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Legal Technology News From the publishers of Legal Technology Insider. Issue.104 - 20.03.2002
IN THIS ISSUE
TEN MAKE IT ONTO LATEST SOFTWARE SOLUTIONS LIST
Now in its fourth edition, this year's Guide lists a total of ten suppliers. Seven were also featured last year: Edgebyte, Gavel & Gown, JCS, Mountain Software, MSS, SOS and Videss. There are two new entries: Axxia and DPS, plus one re-entry: Quill. TFB, which was in 2001 Guide, declined to put itself forward again this year and Pracctice failed to make the final cut. Mountain is now the only supplier to have received a full listing in every edition of the Guide.
One big change this year is that along with conventional software applications, the Guide includes a number of ASP (application service provider) solutions plus an accounts bureau - Quill's Pinpoint service. The Guide has also been revised to display the results of market research in a clearer format and to make it easier for users to see which systems best suit particular sizes of firm.
LSSA XML SCHEMA NOW PUBLISHED
The Legal Software Suppliers Association (LSSA) has recognised that it is to the benefit of its members to agree a common XML standard that can be used as a basis for all future inter-program communication within the legal environment. The increasing need for this standard comes from two directions:
i) No single legal software supplier can provide the panacea legal application and law firms are now demanding a best of breed approach. They wish to combine practice management and perhaps a number of case management applications from different suppliers into a single cohesive system. Clearly, given the number of suppliers, to write individual interfaces to all potential application partners is impossible whereas writing a single interface to an established standard is feasible.
ii) It is increasingly necessary for legal applications to communicate with other systems outside the organisation. This includes client applications, other service providers (eg the NLIS channel providers) and increasingly government related bodies (eg the LSC). As the world marches towards collaborative commerce (c-commerce) the LSSA has a key role to play in the formulation of a common language (an XML schema).
LSSA XML Working Party chairman Neil Ewin says that: "Writing a single XML schema to cover the vast range of possible legal transactions is daunting, if indeed possible. The approach that has therefore been adopted is to develop a collection of sub-schemas describing common data components likely to appear in any such transaction (eg party, time posting, financial posting).
"With these data components agreed, they can be combined to form schema describing particular types of legal transaction. Example schemas can be case type specific, for example between Insurance Company and panel Solicitor, or as a generic link between case and practice management systems."
It will be up to the individual LSSA member as to the degree and timescale by which these standards are adopted however the great interest and support this project has received from both within the group and from external sources, indicates a real desire to adopt and implement as quickly as possible. This document has been presented for discussion and does not represent a formal LSSA XML standard nor is it guaranteed to be valid or well formed but represents a collection of ideas from LSSA members and seeks to encourage debate.
The LSSA is keen to hear views and opinions from all interested parties irrespective to their affiliation to the LSSA. Email your comments to Neil Ewin at n.ewin@solicitec.com
KEYSTONE BOARD AGREES TO SOLUTION 6 BID
The proposed deal - which has paper and cash alternatives - values Keystone at £13.5 million or 11.8p per share. Keystone shareholders have the option of receiving Solution 6 shares or a 10p per Keystone share cash alternative. At the close of trading before the offer was announced, Keystone shares were priced at 8.75p. Keystone has disclosed that it anticipates making a loss of "in excess of £4.2 million" for the year ending 31 March 2002. Keystone directors are unanimously recommending acceptance of the offer, which is expected to have a mid-April closing date.
LAW FIRMS LAGGING IN LEGAL WEB STAKES
Commenting on the results, Infolaw's managing director (and co-author of Researching the Legal Web) Nick Holmes said: "As more than 50 percent of the UK is now connected to the internet, the absence of a web presence will surely fail to impress any potential client. The 'High Street' law firm has always been slow to adopt new technology and our research confirms this conservatism. There are however notable exceptions, with some very small firms leading the way with legal e-commerce. Time will surely demonstrate that that £200 - all it takes to set up a simple site - would have been well spent."
The figures show the number of principal web sites listed (some firms also have specialist sites) - total number of firms or chambers by principal offices - sites as a percentage of the total.
The Lawyers on the Web directory can be accessed free of charge at www.infolaw.co.uk/lawyers/lawyers.asp
CLAIMROOM LAUNCHES CONVEYANCING DEALROOM
Called TheConveyancingRoom, the system offers web sites in the corporate design of individual firms and on which all parties to a transaction (solicitors, clients, estate agents, mortgagees etc) can communicate in a secure online environment. There is also an online filing cabinet contains files for communications with the various parties but under predefined reading and writing powers, so clients, for example, could at the option of the solicitor read but not write communications with the solicitor on the other side. There is also an online storage area for documents the drafting of which can be finalised online and archived for future reference.
