Issue 84 £6.00

CHARLES CHRISTIAN’s

LEGAL TECHNOLOGY iNSIDER THE SOURCE FOR INDEPENDENT LEGAL TECHNOLOGY NEWS, COMMENT AND ANALYSIS TFB JOINS THE WEB RESOLUTION BACK ON FOCUS PORTAL SET According to managing director Ken Technology for Business Plc has become the latest legal IT Symons, Resolution Software, the supplier to launch a “corporate portal” product capable of company behind the FirmWare practice supporting intranet-style facilities for law firms and management system, is back on track extranet-style direct access to matter records and progress and set to re-establish its reputation as reports for clients, as well as any other approved third the UK’s only home-grown world class parties, logging in via a web browser across the Internet. legal systems supplier. Called the TFB Web Server, it is designed to provide Symons’ admits there was a period access to data from a wide range of sources, not just other when Resolution was in danger of losing TFB legal systems, on a 24/7 basis. the plot, because it was simultaneously TFB technical director Mark Garnish says the system involved in three major implementation addresses security concerns by offering three levels of and bespoke development projects, but control: The Web Server database is discrete and separate says these problems are long resolved from the main office system, thus precluding the possibility and that, thanks to recent corporate of information “leaking”. Each “client” has their own restructuring and management changes, individual password to control access to the database. And the company is now fully focussed. each case on the system is electronically “locked” and can Under the new structure, Resolution only be accessed by people holding an appropriate “key”. Systems will concentrate on systems integration work, leaving Resolution 4 COMMENT Software to focus on its portfolio of legal The first generation of legal intranets did little to set the market applications which, along with world alight, in many instances becoming merely the place FirmWare, also include the InControl where unwanted information, such as office procedure case management system. manuals, went to die. But all the indications are corporate http://www.ressoft.co.uk portals, combining the best of intranets and extranets, are set to become the next big thing in legal software. In the last Insider we looked at AIM’s e-Solution portal and STOP PRESS elsewhere in this issue we look at similar products from 4 After months of rumour BLAKE The Data Base (see page 3) and LegalKEY (see page 2). DAWSON WALDRON, widely rated to be 4 TFB is holding a Web Server seminar at The Law Society Australia’s most technologically in London on Tuesday 20th July at 2.30 pm. Ring Gareth advanced and IT friendly law firm, has Thomas on 01932 781120 for details. formally placed an order for the http://www.tfbplc.co.uk KEYSTONE practice management system.

TWO NEW LEGAL IT EVENTS INSIDER WEB TRAFFIC LAUNCHED UP BY 40 PERCENT Two new legal IT events have been launched for vendors Latest web traffic statistics show a 40 and users within the UK ’ systems market. percent increase in the number of people The first of these, in chronological order, is the Legal IT accessing the Insider web site over the Forum, which is being staged by Legal Week magazine at last quarter. The site is now averaging Gleneagles in Scotland on the 13th-to-15th October. This 6000 page views per month and this invitation only event is intended to provide a mixture of figure is expected to increase with the formal conference sessions and networking opportunities launch of further editorial features for IT suppliers and the IT directors of larger law firms. during the coming three months. Continued on page 7 http://www.legaltechnology.co.uk

Page 1 Wednesday 7 July 1999 Legal Technology Insider http://www.legaltechnology.co.uk CHANGING ADDRESS US TRENDS - iMANAGE Three of the UK market’s better known IT suppliers have moved to new addresses AND INTERFACE AHEAD this month. Latest statistics on software trends in the US legal systems market reveal that InterAction’s Interface relationship 4 Case management specialist DPS management application and the iManage document SOFTWARE is now at Herewood House, management system are still the biggest selling products. 288 Southbury Road, Enfield EN1 1TR. According to the most recent AmLaw Tech survey, The phone number remains the same on among firms buying 100 or more licences during the past 020 8882 8811. The new email address is three months, 25 purchased iManage whereas the previous [email protected] and a web site is document management market leader DOCs Open only under development. managed 13 sales. During the same period 15 firms bought http://www.dps-net.co.uk the InterAction system. On the practice management front, CMS Open and Elite 4 Law Society recognised accounts continue to battle it out, with CMS taking 12 sites while systems supplier PRACCTICE Ltd has Elite could only muster five wins. Interestingly, the ProLaw moved to Pracctice House, 216 Straight case management system, which made its UK debut at Mile Road, Rotherwas, Hereford HR2 6JP. SOLEX last month, went into 16 law offices. The new phone number is 01432 372100. The latest figures