Reed Elsevier has reported underlying sales growth of 1% in its first half, calling it an "improved performance" after making "considerable progress". But it has warned that "recovery will be gradual as conditions remain constrained in many of our markets". The STM and law publisher recorded sales of £2.99bn for the 6 month period to 30th June, down 2% on the previous year. It made an adjusted operating profit of £758m, compared with £782m, made a year earlier. At Elsevier sales grew 1% to £955m, with adjusted operating profit up 5% at £319m. At Lexis Nexis sales fell 1% to £1.3bn, with adjusted operating profits down 15% to £280m. At Reed Exhibitions sales grew 8% to £383m, with adjusted operating profit of £123m, up 3%. At Reed Business Information sales fell 19% to £374m, with profits up 3% at £40

Reed Elsevier’s chief executive officer, Erik Engstrom, said: "We have made considerable progress in the first half against our business priorities.  Subscription renewals in our science and medical business have been completed in line with our expectations in a difficult academic budget environment.  Within LexisNexis, we have sharpened our focus on the legal and risk solutions businesses in their respective markets; good progress has been made in the development of the next generation of our legal products and supporting infrastructure; strong products are driving growth in risk solutions...While we have seen an improvement in the general economic environment and the actions we are taking are beginning to bear fruit, recovery will be gradual as conditions remain constrained in many of our markets."

LexisNexis UK today announced that personal injury practice The Skemp Partnership Solicitors has selected LexisNexis Visualfiles case & matter management system and LexisNexis PIP Broker, the latter is a cross platform application-to-application (A2A) interface module, to comply with the Ministry of Justice’s (MoJ) Road Traffic Accident (RTA) Personal Injury (PIP) claims portal. When fully implemented, these solutions together are expected to reduce The Skemp Partnership Solicitors’ claims processing time by a third and enable the firm to increase its claims handling volume by more than 65% a month, at existing staff levels. Prior to Visualfiles and PIP Broker, The Skemp Partnership Solicitors was using an inhouse system for case management and communication with the MoJ’s portal.  

The Skemp Partnership say the chose PIP Broker and Visualfiles over competing products for the solutions’ flexibility and customisability. For instance Skemp is looking to utilise the ‘robot’ functionality within Visualfiles enabling the firm to configure a PC to automatically process and print documentation and letters 24/7, eliminating the need for staff members to execute these routine administrative activities.

LexisNexis PIP Broker is a system agnostic, cross-platform A2A interface that is designed to connect all LexisNexis software platforms including Visualfiles, Axxia dna and SolCase, as well as similar third party platforms, with raPId, the MoJ’s personal injury portal.

* LexisNexis is running a series of lunch time webinars to demonstrate the features and benefits of the latest release of Visualfiles case management software. There is one today (Thursday 29) at 12:30pm, followed by sessions on Tuesday 3rd August and Thursday 12th August. To register email josephine.jakub@lexisnexis.co.uk or visit www.lexisnexis.co.uk/enterprisesolutions

North-West solicitors Barker Booth & Eastwood have chosen TikitTFB as their official solutions partner to replace their existing IRIS AIM Evolution accounts system and introduce a comprehensive case and document management system firmwide. The 50 user system will be deployed in phases with the accounts and desktop components scheduled to go-live during September. The second phase will concentrate on developing the case management system including the creation of caseflows for their Personal Injury and Conveyancing departments, and is expected to be completed before the end of the year.
 
The firm had been using AIM for a number of years with many of the precedents and processes unchanged since they were first instated. Tracy Kirkland and Sue Pilkington, Practice and Accounts Manager respectively, felt there was a need to move the firm forward and provide an improved way of working. Following a visit to the 2010 Legal IT show, they reviewed the upgrade path being offered by IRIS as well as a number of other vendors including Eclipse and Linetime before selecting TikitTFB and Partner for Windows as their preferred choice.
 
Anne Morley, Matrimonial Partner at the firm said “This kind of investment requires a great deal of trust in your chosen supplier and confidence the system is going to deliver as promised. We see Partner for Windows and our relationship with TikitTFB as a long term commitment and we look forward to working with them to develop an advanced system that will allow us to improve the way in which we operate and manage processes on a day-to-day basis, compete more effectively in the market place, and most importantly provide a higher level of customer service to our clients.”
 
