Wragge & Co analyses litigation with 'riskassess'Wragge & Co in Birmingham has finished a six-month project to develop an IT-based risk assessment system, entitled 'riskassess'.The Intranet-based system - aimed at 'measuring the risk-versus-reward and the commercial benefits of litigation' - prompt litigators within the firm to provide information through a series of questions; these include questions about: the client's commercial objective, the defendant's solvency, key witness information and documentation, key facts and legal principles.
The system also links to other in-house designed software systems including those dealing with assessment of costs and conditional fees.
Future tactics, for example, payments-in, offers to settle and reviews, are also dealt with through riskassess.
According to the firm's head of litigation, Andrew Manning-Cox, the riskassess service was designed to provide commercial clients with a risk-and-reward analysis at an early stage.'Most corporate litigation clients are looking for solicitors who recognise when they should fight or settle.
They want tactics which will get them out at a sensible budget both on legal fees and management time,' he said.
Although the firm will conduct an initial assessment of cases using the system for a fixed fee, which will vary depending on the nature and complexity of the case, it will also use an hourly rate approach if requested by clients.Sue Allen
No comments yet