also reveal two new suppliers to watch: METZ Software has a relationship management 4 Legal forms to accounts and case package called Phones Pro that was bought by two firms in management supplier LASERFORM LAW the last quarter, including Sullivan & Cromwell in New has moved its headquarters to a purpose York. And LegalKEY Technologies sold its new corporate built office block in Cheshire. The new portal/intranet systems into 12 firms, including blue chip premises will also house some of the practices Sidley & Austin, White & Case and Brobeck. The technical and support operations LegalKEY system is compatible with DOCS and iManage. currently handled out of London. The http://www.metz.com address is LFM House, Higher Lane, http://www.legalkey.com Lymm, Cheshire WA13 0RZ. The main switchboard number is 01925 750000. NEW TO SCOTTISH MARKET Solicitors Own Software has produced a new version of its NEWS IN BRIEF practice management software that is compatible with the ’s accounts rules. The system is 4 DOCUMENTUM has announced that being distributed by Solicitec Scotland Ltd (01506 418548). its new Documentum 4i web-enabled 4 Solicitec will be showing its software at the Scottish document and knowledge management Law Society’s annual conference in Edinburgh this week. system will support Microsoft Office 2000. Other IT exhibitors include: AIM, Gavel & Gown, Axiom The company says 4i is designed for Business Computers, Axxia Systems, Eclipse Computers, organisations wanting to manage content Kommunicate, Lexis-Nexis and OyezStraker. across e-business extranets, intranets and, what is rapidly becoming the buzzword du jour “corporate portals”. AXXIA IN THIRD-PARTY LINK http://www.documentum.com Following the success of its deal with debt recovery software specialist BCL/Beaver, Axxia Systems has signed up as a 4 COREL, the company behind the distributor for another third-party product - this time with WordPerfect wordprocessing system, has Canadian software company Whitehill Technologies. The just returned to profit and reported its new deal means Axxia will be able to offer Whitehill’s bill best trading results for four years. formatting software Wordflow Professional as an integrated option to go with its Arista and Eiion accounts systems. 4 IRWIN ASSOCIATES (020 7237 6356) Whitehill’s software can transform text or numerical has released Version 2.8 of its ultra low output from any system into fully customised spreadsheet, cost Virgo accounts software. The new wordprocessing or web documents. Axxia say the option version includes enhancements for firms meets the demand from law firms for consistent corporate with Legal Aid franchises, as well as a standards and styles, and their clients’ need for bills to be routine to handle the new phone codes. presented in specific ways for analysis and auditing.

Page 2 Wednesday 7 July 1999 http://www.legaltechnology.uk Legal Technology Insider DATA BASE TO OFFER DEALS AND TENDERS 4 TOWNSENDS in Swindon is in the THE KNOWLEDGE process of implementing a 120-user Nottingham systems house The Data Base (0115 971 2000) Galaxy case and practice management has entered the “corporate portal” market with the launch system from SANDERSON SYSTEMS. of an intranet-in-a-box solution called the Legal Intranet. The firm, which will run the software According to business development director Ed Hodgson, across three offices, previously used an the concept behind the project is to provide law firms with ADMIRAL LegalMind accounts package a comprehensive but modular library of web publishing in conjunction with InControl case and administration tools. This means not only can a firm management software, supplied by now commence developing an intranet relatively quickly but it defunct MERCURY COMPUTING. Admiral also can be confident that if at some later stage it does subsequently sold its LegalMind business need to add more sophisticated features (such as bulletin to Sanderson, while the rights to the board discussion areas, external news feeds or a know-how InControl software were acquired by management module called The Knowledge) the underlying RESOLUTION SOFTWARE. SIMPSON IT infrastructure is already in place to support them. MILLAR has also bought a Galaxy case Hodgson says it is essential that know-how intranets management system and will be do not become merely stale repositories for information but integrating it with a PILGRIM LawSoft instead contain a dynamic element, such as using “push” practice management system. technology to notify users of the latest developments and ensuring authors review the “shelf life” of their material. 4 is 4 The Data Base has chosen a Microsoft Back Office plus currently evaluating a SAGE Carpe Diem SQL Server 7.0 and Exchange Server 5.5 platform for the system as a fee earner front end for its Legal Intranet’s technology platform. Pricing, including KEYSTONE practice management system. SQL Server, starts at £6000 plus between £10 and £20 per user. As a guide, Hodgson suggests the licensing side of a 4 LINDON WOOD CONSULTANTS has 150 user intranet would cost around £8000 however on just been awarded a contract by top of this would be implementation charges of between LIVERPOOL CITY COUNCIL to convert £650 and £800 a day for any bespoke development work 128 separate DATA-EASE databases into and consultancy. The Knowledge know-how management a Y2K-compliant format. system has a similar price structure. 