Partner for Windows will provide the firm with a fully-flexible and comprehensive solution that can be used across all their practice areas including Personal Injury, Conveyancing, Employment, Family Law, Commercial Property, Wills & Probate, and Civil Litigation. As Partner for Windows is compliant with LSC requirements, the firm will be able to manage their Civil LSC contracts using functionality such as SMP reconciliation and bulk export to the LSC website. The firm have also chosen to implement PartnerMail, an intelligent email management tool that helps to file emails to and from your inbox to the relevant case file in Partner for Windows, as well as the SMS module, which will allow them to communicate with clients and third parties via text message.

Informa, the group behind the Legal IT Show at the London Business Design Centre and the Legal IT Forum (now incorporating By Legal For Legal) conference has reported an increase in adjusted operating profits of 4.2% for the first half of 2010 to £152.7m, up from £146.6m for same period in 2009. This was despite a 2% drop in revenues from £636.3m to £624m for the same period.

Well-know legal emarketing wiz David Gilroy has drawn our attention to the latest advertising campaign being run by the English Law Society to help drum up business for its members by encouraging the public to use a solicitor. We particularly like this photo





...clearly designed for the man-in-the-street (literally) who has just been run over by a taxi and looking for help. But, why stop there? Why doesn't the Law Society say what it really means – and encourage its members to do the same? Here's a photo from the US that would make an ideal ad campaign for probate lawyers when they are realising the assets of estates...

Following on from last week's story about the Blake Dawson/Elite 3E win, Elite have been in touch to clarify the position in the Asia-Pacific market – this is what they say...

On the APAC front, we are clearly taking market share as you will see from the list below. Not only are we winning the deals from other systems, we are also taking Aderant clients. Below are the Elite 3E APAC clients. It’s an impressive showing.
 
As listed:
Hesketh Henry – NZ, live, ex Aderant
Crown Law NZ – NZ, live, ex Aderant
Buddle Findlay – NZ, going live September, ex Aderant
Crown Law QLD – NZ, going live November, ex Aderant
M+K – AUS, going live October, ex Aderant
A&G (Allen & Gledhill) – Singapore, just starting Enterprise to 3E project
LHAG – Malaysia, live
Thynne Macartney – AUS, June 2010 deal
Blake Dawson – AUS, July 2011 deal, ex Aderant
 
Aderant have had a few wins. DAS (Dibbs Abbot Stillman) is a firm that gave a preliminary look at 3E and never engaged with us beyond that. Their other recent wins have been small firms: Holman Webb, just over 40 lawyers and Wotton Kearney, just over 30 lawyers. Neither of these firms looked at 3E. In the end, there is some back and forth between the vendors but the results speak for themselves.

Hot off the rumour-mill: Autonomy may announce a large acquisition very shortly. Open Text, the listed Canadian software company, as a possible target.

www.glgroup.com/News/Autonomy-to-Announce-Large-Acquisition--Open-Text-Tipped-As-Possible-Target-49639.html

The always reliable NMA News has a video recreation of the true story of Steve Jobs and the Apple iPhone 4's signal problems...

* Synonyms Are Key to Keyword Search - http://tinyurl.com/262vaa5

* No E-Discovery Project Management Plan Survives Contact with the Enemy - http://tinyurl.com/29c2xub

* Gibson Dunn - 2010 Mid-Year Electronic Discovery and Information Law Update http://bit.ly/awcTlo

* Autonomy Identified as biggest eDiscovery vendor - http://tinyurl.com/2c335ru

* Is the ESI questionnaire the future of case management? http://bit.ly/cK6aCo

* George Socha reports first EDRM XML schema survey open: http://tinyurl.com/34zw68b

* Predicting vendor success - a simplistic approach for considering ediscovery vendors http://tinyurl.com/2ct7mse

FindLaw, which is part of the Thomson Reuters organisation and describes itself as "the world's leading free legal website for consumers and businesses" this week announced the launch of FindLaw UK – a one-stop website for individuals and businesses in the UK seeking information on legal topics and solicitors. FindLaw UK also offers Contact Law, a free referral service that connects people with recommended solicitors who can provide legal advice. Contact Law already has a searchable database of 5000 pre-screened solicitors located throughout the UK.

