firm’s IT document next business day. (If you have a PC with manager Cathy Tebb said: “We see management a microphone, you can dictate the work as the industry standard for system from PC directly into a voice file which can then everything. Pilgrim’s product is Microsoft DOCS (☎ 01923 be sent to the CyberTranscriber service as from the ground up. Using SQL Server as 814700). This will part of an email.) the relational database and running on bring the total Speech Machines says because it Windows NT, it is completely integrated number of DOCS has worked in the military arena, it has with Outlook, Word and Excel. We Open users at experience of developing systems that can decided it would carry us a lot longer Clifford Chance to cope with “high noise” environments, than the other packages we looked at.” 3000. The rollout with the result that the service can work Nelson’s entire complement of 75 at the firm will be over normal telephone lines without the including 32 fee earners, will use LawSoft. completed by the use of special high fidelity handsets. “From support staff to IT, marketing, end of 1998. The company says another benefit administration and accounts, through to of the service is users can have all the ➥ postroom and reception,” said Tebb. ❐

Issue 53 ❹ 27 January 1998 LEGAL TECHNOLOGY iNSIDER LATEST NEWS COMMENT & ANALYSIS

➦ Explorer for external email, Lotus ➦ As well as Organiser as a diary/scheduler, Dos being at Lawrence CONSULTANT Arch for DAT back-up and dial-up Graham, Peter IN THE HOT SEAT networking for logging into the office. Morris describes This issue sees the return of the Insider’s Which is your favourite himself as “having occasional series that looks at readers’ software program? The game Doom! worked in the personal experiences with computing. What has been the most legal IT fraternity First to go under the spotlight is Andrew disappointing program you have used forever” holding Levison, head of IT consultancy at Grant and why? PsiWin (the PC to Psion file senior IT posts in Thornton/David Andrews Partnership. transfer utility) because of its inability to a number City law Last year LTi readers voted Andrew the properly synchronise my Psion 3c and PC firms, as well consultant most firms would like to use. diaries. spending seven This week we find out what really makes What has been your worst years with a large his own hard disk spin… moment with a computer? When my software house When did you personally first home PC’s hard disk failed the same developing legal start using computers? At college we weekend that the hard disk on my know-how and used punched cards. When I started also failed. practice work, from day one I used a Wang VS When does your PC go on in a management system for wordprocessing. morning – and go off again at night? systems and three What sort of systems do Grant My home PC stays on all the time to years with The Thornton run? Running on a Novell receive . David Andrews network are a chartered accountancy What is your favourite web Partnership before oriented PMS (Star 2000), a Lotus site? I regularly research the web for it became part of Notes/Domino intranet and Lotus information on new products but I like Grant Thornton. Organiser for diary/scheduling. The the soccer sites for when I am unable to Morris believes wordprocessor is Ami Pro and the firm watch matches. there is a niche in uses Lotus 1-2-3 spreadsheets. How many times a day do you the market for What sort of PC hardware do check your email? Internal email is “hybrid experts” you use? I have two main desktop delivered automatically but I check for who can bridge systems at home. One is a home built internet email at least six times a day. the gap between IT Pentium 166MMX with 64Mb of RAM, a Have you one piece of advice and legal practice. 3.2Gb hard disk, Windows 3.1.1, BT you would like to pass on to lawyers ISDN, Soundblaster for music and a DAT working with PCs? Never forget to back ☞ Following shuttle for back-up. My other system is a up your data, especially your laptop. three and a half 300Mhz Gateway Pentium II with 64Mb of From your experiences, would years as head of IT RAM, a 6.4Gb hard disk, , you describe IT as being a benefit or a at Rose, USR “Everything” modem, Boston sound liability? I couldn’t imagine working Brian Powell has system and DAT shuttle back-up. The without my PC! resigned and in printers are a Hewlett-Parkard HP6 and a What do you never leave home February will be Canon BJC70. without? My Toshiba laptop, a mobile moving to Barlow And your laptop? My main work phone with a data/fax card, my credit Lyde & Gilbert to horse – both in the office and when cards – and a spare fiver. ❐ take up the post travelling – is my Pentium 133 Toshiba of IT director. 220CDS laptop. It has a CD-Rom drive, 32Mb of RAM, a 1.2Gb hard disk and PEOPLE AND PLACES ☞ Allan Bower is runs Windows 95. After five years as IT director at Lawrence leaving Richards What are the main applications Graham, Peter Morris is starting his own Butler to become you run? Microsoft Word 8 for WP, IT consultancy. Called PracticaliTy Ltd the new head of IT Delrina WinFax for faxing from a PC, (☎ 0181 873 3114 or email peter.morris@ at Lawrence Lotus Notes for internal email and lawgram.com) it will be specialising in Graham. ❐ database access, Turnpike/Internet ➥ work for the legal profession. ➥

