Who's buying what

Two law firms have managed the debate over whether to go for digital dictation or speech recognition by combining the two.

Home Counties firm IBB has installed BigHand's TotalSpeech digital dictation software in tandem with Dragon Naturally Speaking and reduced secretary- to-fee-earner ratios.

The commercial dispute and resolution group now has nine solicitors to two secretaries, where previously it had a 2:1 ratio.

Meanwhile, Manchester firm Pannone & Partners is rolling out the Speech Recognition Company's digital dictation system, together with Dragon NaturallySpeaking, to the 96 staff in its personal injury department.

The trend to use a single supplier for all its IT needs has seen Hampshire and Wiltshire firm Trethowans sign a 600,000 deal to outsource the management of its technology infrastructure to Videss.

Videss will supply its Legal Office accounts, case management and document management product - backed by its Computer Facilities Management hardware and network support service - to 130 users across three offices.

It replaces incumbent practice management supplier TMA (Thompson Moore Associates) and document management system PC Docs.

Elite, Axxia and Sanderson were also in the frame with Videss.

Videss's sales director, Chris Rose, predicted a shift in the way larger firms select their IT systems.

'There is clearly a growing desire to select one IT partner, rather than a host of separate suppliers for accounts, case management, document management and infrastructure needs,' he said.

'A single source ensures cross-function compatibility and consistency of advice - it is no longer being seen as a compromise.

The quality benchmark once set by "best of breed" solutions is no longer a differentiator, making an integrated solution the favourable option.'

City giant Clifford Chance has bought up two new products: a tailored suite of document management and imaging solutions from Canon UK which is based around digital printing and copying technology.

The package - also including products from Hewlett Packard, Microsoft, 3Com and Solicitors Own Software - is primarily aimed at firms of up to 250 staff; and West km, which extends the indexing structure used by legal information provider West (owner of Westlaw) to the firm's private information collections behind its firewall.

East London legal aid firm TV Edwards is to spend almost 100,000 with AIM Professional Systems to implement a practice management system with time recording for 65 users in place of its current Evolution system.

Suffolk firm Steed & Steed has also signed up with AIM for a practice management system to meet Legal Services Commission guidelines.

It will replace a current Avenue system.

Document management company iManage has also picked up two new clients: City firm Withers, which has converted from DOCS Open, and Kingston-upon-Hull firm Gosschalks, which previously used Hummingbird.

Leading human rights and personal injury firm Leigh Day & Co has selected Axxia Systems to replace its existing Quaestar installation with Artiion accounting software in the back office, and to roll out Axxia Desktop to 75 fee-earners and support staff, as well as matter management software, together with Eureka reporting.

Axxia was selected ahead of Pilgrim Systems.

London technology and media firm Olswang has become the first law firm to offer all partners and staff access to FT Pro, a Web-based service from the Financial Times which delivers personalised news, comment and analysis from the world's media.

It monitors the FT and more than 1,000 other business sources, delivering an early morning update of the most relevant press on chosen clients and sectors.