In addition, FindLaw has also launched FirmSites UK, a service that builds custom-designed websites for smaller and mid-size law firms. The site offers a wide selection of tools, such as multimedia, social media and search engine optimization that can be used to meet a firm’s online marketing objectives.
http://findlaw.co.uk
www.contactlaw.co.uk

So far, so good so we then asked FindLaw some questions...

Rag: Isn't this story really just Findlaw boldly going where LexisNexis Martindale-Hubbell has gone before – and in the UK that is pretty much nowhere?

FindLaw: FindLaw has a proven track record as the largest developer of custom websites for law firms in the world. Unlike other providers, we offer both custom-built sites that meet the specific needs of each customer, as well as templated website designs. Our aim is to provide solutions for varying needs and budgets. In addition, ContactLaw, which we acquired last year and is an integral part of the FindLaw UK website, has already proven successful, with more than 5000 solicitors participating across the UK.


Rag: These types of sites have been available (from the Law Society among others) for the best part of a decade, so I'd be interested in knowing why FindLaw has chosen to wait till now?

FindLaw: While we have built a very successful model for developing law firm websites in the US, we wanted to wait until we had the appropriate infrastructure and understanding of the unique needs of UK solicitors and their clients. We feel at this point of time we can offer the services that can help make solicitors more successful in their practice. 


Rag: Also, how does FindSites fit in with Hubbard One – which is offering similar website development services?

FindLaw: Hubbard One and FindLaw complement each other within our (Thomson Reuters) Business of Law division. Hubbard One provides website development and other business development services, primarily for larger law firms, while FindLaw provides website abd client development services for firms of all sizes and budgets, including small and mid-sized firms.


Rag: And, will FindLaw.co.uk have a more rigorous editorial policy that the US service which hit a PR disaster earlier this year when it was accused of running spam blogs? For full background story follow these links www.abajournal.com/magazine/article/bad_blogs + http://kevin.lexblog.com/2010/01/articles/law-firm-marketing/findlaw-blogs-an-embarrassment-to-the-legal-profession/

FindLaw: FindLaw blogs provide helpful information and current legal news aimed at consumers and business, as well as solicitors. All FindLaw blogs contain unique content that is written and edited by experienced journalists and attorneys, and are in accordance with common industry standards.

Blake Dawson has selected Elite 3E to replace its legacy financial and practice management system. The commercial law firm is the largest firm in the region to partner with Elite to upgrade its technology platform and enhance internal processes.

According to deputy managing partner Helen McKenzie "The Elite team brought a depth of experience, knowledge and a proven process that enabled us to address each issue in an open and professional environment. Furthermore, the strength of the Thomson Reuters brand and Elite’s focus on the legal market are significant advantages as we feel we are working with the best in the industry. The level of flexibility and sophistication in 3E gave our entire team the confidence that we were making the right long-term decision and we look forward to successfully implementing the solution across our offices throughout Asia Pacific."

Comment: I think it's fair to say Elite has finally exorcised the curse of the troubled A&O 3E implementation.

The July issue of the Legal Technology Insider newsletter (UK & EMEA edition) is out now. The digital edition has already hit in-boxes and print edition in in the mail.

Top stories include: New MD at IRIS a 'listener' + iPads on the march + Aderant's plans coming together + Consultancy sector getting busier + Probate: there's money in them estates + Fresh on the radar: BSCM Riskenomics + New client advisor role at LexisNexis + all July's big wins and deals + Word users going native

Well known legal IT consultant Neil Cameron is now running a regular thought leader piece on his website. It's called Neil's Ruminations and the latest episode looks at whether Microsoft Office 2010 have an impact on law firm productivity?

Follow the link to the latest episode
www.neilcameronconsulting.com/Default.aspx?sID=45&cID=113&ctID=11

Mat Sutton, head of IT at Howard Kennedy, discusses the firm's use of a Worldox DMS and its move into mobile working...