Managing director Graham Ross believes the system will be attractive to clients, who use the internet, as being not only a far more convenient way to communicate but also allow them to be better up to speed with how matters are progressing without having to make endless chase up phone calls. Ross also points out that unlike ordinary email, all mail and documents will be instantly accessible at all times from any PC located anywhere (even whilst working at home or abroad) and remain available even in the event of total data loss on the office network.
Because the system is being offered as part of an annual licence fee deal, Ross believes the system will be commercially attractive to small firms. For more details call David Street on 0151 336 2002 or visit www.theconveyancingroom.com LEGAL TECHNOLOGY INDUSTRY & VENDOR NEWS
SEE THE WEB IN THE PALM OF YOUR HANDHELD - Palm Inc, the developer of the PalmPilot handhelds, launched its new Palm Web Browser at this week's CeBIT show in Germany. This is a full featured HTML browser giving users of internet-enabled Palm m125, m130, m500, m505, m515 and i705 handhelds the ability to access any URL on the internet, bookmark and categorize favourite sites, as well as save information for offline viewing. Users can do all this whether they are connected to the internet wirelessly or via a modem.
The Palm Web Browser is scheduled to be available in the United States on April 8, in Europe at the end of April and in other regions at a later date, for an estimated US street price of $20. It will be available for purchase and download online in in Europe at PalmDirect.com - www.palmdirect.com - as well as various third-party online vendors.
MANCHES LAUNCHES TECH FORUM - London law firm Manches has launched a new technology forum - called FORTECH - to provide up to date information and analysis on legal and commercial developments affecting the buyers and suppliers of technology. Membership of FORTECH, which will offer a series of members forums and a bulletin alert service, will initially be free to both existing and non-Manches clients. For more information about joining FORTECH email fortech@manches.co.uk
OSBORNE CLARKE IS TECH FORM OF THE YEAR - Osborne Clarke has been named UK Technology Law Firm of the Year in recognition of its strong technology practice and work with venture capitalists. The award was announced last week at the UK Technology Partnering & Investment Gala Awards dinner at the Royal Lancaster Hotel. Runners up for the award included SJ Berwin, Taylor Joynson Garrett and Wragge & Co.
Simon Rendell, head of technology at Osborne Clarke, commented: "We are absolutely delighted to have won this award. Partnering and investment for the technology sector is at the heart of what we do, and it's long been our focus to work with technology companies on both sides of the Atlantic to develop significant opportunities for growth. In this new environment, it's our challenge to help companies, both young and well-established, to realise their potential." LEGAL WEB SITE & ONLINE SERVICES NEWS
COMMERCE & INDUSTRY WEB SITE GOES LIVE THIS WEEK - The new web site of the Law Society Commerce & Industry Group (known as the C&I Group) goes live later this week (on 21 March). The site is intended to become the Group's shop window, acting as the primary source of all information and services available to the group and also providing a bulletin board for members to debate issues of current interest. www.cigroup.org.uk
LAWYER LOCATOR & FIRSTLAW TEAM UP - Martindale-Hubbell's LawyerLocator has teamed up with FirstLAW to provide visitors to www.firstlaw.co.uk with a fast and accurate online search facility to find a solicitor anywhere in the U.K. By applying specific search criteria such as area of law, town or postcode, users of FirstLAW's site will be able to instantly identify legal specialists in many disciplines and locations. In a reciprocal deal - at www.lawyerlocator.co.uk - LawyerLocator will offer its users the opportunity to utilise FirstLAW's legal tendering service to help them select, instruct and negotiate terms with the law firms that match their requirements. In addition, all of those law firms with a web site through Martindale-Hubbell's Lawyer HomePages service will be offered the option of membership of the FirstLAW law firm panel, increasing their access to potential new clients.
MISHCON LAWYERS TAKE STAKE IN LEGALPULSE - A consortium of lawyers from Mishcon De Reya have become shareholders in Legalpulse, the UK online and offline provider of legal documents for SMEs. The move sees Kevin Gold, the joint managing partner at Mishcons, join the Legalpulse board. Documents currently available via Legalpulse - at www.legalpulse.com - include employment contracts, business plans and shareholder agreements.
