Firms fail to offer full IT benefits to clients

INVESTMENT RETURNS: despite capability, only 47% of firms provide electronic support services for their clients

The majority of law firms are not offering the full benefit of their IT services to clients, according to recent research.

A survey of general counsel at FTSE-100 companies by information management group Oyez Legal Technologies found that only 47% of law firms involved in large, complex or multinational litigation provided electronic support services to their clients, despite all having the capability.

However, the research revealed that 80% of heads of legal at companies say electronic litigation services are useful and 44% say they are 'very useful', suggesting they would be gratefully accepted if it were offered.

Kelvin McGregor-Alcorn, director of strategic development at Oyez, said: 'The use of electronic images and databases over hard copies in litigation can save lawyers and their clients a tremendous amount of time accessing and distributing documentation.

I don't understand why firms who have already made the investment in the technology, don't use it whenever they can.'

Law firms were also found wanting when it came to knowledge sharing with clients.

Only 13% of the legal departments interviewed said they had been consulted by law firms over IT strategies, and of those that had not, 37% thought they should have been.

Similarly, only 22% of clients were given advice by law firms of how to cut costs with IT, and 46% of those who were not said they should be.

Mr McGregor-Alcorn said: 'While the onus shouldn't be solely on law firms to share business knowledge with clients, they definitely have a role to play.

Two-way dialogue can work for both parties if they decide to take equal responsibility.'

Meanwhile, research by professional services advisers Perceptive Technology found that the law firms with successful knowledge management programmes had firm-wide support for the project.

Of the 85 law firms surveyed, 74% proclaimed their knowledge management systems a success, with 78% reporting that their boards were 'fully committed' to it and 69% attributing firm-wide acceptance as a reason for its effectiveness.

Of those firms with unsuccessful knowledge management systems, 86% said their boards were only 'partially committed'.

Mike Sharples, managing director of Perceptive, said: 'The results of the survey clearly demonstrate the importance of synergy between knowledge management initiatives and the overall business strategy.

Those who can achieve this link are also able to demonstrate significant benefits and a strong return on internal investment.'

Andrew Towler