HWL-Ebsworth-Case-Study

CASE STUDY

2014 Lawtech award winners for Knowledge Management Innovation

AN EFFICIENT, STREAMLINED DUE DILIGENCE PROCESS INFORMS STRONG LEGAL ADVICE.

The Challenge: Advising clients on commercial “Due diligence is easier with transactions, legal ﬁrm HWL Encompass. The superior Ebsworth is required to complete PPSR search functionality due diligence on properties, has helped our Banking and companies and individuals, which Financial Services, Property and can be tedious and slow. Commercial teams to save time, The Outcome: streamline workflow

Encompass has enabled HWL Shelley Parsons Ebsworth to improve the efficiency Personal Assistant HWL Ebsworth and accuracy of their search and review. They can finalise due diligence quickly, provide prompt advice and minimise risk. HWL Ebsworth needed a faster, more efficient way of conducting due diligence PPSR searches and interpreting the results – without compromising accuracy.

The Challenge The Solution The Outcome

Acting for large financial HWL Ebsworth began using With Encompass now an institutions, HWL Ebsworth is Encompass to search, sort and integral part of their due required to complete a full suite manage information involved in the diligence process, HWL of Personal Property Security due diligence process. Ebsworth are able to: Register (PPSR) searches as part • Complete PPSR searches of due diligence in commercial By combining the three company and finalise the due diligence transactions. identifiers into one search action process in an efficient and and providing the results in an timely manner. Traditionally, manual PPSR Excel spreadsheet, Encompass searches have been slow and streamlined PPSR searches. This • Provide clients with prompt, paper-intensive, requiring three made it easy for HWL Ebsworth high quality legal advice. separate searches – by name, staff to identify critical details • Ensure accuracy and ABN, and ACN; to ensure all regarding the security interests minimise the risk of human the relevant documents and registered against properties, error, especially for complex information is captured. Some companies and individuals. transactions. searches can involve as many as 2000 pages of securities which Within minutes, the team can now • Streamline internal need to be reviewed. Although, the search and review certificates workflow and free up three searches are still required, and registration numbers administrative resources. Encompass allows us conduct in electronically, downloading • Reduce unbillable hours one search. to Excel spreadsheets and/or spent on collating PPSR PDF formatting of the search information. Reviewing and managing search certificates and documents as findings is laborious, with potential required. “Encompass is time- • Meet challenging for human error and delays to effective, and it’s easy to learn and timeframes without advice. use.” Shelley Parsons said. compromising quality.

About HWL Ebsworth HWL Ebsworth is an integrated, full service commercial law firm, operating in offices across Australia in Adelaide, Brisbane, Canberra, Melbourne, Perth and Sydney. HWL Ebsworth operates a different business model to other leading national law practices, allowing them to offer market-leading advice at rates significantly lower than those of competitors. The firm currently comprises 905 staff, including 187 Partners, 425 professional staff and 293 support staff.