WHICH? ACCREDITATION FOR LANDLORD LAW SITE - Landlord-Law Online has been accepted to join Web-Trader, the online accreditation scheme from the consumer organisation Which? We think this is only the second firm to have achieved this accreditation - the other is a divorce law site run by Mills & Reeve. www.landlordlaw.co.uk
VRISKO FINALISES DEALS WITH PERFECT & BUTTERWORTHS
Vrisko, who specialise in content integration and brokered searching, have developed their range of services to include an email alerting service where clients can now receive content from multiple vendors in the same email. These emails are customised, and the content sorted to the client's specification. The first global vendors to work in partnership with Vrisko and take advantage of this development are Perfect Information and LexisNexis Butterworths Tolley. Vrisko will include other vendor content where clients have the appropriate vendor license.
According to Vrisko sales director Stuart Pocock: "Clients have been asking for a more efficient way of delivering high value content from multiple vendors using push technology, without overloading mailboxes. We have always specialised in searching multiple databases in parallel and I am delighted that we have been able to address this important area. I expect a huge amount of interest in this service, as it will greatly enhance the user experience." www.vrisko.com
NEW REVISION SERVICE FOR UK LAW STUDENTS - A new web based service designed to help law students learn faster and get better exam results has been launched in the UK. Developed by Mindwarp Pavilion (01382 909101) it will allow English law students to use mind mapping techniques to revise chosen subjects online. This takes the key facts, concepts and ideas from textbooks and converts their content into animated, interactive "mind maps" which users access online.
Mind maps help users absorb, understand and recall key information quickly and effectively and are one of the more effective methods for conceptualising, memorising and mastering knowledge. The Mindwarp site - www.mwpavilion.com - gives subscribers access to an online library of some of the most commonly used legal textbooks in UK higher education including the 'English Legal System' by Elliot & Quinn and Prentice Hall's Nutshells series. Subscriptions to the Mindwarp Pavilion service are tailored to the student pocket and start from as little as £16.99 a year.
TWO MORE ONLINE SERVICES FROM CLIFFORD CHANCE - Clifford Chance has launched two new online services - Cross Border Acquisition Guide (CBAG) and an Alerter for Communications & Media. CBAG is a cross border mergers and acquisitions structuring tool. The Guide provides users with a themed analysis of key issues and potential problems that may arise from public and private acquisitions. The Guide, which covers twelve jurisdictions in Western, Central and Eastern Europe, is accessed via a secure extranet site. The Alerter, also accessed via a secure extranet, is an online news tool providing users with structured updates on legal and regulatory developments in radio, television and telecommunications, initially across ten jurisdictions.
CASE STUDY - STEPHENSON HARWOOD OPT FOR HUMMINGBIRD PORTAL
It was whilst working through the business requirement for such a system that the firm recognised it could potentially be rolled out to their client base, adding a new dimension to their customer service and support provision. At about the same time Hummingbird's new portal technologies were emerging so it made sense for the firm to explore if this solution could extend the functionality and deliver a seamless, non-intrusive web environment. (The firm also looked at a number of other portal solutions but felt that these products delivered much less at a higher cost.)
When it comes to IT systems, Stephenson Harwood has a view of "if it isn't broken, then don't fix it". They took the best of what they had and knew and applied that to the new portal technologies. According to IT director Chris Petrie: "We have a strategy of growing IT systems organically. This approach ensures that we always leverage the value in existing applications and achieve demonstrable ROI. We have no desire to replace robust and reliable systems for the sake of a new technology offering that may not live up to the expectation. In choosing Hummingbird EIP we didn't just protect our existing investment - we extended it. The end result is compelling."
Stephenson Harwood was one of the first organisations to implement Hummingbird's portal technologies and collaborated closely with Hummingbird throughout the entire process. In fact the final market offering includes some functionality originally developed by the Stephenson Harwood team. However Petrie point out "this is not a bespoke system, simply an enhancement of the 'out-of-the-box' functionality".
The firm plans to rollout EIP, department by department and avoid centralised bins of data. The goal is to achieve localised, specialist knowledge within each department, managed by the department and then easily made available, via EIP, to other areas, both internal and external. Users should be able to view, interact with data, mine for knowledge and receive reports in a format that suits each individual requirement.
According to Petrie, Hummingbird EIP negates the limitation of cost-per-desktop that had proved prohibitive to the implementation of solutions in the past. Today 450 users across the internal and external (client) base have the potential to access the portal. "EIP is an instant sell," says Petrie. "The first time users see it they immediately like it."