4 GIRLINGS in Kent, which is headed by former Law Society president Tony NEWS IN BRIEF Girling, has ordered FirmWare practice management and InControl case 4 Legal systems supplier VIDESS is looking for a sales management systems from RESOLUTION manager to work from its head office in Bradford. For SOFTWARE. CLARKE WILLMOTT details contact Sonja Sanderson on 01274 851577. CLARKE, which has offices throughout the South-West, is to continue running 4 LASERFORM LAW reports that, thanks to the new InControl in conjunction with Woolf civil justice procedural rules, in an eight week period SANDERSON LegalMind PMS software. from mid-April to mid-June it has taken over £1 million of new legal forms and case management software business. 4 BEACHCROFT WANSBROUGHS, which formally completed the merger 4 The ASSOCIATION OF PERSONAL INJURY LAWYERS between WANSBROUGHS WILLEY (APIL) is currently compiling a directory of IT suppliers that HARGRAVE and BEACHCROFT can be used as a source of reference by personal injury STANLEYS at the beginning of May, has lawyers looking for new case and practice management now established a wide area network systems. APIL is also trying to build up a database of between the firm’s various offices and is recommendations and comment from the users of these scheduled to complete the integration of systems to provide further guidance to APIL members who the two sides’ existing ELITE accounts do not yet have computer systems. systems by early 2000. For details of the directory - or the option of taking SHOOSMITHS & HARRISON has exhibition space at APIL’s autumn conference in Stratford- completed the unusual step of migrating upon-Avon on 23rd September, contact membership from Elite running on Windows NT/SQL services manager Marlene Lord on 0115 958 0585. Server to Elite on SCO Unix/INFORMIX.

Wednesday 7 July 1999 Page 3 Legal Technology Insider http://www.legaltechnology.co.uk CONTEXT PUT LAW WHY LAW LIBRARIANS ON THE NET Last Monday saw the launch of Context’s ARE IN REVOLT new JUSTIS.com subscription-based web One of the clearer messages to come out of the recent site. This contains the full text of 134 Library + Information Show at the Birmingham NEC was years of The Law Reports, 46 years of the that law librarians are an unhappy breed. Weekly Law Reports and almost a decade Many are finding their resources swallowed-up in the of The Times Law Reports. Users wanting pursuit of what they privately believe are ill-conceived the latest legal decisions will also be able know-how management projects at the same as they are to access transcripts of Court of Appeal having to fight for budgets, and in some instances their judgments that will be updated daily. very survival, as practice managers begin wondering At present JUSTIS.com contains four whether the greater use of electronic legal resources means titles from the JUSTIS range however they can “downsize” their library establishments. development is underway to expand the This downsizing trend has already taken off in the USA service to incorporate other titles. where, for example, Pillsbury Madison & Sutro in San Commenting on the launch, Context Francisco has laid off its entire library staff and outsourced commercial director Michelle Green said: the work to an agency. But US reports also suggest some “We produce 17 legal CD-Rom titles and of these developments have hit problems because managers our publishing decisions are always had not appreciated the cost of online services or that not based on end-user requirements. We all legal research work can be conducted electronically. actively encourage feedback and deciding A further problem is a growing unhappiness with the what to add to JUSTIS.com is also likely sales and pricing policies of law publishers - Context seems to be shaped by our customers”. to be the only publisher widely liked by librarians. In Green also believes the new service particular the City Law Librarians Group believes the move has a “cost-effective” pricing structure towards electronic publishing has changed the traditional that will “make core legal material more library-publisher relationship and what is now needed are widely accessible” and that even “novice software industry-type user groups at which both web users will be able to find what they technical and pricing/licensing issues can be resolved. Or, are looking for quickly and easily”. as one librarian put it: “We need to throw off the ‘bun and 4 For prices and further information spectacles’ image and become more militant”. contact Francis Ofili on 020 7267 8989. http://www.justis.com CD-ROM VERSUS ONLINE In a recent interview with the Insider, Tolley’s head of MIGRATE TO LTi-NET Internet publishing Steve Savory said he believed online An increasing number of subscribers are legal information services have an advantage over CD-Rom migrating to LTi-Net, the digital version publications for reasons of both time and logistics. of Legal Technology Insider. Available in “Publishing on the Internet enables us to make new an HTML file format, it