Technology: solicitors key into software but lag behind secretaries' skills

Conveyancing solicitors are at the forefront of legal IT use and snapping up the latest technological advances in areas ranging from e-mail to voice-recognition packages, research has revealed.

However, they are still lagging behind their secretaries when it comes to computer literacy.

The survey of 155 conveyancing solicitors by education and training provider Progressive Legal Training showed that 94% of practitioners had Internet access, while 54% had also signed up to broadband.

Nearly nine out of ten respondents had personal e-mail and some 60% had a Web site, with a further 17% planning to set one up.

However, intranets were less popular - just 40% had invested in one, although 88% of those said they used it regularly.

Half had electronic diary management and 62% had a client database.

The survey suggested that practitioners are well prepared for the e-conveyancing revolution - more than three-quarters used electronic forms and almost 60% had signed up to, or planned to introduce the National Land Information Service to their firms.

However, only 10% used electronic discharges.

Other less popular technology included voice-recognition software - only 12% had it - while just under one-third had case-management software.

The survey also showed that almost one in five senior partners found themselves at the bottom

of the pile when it came to IT proficiency, followed by partners and then associates.

Secretaries were most likely to score top marks.

Derek Southall, partner and head of strategic development at Birmingham firm Wragge & Co, said 'the days of coloured pencils and plans' were disappearing fast for conveyancers.

'[They] will be the first branch of the profession to implement true "electronic trading" and are becoming increasingly technology savvy - with digital signatures, mapping software and the use of document-storage sites and project rooms,' he explained.

Mr Southall advised that any conveyancers who were struggling with IT should try to improve their basic computer skills before the pace of development increased, and should draw up a list of IT priorities, paying less attention to areas where third parties could provide services.

Paula Rohan