Charles Christian: implementation of a system is more important than its purchase Shortly before she was arrested for tax evasion, the American hotelier Leona Helmsley infamously made the comment (which was subsequently reported by one of the prosecution witnesses at her trial) that 'only the little people pay taxes'. When it comes to solicitors and their computer systems, perhaps this comment could be rephrased as 'only the little people - in other words, those outside the ranks of the partnership - take any interest in the use of technology'.

Time and time again, I hear complaints from legal IT suppliers and, rather more worryingly, law firm IT managers, practice directors and partnership secretaries to the effect that the only time partners ever become truly engaged in the legal technology procurement process is when it comes to the contractual negotiations. This is something they can really understand and if they can get a good price plus squeeze some favourable terms and conditions out of the suppliers, then they are happy. As far as they are concerned, it is a job well done.


Unfortunately, the selection and purchase of a system represents only half the story - and while it might seem you are obtaining value for money by negotiating a discount on the purchase price, in terms of the bigger picture this does not represent a good return on your investment.


For example, if you are purchasing something like a case management system, then its true value lies in not what it cost you to purchase it but in what impact it has on your cost base. So has the system allowed you to carry out higher volumes of work with the same or even fewer staff? Or have you been able to re-engineer your processes so that lower-level staff are now able to carry out higher-level work?


The answer in most firms seems to be: it has not come down - because the partnership has not tackled the thorny issue of changing existing working practices. Or it has gone up - because the partnership has merely computerised an already inefficient process and now has qualified fee- earners performing the work of data entry clerks. Or, they do not know - because the partners effectively lost interest in the project the moment they put their pens away from signing the contracts.


Law firm partners must wake up to the fact that the selection and purchase of a system is the easy part.


It is what follows - the implementation of that system and its subsequent integration within a firm's


working practices - that really determines whether or not a law office automation project will deliver the intended benefits and can be judged a success.


Sadly, too many partners still abdicate responsibility for this side of the project and leave it to the little people to try to sort out.



Charles Christian is an independent adviser to the Law Society's Software Solutions guide