Since 2000, our firm has used the Worldox document management system from World Software and it has performed very well for us throughout the past decade – with nearly 250 Worldox licenses, we are one of their largest sites in Europe.

However, there has been a growing trend for lawyers wanting to work from home or remotely when travelling on business, including the need to access their documents. Worldox/Web Mobile, which is the DMS’s online interface that operates over an internet connection, helps us meet this demand. We updated Worldox/Web Mobile to the latest available version as part of our infrastructure virtualisation project in 2008. The interface is extremely similar to that of the Worldox desktop product, so the training aspect is very light. Approximately 60% of our fee earning user base currently benefits from the availability of Worldox/Web Mobile system.

Though based in London, Howard Kennedy has clients all over the world. When our lawyers work from home or travel abroad for client visits and meetings, they can easily access documents via Worldox/Web Mobile, regardless of time differences.
 Any computer with a web connection can bring up Worldox/Web Mobile. Clearly, this is extremely convenient and helps maintain productivity. Access to documents can sometimes make the difference between a successful meeting and happy client or the opposite, so 24/7 availability of documents is critically important. 


From an IT perspective, Worldox/Web Mobile was straightforward to install, and is easy to maintain. Because of the way Worldox/Web Mobile is designed with challenge/response authentication and HTTPS protocols there is a high level of security protecting our documents. We rarely have any Worldox issues for the DMS or the web product. Having products on the system that just work like Worldox and Worldox/Web Mobile is valuable, because they don’t require manpower for troubleshooting purposes.

Worldox/Web Mobile is a good solution for Howard Kennedy for a number of reasons. First, its operating cost is very low, which is appreciated by everyone at the firm. Second, it is extremely reliable and rarely goes offline. It is a constant resource that we can count on. Third, there is very low training overhead because the interface is so similar to that of Worldox. 

GT Law, which specialises in injury claims of all kinds, including RTAs, accidents at work, occupational disease and criminal injuries, has selected Eclipse Proclaim as its new software platform. The software is being rolled out to 70 staff at the firm's offices in Merseyside and Essex.The firm says rapid growth in the claims sector has led to the opening of a new office in Knowsley and necessitated an overhaul of the firm's IT systems.

Eclipse Proclaim case management is being rolled out to every member of GT Law. The firm is also implementing Proclaim accounts to provide an integrated PMS. Proclaim will provide a complete desktop tool with which to automate and manage case progression, and will also enable the practice to submit RTA claims via the MoJ's new Portal using A2A (Application-to-Application) technology. In addition, GT Law has selected Eclipse's FileView tool which will allow clients and referrers to securely view, online, real-time case data and progression milestones.

Comment: So has Eclipse Proclaim become the market's favourite case management product – this decade's answer to Visualfiles Solcase?

MFG Solicitors LLP, which has offices in Worcester, Kidderminster, Bromsgrove, Halesowen and Telford, has placed an order with Solicitors Own Software for a 140 user SOS Connect case and practice management system. The plan is to implement SOS Connect in 2011, using the interim period to clean up data from several databases and prepare for the deployment across the five offices.

ICT partner Peter Simner, who headed up the IT systems evaluation said "A firm of our size, which is experiencing considerable growth, needs to ensure that IT keeps up with the competitive pressures in the market as well as the quantity of work which we now need to process. We pride ourselves on providing exemplary service to clients and believe that SOS Connect will help us to continue to improve the quality of service for which we are known."

MFG looked at several possible replacements for the incumbent Osprey system which could no longer meet the demands of the firm. SOS Connect was selected from a final shortlist of two. "We preferred SOS Connect because we could see how to standardise and centralise on a single system which would deliver efficiency benefits to all areas of the firm whether for conveyancing case management, probate work or financial accounting," said Simner.

Legal software developer FWBS is launching an office in Australia. FWBS sales & marketing director Mark Craddock said "Launching an office in Australia strengthens FWBS as an international supplier. Our continued alliance with Aderant in the APAC region will also be better supported by having our own resources on the ground.

