1m PI system for ShoosmithsMidlands-based firm Shoosmiths invested almost 1 million last year on IT as part of a 6 million project to centralise its personal injury departments in a single hi-tech office.The firm's investment includes the Legis litigation case management system and a bespoke document management system based on Eastman Kodak software.

Ongoing costs include ten in-house software developers.In June, the firm will also roll out scanning for all incoming documents using Kodak's optical character recognition system, Ascent, which enables immediate transfer to electronic files.Shoosmiths is also increasing its use of bar-coded options for client instructions.

The bar coding allows the firm to scan in instructions which are automatically entered on individual fee-earner task lists where action is required.

The IT system links with the firm's streamlined claims-handling process, which cuts four weeks off claims-handling times.

Full statements of events and confirmation of instructions are taken on first contact with the client rather than by posted questionnaire.The new Basingstoke office houses 270 personnel, including eight partners and 22 assistant solicitors, and merges the firm's existing personal injury departments from Reading, the Solent and Nottinghamshire (see [2000] Gazette, 28 April, 5).Nigel Cragg, head of operations at Shoosmiths Claims Compensation, said the firm had invested 500,000 in hardware purchasing and software development, a figure that would be nearer 1 million with management time and licences.

'The only way to deal with 1,000 new claims each month was through improved IT,' he added.Sue Allen