Outstanding variety as SCL names its award shortlist

The Society for Computers and Law (SCL) has announced the four-strong shortlist for its annual award for the most outstanding application of information technology to the law in the UK and Ireland.The shortlist includes the National Land Information Service's (NLIS) on-line local search channel Searchflow, which provides conveyancers with a one-stop information point for property searches.

As reported last year (see [2001] Gazette, 1 November, 13), the current electronic search process will soon branch out into electronic registration of title and fund transfer.The other shortlisted products are Business Integrity's IntellX document assembly system, Elite Information System's Digital Dashboard application, and Granite & Comfrey's legal taxonomy methodology for knowledge management applications.Elite Information Systems' shortlisted product is a 'digital dashboard', a way to obtain customised information from Microsoft Internet explorer and Microsoft Outlook.

The user chooses certain information from a list provided by Elite - such as client information statistics and timekeeper statistics - and creates a personalised 'dashboard'.

Internet information, such as weather reports and industry information, can also be integrated into the dashboard.The IntellX document assembly system was developed by London-based software company Business Integrity to enable users to create, update, audit and automate legal precedents quickly and on-line.

Granite & Comfrey's taxonomy editor helps system developers to create multiple and hierarchical classification tables, for example for legal documents or legal terms.

The winner of the award, which is chaired by Andrew Levison, head of UK and Europe consulting services at Baker Robbins & Co, will be announced by the Attorney-General, Lord Goldsmith, at a ceremony at the Law Society in London on 21 January.Victoria MacCallum