Stephenson Harwood sees the potential value of offering'Client Relationship Portals' as a non-intrusive communications channel where clients and lawyers share mutual industry knowledge and information, such as the progress or status of a particular case or project - what they see depends on who they are and what access rights they have. One client has already gone live with EIP and two further client rollouts are expected imminently.
Portal technologies are a key facet in Stephenson Harwood's IT strategy - utilising browser-based technologies can deliver cost-effective, reliable and secure access to business information regardless of time or physical location. The longer term objective is that all applications move to a "WebTop" environment where management is handled via portal technologies. Petrie concludes: "Our internal communications should improve dramatically and we are able to share knowledge with our clients and deliver it in a friendly format much faster and more effectively."
UK WEB SITES MUST BE ACCESSIBLE TO THE DISABLED
The accessibility of web sites covers much more than just disabled access. It is about giving people unhindered access to a web site from various devices, such as web-enabled televisions, mobile phones and PDAs. It is also about giving access to users who have different screen sizes, browser types and settings, or those who do not have plug-ins such as Flash.
According to Struan Robertson, an IT lawyer with Masons and editor of the firm's new media & e-commerce service OUT-LAW.COM, for those with disabilities such as sensory or mobility problems "the internet can be a mixed blessing. Home shopping, for example, can be invaluable to those for whom busy streets present a difficult challenge. However, in much the same way as a building may be problematic to the physically disabled, a web site may also present barriers to access."
For example, a visually impaired internet user might use a refreshable Braille display and web browser. The user will struggle to understand web pages if, for example, images are displayed on the page without a text alternative (which can be provided in HTML by an ALT tag). Incidentally, visual impairment describes a wide range of problems including those who are registered blind, those who are colour blind or those who suffer from tunnel vision or cataracts.
The UK Disability Discrimination Act of 1995 states that it is unlawful for "a provider of services" to discriminate against a disabled person in failing to comply with its provisions. There is some ambiguity because the wording of the Act does not specifically mention on-line services - but the consensus was that it could be applied to web sites. In explaining the services which a business should make accessible to people with hearing or visual disabilities, the Code cites "accessible web sites" among its examples. Further, in giving examples of services affected by the Act, the Code states: "An airline company provides a flight reservation and booking service to the public on its web site. This is a provision of a service and is subject to the Act."
Struan Robertson adds: "The relevant part of the Act has been in force since October 1999, but its wording was slightly ambiguous, leaving some room for argument as to whether or not it applied to web sites. Most of this ambiguity has been removed. However a high proportion of UK web sites still do not yet comply with basic accessibility criteria and it's possible that the commercial incentive for making changes to existing sites will not be widely seen until a test case is brought against a UK business, something which many expect in the near future.
"Businesses wanting to comply with this law may be frustrated that the new Code of Practice offers no useful guidance on the level of accessibility which is expected of web sites. They are expected to do what is 'reasonable' to avoid discriminating against the disabled - but it's difficult to know what is reasonable. The consensus is that, in the absence of any future guidance, sites should comply, as a minimum, with the most basic accessibility standard defined by the World Wide Web Consortium or W3C. However making these changes could be expensive for some sites.
"It's feasible that disputes may arise between companies and their web developers over who should pay for these changes. Companies could argue that the developers should have complied with accessibility 'standards'; the developers could argue that the spec did not specify any standards and that there has been ambiguity in this area. It would be much better to deal with the issue specifically in a spec or development agreement."
The W3C provides three "conformance levels," known as Priority 1, 2 and 3 (they are also known as Levels A, AA and AAA). According to the W3C, a web site must satisfy Priority 1, otherwise some users will find it impossible to access the site. The W3C considers that a web site should satisfy Priority 2, otherwise some users will find it difficult to access the site. Finally, a site may satisfy Priority 3, otherwise some users will find it somewhat difficult to access the site.
Robertson reckons that to be safe, a web site should, as a minimum, comply with Level A / Priority 1. You can find the guidelines at www.w3.org/TR/WAI-WEBCONTENT/wai-pageauth.html The UK Disability Discrimination Act can be found at www.legislation.hmso.gov.uk/acts/acts1995/Ukpga_19950050_en_1.htm and the Code of Practice and other information is available at www.drc.org.uk/drc/InformationAndLegislation/Page331a.asp
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