Halliwell updates offices with 750,000 IT project

Top Manchester corporate firm Halliwell Landau has announced a 750,000 IT investment programme as part of its ongoing expansion plans.The firm will be working with IT company Axxia Systems to create what it hopes will be a cutting-edge IT infrastructure across its offices in Manchester, London and Sheffield.

Arista accounting software and the Wordflow bill formatting programme will both be used in the back office, and 350 fee-earner Desktop Productivity suites will be introduced for the front office.Case management software will also be introduced across the firm to increase efficiency and encourage better information management.

It has also taken the unusual step of tailoring its case management software for each client.Managing partner Paul Thomas said: 'The case management work that we're doing is cutting edge: we're taking standard software products and developing them in-house to a stage that no other law firm is at.' He said the firm was winning new clients as a result of the improved case management system, specifically financial and remortgaging work with NatWest Bank, the Royal Bank of Scotland and Standard Life insurance company.The IT team has also been expanded - with the recruitment of five key staff - and restructured into three separate groups.

The telecoms team has responsibility for the day-to-day running of the telecoms system; the case management team both manages and looks to develop further the case management software; and the Web enablement and database team is working to make the firm's Web site more interactive and further advanced.The IT package is part of a larger programme of expansion for the firm, including the recruitment of a new professional support team, with key appointments in client services, business development, public relations and human resources.

More than 1 million is also to be spent on refitting the Manchester office along a modern and team-focused theme.Victoria MacCallum