can be delivered content available to subscribers faster than ever before. If as an e-mail attachment or accessed via the Revenue publishes a new concession today, the a secure subscriber-only web site. practitioner would have to wait at least one week to get LTi-NET comes complete with live the information on CD and perhaps a year for a paper hypertext links and is designed for firms based copy. With online services we can e-mail subscribers wanting to access the newsletter across immediately and have the full text on the web in minutes.” corporate portals, intranets and Lotus Turning to logistics, Savory said a problem encountered Notes databases or people who just want in larger law firms and professional practices is because to be able to read and print it from the they subscribe to so many CD titles, in many instances desktop, rather than wait for the paper taking multiple copies of disks for different servers and version to make its way to them down the branch offices, it is not unusual to find stacks of update distribution list. All LTi-NET subscribers disks waiting in a corner for someone to find the time to also get access to a web archive of back- replace them. This is in contrast to the Internet where all copies of the newsletter. updating is handled centrally by the publisher. Subscription rates start at £135 (inc Savory also points out the Internet, unlike CD-Rom, VAT) for a single user, rising to £270 (inc imposes no extra strains on internal network traffic and VAT) for a site licence. For a free sample does not require state of the art PCs but merely anything copy e-mail: [email protected] capable of running a Version 3.0 (or higher) browser.

Page 4 Wednesday 7 July 1999 http://www.legaltechnology.co.uk Legal Technology Insider R/KYV SYSTEM GETS LITIGATION SUPPORT MAJOR OVERHAUL NEWS IN BRIEF Valid Information’s R/KYV system, one of the pioneering 4 IGL LEGAL DOCUMENT SERVICES products in the UK litigation support market, has been (020 7363 4400) has introduced a PDF given a new look with the introduction of R/KYV Optimum. (portable document file) format “e-bible” Valid managing director Bill Cannings describes the new service for firms wanting to create system as a “complete suite” covering everything from the electronic versions of their transaction actual production of documents at source, through to the bibles. IGL’s Paul Mankoo says that use of the system in a courtroom and ongoing use as a law along with providing both clients and fee firm’s “war-chest” of information. earners with a full version of the bible on Optimum makes extensive use of the latest drag-and- CD-Rom rather than paper, the service drop features within Windows and incorporates workflow can also ensure the material can be techniques so documents can be linked and associated in linked with a law firm’s document and ways that previously were not possible. In addition, the knowledge management systems. workflow element allows teams of lawyers to work on and share, including via the Internet thanks to server software 4 Xerox subsidiary SCAN SOFT Inc that can handle a mixture of Windows and HTML users. (01344 407718) has unveiled a new The system also incorporates Valid’s courtroom version of its TextBridge OCR (optical software, which was estimated to have saved £40,000 a character recognition) software. Called week during one tax fraud trial at Southwark Crown Court the TextBridge Pro 9.0 Business Edition, and also saw action during the 531 days of the Heathrow it has been designed for organisations Airport Terminal 5 enquiry. producing high volume OCR, scan-to- Optimum includes the facility to capture data at source, web and paper-to-PDF output. Pro 9.0 with any “digital object”, including wordprocessing files, generates true PDF output (in Normal, spreadsheet data, accounting information, micrographics Image and Image+Text formats) for a one- and scanned paper, being treated as “documents”. off cost that can be published and As scanning still forms an essential part of most distributed by e-mail. Pricing starts at litigation support work, the Optimum workflow element £350 (+VAT) for a single-user licence controls the whole process, checking documents are not in both from ScanSoft and its distributors. an un-used evidence list, have valid numbers and accepted http://www.scansoft.com nomenclature and that all scanning (using Valid’s own OCR engine) and indexing is fully integrated. 4 5D SOLUTIONS (01483 426421) has Canning believes the system will help sort the cowboys launched a cheap and easy to use PDF from the professionals in the litigation support industry: file creator called NikNak. Priced at £65 “Most bureaux are content to buy off the peg scanning (+VAT), about half the price of comparable software and tinker around with it. Perhaps that is why so Adobe Acrobat products, although the many of them produce such diabolical work and go bust!” software lacks some of the functionality of Adobe, it still outputs PDF 1.2 compliant files to provide a viable XML - IT’S ALL ABOUT DATA alternative to PDF creation. According to HotDocs distributor and Capsoft UK The way NikNak works is to embed managing director Russell Shepherd, the correct way to itself into the Microsoft Windows 95/NT