Transcriptions: firm outsources all its routine office work

A City firm has created a secretary-free office by outsourcing all its secretarial work to transcription service provider Voicepath.


Reynolds Colman Bradley, a niche professional indemnity and construction practice founded in 2003 and based in the Lloyd's building, wanted to cut down on the amount of office space it required.


Partner Steve Reynolds said the firm, which has seven fee-earners, is committed to running on the principle of maximum efficiency and minimum overheads.


He told the Gazette: 'The most significant saving has been in the amount of property space required, which in the City is especially important. Our firm is probably one of the most advanced users of technology - 50% of all our communications are carried out by e-mail.'


Mr Reynolds added: 'This is not about getting rid of secretaries - it is about changing the way we work. And this can only work if all your fee- earners are computer literate, which ours are.'


The Voicepath system is integrated into the firm's internal digital dictation and case management software. It allows fee-earners to send a dictation to one of Voicepath's network of home-based secretaries via a secure Internet connection. This is then typed up and returned to the firm by the same means, typically within the hour.


Voicepath is based in Leamington Spa and uses only UK-based trained legal secretaries to carry out its transcription work.


Richard Bate, Voicepath managing director, said: 'Using our services most law firms will not become


secretary free, but a number are redefining the role of the secretary by giving us their more mundane work.'