"FWBS is pleased to be building on significant MatterCentre wins that Aderant have spearheaded in the territory, including Victoria Legal Aid (VLA) and Slater & Gordon. FWBS are providing productivity gains to fee earners firm wide through MatterCentre, and this expansion into Australia will allow FWBS greater scope to support more law firms and fee earners in more territories." 

Craddock added "With Aderant continuing to increase their PMS client base in the region, the fully developed integration between MatterCenter and Aderant Expert, provides a market leading end-to-end matter and practice management solution."

The territory opportunity will be managed by FWBS new recruit Marin Sardelic as Australasia sales manager. Sardelic has extensive experience of the Australian legal IT scene having worked with companies such LexisNexis and Leap.

Geneva-based litigation support services provider H7b1 – www.h7b1.com – has created a French subsidiary H7b1 Eurl, which is based at La Defense in Paris.

Commenting on the development, H7b1 CEO Rafik Abboud said "Our experience in digital forensics and litigation support technology within the context of EU data protection regulations will be more readily accessible to one of the continental Europe’s largest legal communities. As Paris is a key international legal center, this French subsidiary gives us the opportunity to strengthen our data advisory and technology practice into the French international legal community,"

H7b1 operates litigation technology service centres in Paris, Geneva, Zurich and Budapest, as well as mobile operations throughout Europe. The company partners with IPRO Tech Inc and LexisNexis Concordance.

Over the last few days we've been contact by a Swiss legal IT company and Dutch IT company both asking how much we charge to publish a press release. Not us, we never charge companies to use their press releases. Never have done, never will do. And, nor do we twist their arms to advertise with us or sponsor something, which we know is another wizard wheeze some publications have used in the past.

The sole criterion for use is that it is of any genuine editorial merit. If it is, we'll use it in the next available issue of the newsletter – and if we run out of space, we'll carry it over until the following issue. UK & EMEA news goes in the UK/EMEA issue. North American news goes in the American Insider. APAC news goes out on the blog.

The Orange Rag blog also carries breaking news – note the use of the word breaking – this means either BIG news stories OR stories that we get FIRST before anyone else.

Finally, as we seem to be running through our editorial guidelines here, we never accept or solicit advertorial or sponsored feature articles. And, we also will not tolerate attempts by PR agencies etc to vet, control or otherwise dictate the stories we write about their clients. Capito?

A new portal – called ETSOS – for conveyancers has just gone live. The service's main purpose is to set up a reliable website that could provide all the products needed to buy and sell properties. ETSOS provides a one stop shop for products such as Official Local Authority Searches, Land Registry documents and searches, Environmental Reports, Mining Searches, Planning Reports, Utility Searches and Energy Performance Certificates on one website.
 
ETSOS also offers a free boundary marking tool so there is no need to pay for plans which is unique to any other offering on the market. Currently, ETSOS are able to give a 20% discount off Landmark Environmental reports and CLSL Chancel Check products because of their cutting edge technology and automation. This means they are able to pass the cost reductions onto their clients.
 
According to ETSOS managing director Philip Natusch "Having researched the market, I could see a clear gap for an online service which was really simple to use. People are put off web based solutions if they are complicated and difficult. I wanted to combine ease of use with a really competitive price – basically something that was not currently out there.  I have made sure that ETSOS uses the latest cutting edge technology so that we can provide our customers with a quality service at a market beating price."
 
Duncan Rawlinson, Head of Residential Conveyancing at Linder Myers, said "ETSOS is an excellent online system that is easy to use and reports are delivered quickly and efficiently.  I can order everything from standard conveyancing searches to EPCs, company searches, AML searches and even Land Registry products all on one website.  Our dedicated account manager has always been available if I’ve needed to pick up the phone and ask a quick question.  In this age, it makes a real difference to know that I have a totally personal service combined with fantastic online platform."

Chris Cheesman of Cheesman & Co said "We have found ETSOS online search ordering platform to be extremely useful. The system enables us to order all required reports online and delivers the searches back to us electronically. We particularly like the favourites tab which enables us to order a set of searches at the touch of one button. This saves us time and ultimately money."
 
www.etsos.co.uk