look at the PDF versus XML file format debate (see Insider printing system, so it appears to be just passim) is to consider not what they are but what they do. another PostScript printer phyisically Shepherd says XML is not a standard that will challenge attached to the computer. To produce a PDF but is instead a new way of reusing published data. It PDF file, the user selects the PDF driver would typically be used in the dynamic production of from an application’s print dialogue, documents or other reformatted data and, as such, lends choses the output quality and the itself to electronic commerce applications on the Internet. program then automatically converts the “XML is all about data” whereas PDF is about images document into a PDF file. NikNak, which and “represents a sensible choice for storing and reusing can handle most mainstream office graphical representations of paper documents”. Shepherd software applications including Word adds that even in the USA many courts and government and Excel, also supports drag-and-drop agencies are still struggling with issues surrounding PDF conversions of EPS files to PDF. files and the submission of data and electronic signatures. http://www.five-d.com

Wednesday 7 July 1999 Page 5 Legal Technology Insider http://www.legaltechnology.co.uk E-MAIL MONITORS - AWARDS DO THEY WORK ? Purely by coincidence, at about the same - NEW MEDIA WINS time as a gas distribution firm was The Internet and related “new media” technologies enjoyed agreeing to pay £100,000 in damages to considerable success at The Lawyer magazine’s recent settle an e-mail libel action, two new annual awards ceremony. e-mail monitoring systems were launched The winner of the “Best use of IT” award was Hammond in the UK. Business Systems Group is Suddards with its Direct service for handling acting as the distributor for SRA’s high volumes of conveyancing transactions - the service Assentor real-time e-mail monitoring currently handles over 4000 transactions a month. system and MessageNet has launched a The runner-up was with Confirms, another bureau service called E:)SCAN that filters part of its Blue Flag service. (The service also won a third the content of inbound and outbound place in the “Innovation Award” category.) And third place e-mail traffic via its own servers. went to Briffa & Co for its “Internet shop”. The category Both systems were developed to meet was sponsored by IT services provider Tikit. the growing problem of “inappropriately” In the “Best use of Multimedia” category, the first prize worded e-mail messages that cause went to the Birmingham firm Cartwright & Lewis for their offence or result in legal action. But, do CD-Rom based interactive guides to various areas of they really work? business law. The runner-up was Briffa & Co again. Neither product claims 100 percent 4 The Briffa site, some parts of which are still under accuracy but BSG does say its system is development, provides visitors with an opportunity to buy “intelligent” in that it monitors not only from a range of relatively low-cost, standard documents keywords but also the context in which relating to various areas of intellectual property law - such they are used. For example, to call as copyright agreements for web site developers. However someone a “Chink” is clearly offensive this is not a true automated e-commerce site as users can but the word could be used legitimately only order the documents online. Orders still have to be in the context of “We think we have processed manually and are then despatched by post or spotted a chink in their armour”. e-mail, along with an invoice, within two working days. 4 Bloomberg, the financial information http://www.briffa.com group, introduced e-mail monitoring for its own staff earlier this year and last month extended it to cover the average of WEB SITE REPORTS three million messages its customers send between its 120,000 screens each 4 PANNONE BALONEY day. The result has been a mixed success, It may be new but the Pannone web site already looks set apparently one broker at Flemings to get into the guide books as a classic example of how not Investments in London has been unable to design a web site. Our first visit, using the latest version to conduct any e-mail correspondence of Internet Explorer, threw up an error message saying we about the German manufacturing group lacked the requisite multimedia plug-ins with which to FAG Kugelfischer Georg Schaefer AG view the site. Another screen prompt helpfully suggested because the system thinks he is making we download the appropriate software from the web and derogatory remarks about homosexuals. that it should only “take a couple of minutes”. Well excuse http://www.bsg.co.uk me but just who is paying for this phone call? http://www.messagenet.co.uk Our alternative browser (Netscape Communicator 4.5) proved more useful. We could actually see the site although frankly it was not worth the effort. Despite ISDN access, 4 INSIDER FREE-ZINES the home page and subsequent links were painfully slow Legal Technology Insider publishes a to load, the whole thing being delayed by huge blocks of series of free current awareness e-mail colour sliding backwards and forwards in a way some newsletters (free-zines) providing news misguided law firm marketeer thinks is artistic. It isn’t. and comment on legal practice. The titles Still, at least there were no portrait galleries of pictures are: E-Business + Law, Watching Brief of men in suits. There again there was not much content of Online (local government law) and the any kind. The “click here for latest news” option produced Litigation Support Digital Newsletter. To a story that was seven weeks old and the “contact” menu subscribe send a note of your e-mail link - presumably intended to provide access to telephone address to: [email protected] Continued on page 7