Issue 53 ❺ 27 January 1998 LEGAL TECHNOLOGY iNSIDER LATEST NEWS COMMENT & ANALYSIS

Seen around Internet & communications NEW “PUSH” INFORMATION the Web… NORWEL ADDS SERVICE FOR LAWYERS TELEPHONY TO Although better known as systems ☞ The Society integrators, City-based Text Systems of Trust & Probate WEB SITE (☎ 0171 403 4033) is about to diversify Practitioners Legal systems supplier Norwel has into the online information services (STEP) has redeveloped its web site to incorporate market with the launch of a new web established a useful a new interactive web phone facility. bureau making use of the latest “push” web site at http:// According to Alison Bagnall of technology. www.step.org Norwel, the new facility will allow clients Called Test Daily, the service is accessing the Norwel web pages via their now in final beta testing and will allow ☞ US attorney PCs to talk directly to the company’s sales customers to select a specific number of Bahman Eslamboly and support staff while simultaneously web sites they want monitored for has created a legal browsing the site but without having to changes and new information. Text’s research facility make a separate call on a conventional search engine will then carry out this which includes a telephone. task overnight and automatically send “meta index” link Norwel’s site is at http://www. customers an email by 9.00am each to legal search norwel.co.uk and to use the facility morning containing not only a listing of engines, a mailing callers will need a PC fitted with a sound sites containing fresh information but and discussion card, microphone and speakers. ❐ also their URLs. lists manager to Gary Levy of Text says he first simplify became interested in this field when the subscribing and CORPRASOFT CLAIMS FIRST company began selling the Online Look- unsubscribing to FOR IN-HOUSE LAWYERS Up cost monitoring system for users of over 500 lists and Dallas-based Corprasoft Inc has just internet and other online information a database of legal launched the Corprasoft Legal Desktop, a services. questions and new web-based matter management “While it was quite clear lawyers answers. The URL system for in-house legal departments. found the Net a useful source of material, for the site’s home Corprasoft believes the product, firms were concerned that too much fee page is http://www. which will allow both internal and earning time was being spent on routine lawguru.com/ and external counsel to share information surfing. With Text Daily, our servers will the legal research and access matter files from anywhere in monitor target web sites automatically for facility starts at the world via software lawyers so they need only access them http://www.lawguru. (Internet Explorer 3.02 or later preferred), when notified of changes. com/search/ is the first fully web-enabled groupware Text sees the service being of lawsearch.html system to have been specifically designed particular interest to commercial lawyers for in-house legal departments. monitoring corporate web sites in the ☞ IT consultant The product is based entirely course of mergers and acquisition work. Delia Venables around Microsoft Windows Distributed Pricing for the service will start reports that by the interNet Applications (DNA) architecture from as low as £10 per month. Further end of 1997 there and allows users to create a “virtual details can be found on Text’s web site at were a total of 340 desktop” that can be used to track the http://www.textsys.co.uk ❐ law firms in the UK progress of matters, monitor outside (including Scotland counsel fees, check for conflicts of and Northern interest, generate ad hoc reports and RIGHTFAX IS THE RIGHT FAX Ireland) with web maintain a calendar of events and to-do In a survey of nine different network fax sites. A full list can items. The DNA architecture also permits systems, the US IT magazine Byte rated be found at http:// easy integration with other Windows- RightFax, which is distributed in the UK www.venables. based client/server software. by Kommunicate (☎ 01252 815514) as co.uk/legal/ For more information visit the best overall product. For more details http://www.corprasoft.com ❐ visit http://www.rightfax.com ❐

