Lexcel is far more than simply an IT code of practice. Following its guidelines can bring many benefits, not least making your firm more efficient and more profitable, as Felicity Green explains


Whether or not you are moving to Lexcel, the standards provide valuable management advice, especially in terms of more efficient IT systems.



Lexcel is the Law Society's quality standard for best-practice guidelines across all areas of a firm's practice. Firms commit to the accreditation for various reasons - perhaps to improve their credentials in tender processes, or to use it as a framework for better management and supervision of the firm. This may well also lead to better risk management and a consequent reduction in professional indemnity premiums.



Lexcel compliance can be eased by adopting relevant IT solutions, most of which may also help your firm, even if you decide not to move to Lexcel. So Lexcel also plays a useful role in pointing firms in the right direction on legal IT possibilities.



Whatever the reason for adoption, there are numerous aspects of Lexcel which involve IT and, whether you have Lexcel or are thinking about accreditation, you may want to look to your in-house or external IT support providers to review the aspects of Lexcel which relate to IT.



Key areas of Lexcel impact

There are several areas where Lexcel has an impact on IT systems, training and policies:

l Documented disaster-recovery provisions and business-continuity plans;

l Documented policies on use of PCs, email and the Internet, together with documented policies on safe use of displays and keyboards;

l An annual business plan. Various elements of your business plan will be made possible through having the right IT systems in place;

l A training plan. This will often involve IT training as well as legal training;

l Induction procedures for new staff and those moving departments. Formal introduction to systems together with training ensure consistency and that you are getting the most out of your IT systems; and

l Communication. Lexcel compliance depends on staff having access to the latest procedures, policies and precedent documents at all times. With technology all around us, there is no excuse for dusty paper manuals lurking unused on shelves any longer.



Disaster recovery and business continuity

Many small businesses say they have plans in place in the event of disaster, but whether these plans are tested to ensure that back-ups are happening is doubtful. We often encounter small businesses which have no formal back-up in place when they first contact us. Worse, a number of them have some kind of business continuity plan in place, but when we investigate further, the back-ups are either not being done regularly or do not include all their critical information.



Lexcel requires a documented business-continuity plan to be put in place. It is worth working closely with in-house or external IT support providers to ensure that the plan is comprehensive and achievable. This usually means fully testing the plan.



Documenting policies

Put in writing your expectations for staff about use of PCs, email and the Internet so there is no ambiguity. People have different assumptions about what is an acceptable use of work equipment, so putting together a policy that everyone reads will enable you to refer back to a tangible document in the event that someone misuses your system.



Your IT support should help you to put together these policies, or you can use the templates in the Law Society's Lexcel 'Practice Excellence' kit as a starting point. There is also software available to help enforce policies such as monitoring the use of email and Internet.



Annual business plan

Having a documented business plan that is reviewed regularly by the partners is an essential component of Lexcel. As you put one together or review your current plan, you will see that various objectives rely on having the right IT systems in place.



Training plan

There will be training requirements arising from the objectives in your business plan. So, as well as ensuring your fee-earners complete their continuing professional development each year, you may find that IT training, whether it be on your time-recording, accounts, or case-management system, is also very important in meeting your objectives. For smaller firms, if you do not have in-house IT support, you may want to think about making a member of staff in each department into a 'power user' who can receive full training and pass that knowledge onto others in the department.



Induction procedures

Lexcel also requires firms to provide inductions for new staff and staff moving between department. For small firms, this may seem unnecessary, but from an IT point of view it can be invaluable. It provides a forum to familiarise staff with the correct use of your systems from the outset. For most systems, users often tend to use about 20% of the software's capabilities. Giving an induction can include training on your IT systems, so users can make the most of the IT software and systems you already have in place.



Communication

Making information about office policies and procedures easily accessible is crucial. If you have not already done so, you may want to ditch paper policies and start sending email bulletins with links to documents on the server or on an intranet. Your staff are sitting at their PCs most of the day, every day, and are more likely to use the correct form or read the latest update to a policy if it is just one click away.



Whether or not you are working towards Lexcel accreditation, with the right IT systems and procedures in place you may find you are closer to compliance with the Lexcel standard than you think.



Felicity Green is the practice manager at Bolt Burdon and Bolt Burdon Kemp, London, and business development consultant for IT support company Ameris (www.ameris.co.uk).