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TWO NEW LEGAL IT EVENTS LEGAL TECHNOLOGY Continued from front page DIARY DATES The second new show - Legal IT 2000 - is being organised by Cordial Events (020 7221 1155) at the Business Design 4 A VISION FOR THE NEW Centre in London on the 2nd and 3rd February 2000. This MILLENNIUM - The Law Society of event, which is sponsored by Legal Week in association Scotland’s 50th Anniversary Conference with Legal Technology Insider, will combine conventional opens at the Edinburgh International exhibition space with a series of keynote seminars. Conference Centre on Thursday 8th July Although Cordial has only been selling the event since and runs through until Saturday 10th. mid-June, nearly two-thirds of the space has now been IT speakers include Richard Susskind, sold or reserved by a supplier list that includes almost all Neil Cameron and Chris Gough of Grant the major players within the UK legal IT market. Contracts Thornton. There will also be a small have already been signed by Axxia, Butterworths, Equitrac, exhibition on the Thursday and Friday Linetime, Peapod, Pilgrim and Pracctice, while suppliers and an Internet cafe running for all three who have reserved stands include AIM, Avenue, CMS, days. Prices start at £35 (+ VAT) for one- Cognito, Grant Thornton, Laserform, Lexology, PC Docs, day student fees through to £300 (+ VAT) Quill, Sanderson, Solicitec, Sweet & Maxwell, TFB and for a full three day ticket. Call the Tikit. A number of suppliers have told the Insider this is the organisers Meeting Makers on 0141 434 only major exhibition they will attend in London next year. 1500 for more details. 4 Robert Ewin, the managing director of Nationwide which runs the Solicitors National Legal Office Exhibition at the 4 AVENUE SEMINARS - A series of Birmingham NEC, has confirmed rumours that a rival free seminars around England and Wales event organiser did try but failed to have them ousted from to promote Avenue Legal Systems’ new the venue. The show will take place at the NEC again next software, including its Woolf-compliant year. The dates are 14th-to-16th March and the Law case management system. For details call Society Gazette has confirmed that this will continue to be Linda Moore on 01489 609010. the only major legal exhibition it sponsors. See next issue for full list of the autumn’s legal IT events. 4 IT SOLUTIONS ‘99 - A product promotional seminar organised by Sanderson Systems in London on 13th WEB SITE REPORTS July. Admission is free, call Lisa Quinn Continued from page 6 on 0121 359 4861 for more details. numbers and similar useful items of information - did not work. (There did not appear to be any hypertext code 4 YEAR 2000 COMPLIANCE - Two behind it.) It was also surprising to see the English Law one day conferences on assessing and Society described as the professional body for “UK lawyers”, managing the legal risks on 27th July we hope someone told the Bar and Scottish practitioners. (London) and 29th July (Dublin). So what is the point of this site? The flashy elements Organised by IQPC Events (020 7430 will probably impress less web-savvy competitors within 7300). Full details are on the web. the profession and students looking for jobs. But anyone http://www.iqpc.co.uk else, assuming they have the correct browser and can see anything at all, is likely to be left distinctly underwhelmed. ISSN 1361-1240 Copyright © Legal http://www.pannone.com Technology Insider 1999. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may 4 THE BIZ LACKS LEGAL FIZZ be reproduced without consent. While According to the news announcement: “The Biz is the only every effort is made to ensure the portal web site where people working in legal services can accuracy of information contained in access accurate legal information fast via a focussed this publication, no guarantee is search directory, and includes the World’s first Office expressed or implied and the Publisher Vertical Portal (which) is dedicated solely to finding services does not accept liability for any loss or that any busy office needs - whether users are looking for a damage that may arise from any errors or new legal legislation details or an actuary.” (Sic) omissions. Privacy policy: We do not sell Forget the grammar and forget this site. The Biz is not a or disclose the names, addresses, phone legal portal but just another general business services and numbers or e-mail details of our office products site wanting to attract law firm advertising. subscribers to anyone. All trademarks http://www.thebiz.co.uk and brand names are acknowledged.