Issue 53 ➏ 27 January 1998 LEGAL TECHNOLOGY iNSIDER LATEST NEWS COMMENT & ANALYSIS

NEW VIDEO CONFERENCE ➦ Netstore automatically backs up data ➦ March 3-to-5, SUPPLIER LAUNCHES to secure sites in Bracknell and Leeds Solicitors - the This weeks ACUA (Aim Computer User and, because it employs the Net to National Legal Association) annual conference saw the transfer files, authorised users can dial-in Office & Legal formal launch of Video Conferencing for from anywhere in the world to access Services Lawyers, a new venture set up by Michael data, thus also providing lawyers working Exhibition, Kaye, the solicitor whose NKT internet out of the office with the benefits of the Birmingham scheme was one of the finalists for this service. Netstore is on ☎ 01344 395762.❐ NEC. New event year’s SCL Award (see front page). featuring a As previewed in an earlier issue, mixture of trade (see LTi 48) two of VCL’s main selling LEGAL IT DIARY DATES stands and points are: This is a company set up by a ¨ January 29 – AIM, Glasgow. seminars. practising lawyer for other practising Legal IT supplier AIM is promoting its new Exhibitors include lawyers and so focuses upon the Windows NT system with a seminar law publishers, professional benefits that can be achieved programme running through until the office equipment, in terms of convenience and billable fee beginning of March. Admission is free, IT and legal forms earning. And, although the videocon seminars last two hours each, with suppliers plus hardware supplied retails for less than sessions commencing at 10am and financial and most other systems, it offers comparable, 12noon. Call AIM’s marketing department miscellaneous and in some cases, superior picture on ☎ 01482 326971. legal service quality. ¨ January 29 – How to Meet your providers. Free Goals, Preston North End FC. Part of admission, doors ☞ Comment… This is the technology Avenue Legal Systems’ series of free open 10am, the Bar Council Telecom Working Party regional roadshows looking at the way IT Wednesday late (chairman Cherie Booth) should be can help law firms meet their business night until 8pm. looking at. With hardware prices starting goals. All seminars held at the conference Full report next at £1500, this is far more affordable than facilities of football clubs around the UK. time. For details the £50,000 an installation the Bar’s Call Avenue on ☎ 01489 609010. call Nationwide system (see LTi 44) currently costs. ¨ February 24 & 25 – Information Exhibitions on Video conferencing has also Systems for Lawyers, London. The UK’s ☎ 0117 970 1370 received a boost as in that according to a leading legal IT conference this year or visit http:// recent letter, the South Eastern marks its 10th anniversary with two days www.nwe.co.uk Circuit Taxing director’s view is “there is of seminars on ways to maximise fee no reason why time spent on, and the earner use of IT systems and how to ¨ March 4 & 5, line costs of, a video conference should manage, deliver and sell legal know how Software for not be met from Legal Aid, so long as the via intranet and extranet technology. The Solicitors, combined costs were no more than those event, which includes a mini-exhibition, Bristol. Offshoot which would have been incurred had takes place at the London Marriott Hotel of Barbican show there been a face to face conference”. VCL and qualifies for 10.5 CPD hours. Prices featuring legal IT is understood to already be finalising start at £717 (+VAT) a ticket but there are and related some major deals. VCL is on ☎ 0181 802 discounts for block bookings and small services suppliers. 6817 and http://www.vcl.net. ❐ firms. The event is organised by Centaur Takes place at the Conferences, call ☎ 0171 434 3711. Bristol Marriott, ¨ February 25 - Law Office IT admission free. HOBSON AUDLEY OPTS Awareness Day. Birmingham. The Times: 12noon to FOR SECURITY NET theme for the Legal Cashier’s annual 7pm Wednesday Hobson Audley Hopkins & Wood has conference and exhibition is preparing for and 10am to 4pm signed up for Netstore’s internet-based the new Accountant’s Report Rules. Prices Thursday. For off-site disaster recovery service and will start at £95 per delegate and the event tickets call be using it as the basis for the firm’s own qualifies for 5 CPD hours. Call the ILCA ☎ 0181 742 3399. new escrow service for clients. ➥ on ☎ 0181 294 2887. ➥

Issue 53 ❼ 27 January 1998 LEGAL TECHNOLOGY iNSIDER LATEST NEWS COMMENT & ANALYSIS

CLOUDNINE SERVICES Stop Press… Stop Press… Along with publishing Legal Technology Insider, Cloudnine provides a number of AXXIA IN ACE INITIATIVE legal technology information services. This Thursday – January 29th – Axxia LEGAL Systems will be giving a presentation to TECHNOLOGY ¨ Free Insider Info Line members of the ACE User Group at the iNSIDER If you are looking for a phone number, offices of Wedlake Saint in London. Ace product name, contact point or any User Group chairman Tony Burley of The Editor: other elusive item of information Law Partnership in Nottingham and Charles Christian concerning legal IT, call the free Insider former chairman Marcus Chapman, of Info Line on ☎ 01379 687518. Badham Thompson, will be in present. For all editorial, LTi has learned that Axxia advertising and ¨ Free Hot Links proposes to make a commercial offer to subscription Readers with internet access can visit the transfer ACE users to Axxia as a group. matters contact… Insider Hot Links pages at http://www. The proposed deal will not be conditional cloudnine.co.uk/hotlinks/ where you will on the whole group joining but the Cloudnine find hyperlinks to all the web sites precise offer will be determined by the Technology, mentioned in this and previous issues. numbers finally opting for Axxia. ACE Ferndale House, has also pledged full co-operation with North Lopham, ¨ Subscribe to LTi-NET Axxia on data conversion matters. Diss, Norfolk Legal Technology Insider is also available ACE users wanting to attend the IP22 2NQ on disk or via email in electronic file meeting (which starts at 4.30pm) should formats that can be accessed via an contact Sue Milne at Axxia on ☎ 0118 ☎ 01379 687518 internal intranet. The Word 6.0 .DOC file 960 2628 or email: [email protected] ❐ Fax: 01379 687704 is suitable for cutting and pasting into a Email: editor@ Lotus Notes database. If you are running cloudnine.co.uk or Microsoft Word 7.0 CMS IN AT HERBERT SMITH (or later) you can open the .HTML file City firm Herbert Smith is to install the Next issue… directly by clicking on it. Alternatively, CMS Open practice management system Issue 54 of the open it through a Netscape web browser from CMS Data. Smith’s previously had a Insider will be via drag and drop or the “open file” Resolution FirmControl system and it published on command. The subscription rate to appears the firm will now be running the Monday 9th LTi-NET is based on a licence fee of £125 two systems in tandem. CMS has now February. pa plus £5 for each additional user signed up eight firms in the UK, Titmuss accessing it on a network. ❐ Sainer Dechert being the latest. ❐

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Issue 53 ➑ 27 January 1998