Wednesday 7 July 1999 Page 7 Legal Technology Insider http://www.legaltechnology.co.uk LEGAL TECHNOLOGY COMPUTER LORE INSIDER 4 DIRTY WORK BUT SOMEONE HAS TO DO IT The address for all editorial, advertising Although the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers (APIL) and subscription matters is: Ferndale has plenty of heavy duty sessions scheduled for its House, Harling Road, North Lopham, autumn conference in September (see next issue for details), Diss, Norfolk IP22 2NQ, United Kingdom. including seminars on the McDonald’s “scalding cases” and whether “fibromyalgia is the new RSI”, they are also Publisher & Editor: Charles Christian clearly determined to party the night away. On the first evening a drinks reception is followed by pre-dinner drinks, Tel: 01379 687518 - Fax: 01379 687704 then dinner, and then a bar and disco that does not close Videoconference line: 01379 687690 x 2 until one in the morning. The next day even starts with a seminar called “A visit to the Bar” but, disappointingly, E-mail: [email protected] this actually proves to be about using barristers.

4 DON’T MISS THE NEXT ISSUE 4 SOMEBODY BET ON THE BAY OF THE INSIDER - No. 85 - OUT Litigation support specialist Elliott Slone has ventured WEDNESDAY 21st JULY. into the corporate promotion and entertainment field with the purchase of a two year old racehorse, a filly christened Hoxton Square after the location of the company’s head SUBSCRIBE NOW office. She had her first outing at Southwell at the end of Legal Technology Insider is available only last month, where she came in a good second in a race for on subscription. UK subscription rates: maiden fillies, beating the third-place runner by about one year @ £115 for 21 issues or two seven lengths. If her form continues to hold up, Elliott years @ £210 for 42 issues. (Rest of World Slone plan to invite clients along to see her run. £135 for 21 issues or £250 for 42 issues. Payment by IMO or bankers draft in 4 HELLO JOHN, IS THAT A NEW MONDEO ? Sterling drawn on London.) Reports have been received of irate squeaks emanating 4 To subscribe, complete & return this from Axxia Systems after a leading IT consultant described form to: Legal Technology Insider, them as the “Ford Mondeo of the legal software world”. Ferndale House, North Lopham, Diss, Apparently this is because their systems are “unexciting Norfolk IP22 2NQ, United Kingdom. but reliable” and there is at least one in every High Street. &------4 WEIRD, WONDERFUL AND ON THE WEB Name ...... The story in the last issue about Sandwiches Online has Position ...... prompted one of our readers to point out that a Pies Online service will shortly be going live in the North of Firm/Organisation ...... England. It is currently under construction however we did ...... manage to find another food connection on the HM Prison Address ...... Service site...... There, among the grim news about Wormwood Scrubs ...... and a glossary of prison argot (apparently “jam roll” is not ...... something you have with custard but slang for parole) is a ...... report that HMP Garth in Lancashire has just won an award for serving up the healthiest prison food in the UK. Post/Zip Code ...... Finally, those of our readers who plan to spend some of Phone Number ...... the Long Vacation playing golf might like to note that the E-mail ...... French Language Office in Quebec now has a web site I enclose my remittance of £ ...... providing a guide to golfing terminology in French. A birdie (payable to Legal Technology Insider) for is an “oiselet”, an eagle is an “aigle” and a double eagle is one year ! or two years’ ! subscription. an “albatros”. And if you hit a “trou d’un coup” (hole in one) mind you don’t throw up a “motte de gazon” (divot) Tick boxes or complete as appropriate: on any of the “vertes” (greens). Send receipted invoice ...... http://www.piesonline.co.uk Please invoice me ...... http://www.hmprisonservice.gov.uk Purchase Order Number ...... http://www.olf.gouv.qc.ca

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