Bristol law firm benefits from SOS integrated software
TLT is one of the largest law firms in Bristol and among the
top 100 in the UK.
Formed in 2000 by a merger, the practice has seen impressive
growth in recent years.
Today TLT employs more than 500 staff - including over 200 lawyers
- and has offices in London and Bristol. The firm offers a broad
range of expertise in many areas of law from banking and corporate
finance to employment, insolvency, real estate and tax.
But despite its large size, TLT operates with an accounts team
of just 10 staff based at its Bristol headquarters and modern
technology helps ensure that its finances are run efficiently. TLT
is using SOS’s innovative practice management software
which is designed to support the entire legal practice, from
managing time recording, invoicing fee-based work and streamlining
administration tasks, to providing ‘real time’ management
information.
It is using the SOS system in conjunction with LexisNexis Visualfiles
case management software which provides TLT with an integrated
case and practice management solution.
“The fact that the SOS system links so perfectly to LexisNexis
Visualfiles is absolutely vital for us,” said Becci McGauley,
TLT’s finance office manager. “It allows us to process
a huge volume of cheques, Land Registry searches and telegraphic
transfers with a relatively small finance team.
“The decentralised billing from fee earners’ desktops,
and the fact that cheque requests are all done electronically,
means it is a paper-free process which allows our finance staff
to do other things.”
She continued: “On average we process about 200 cheques
a day but can deal with as many as 1,000 if necessary. As
TLT continues to grow, the requirements on the finance team do
too. If we had to create all the invoices ourselves, then the
team would have to be considerably larger.”
In addition, the firm has improved its cash flow because client
payments are credited to its account more quickly.
“Some transactions, including Land Registry searches and
TT fees, are posted directly from LexisNexis Visualfiles to the
SOS system and bypass the finance team altogether, saving us
a significant amount of time,” she added. “Because
the process is system driven it also eliminates double-keying
of information and the possibility of errors occurring.”
She continued that SOS Practice Manager had played a vital role
in supporting the firm’s rapid growth and improving the
service it offers to its clients. “We don’t believe
there’s a better practice management solution on the market
that relates so well to a case management system. It’s
a smooth and painless process for our finance staff and we would
certainly recommend this solution to other firms.”
SOS has helped more than 400 law firms of all sizes and specialisations
implement case and practice management software into their practices,
including TLT and several other Top 100 firms.
SOS managing director Michael Platt said: “Our unique,
15-year partnership with LexisNexis Visualfiles has allowed us
to provide this integrated software solution to legal firms across
the country. This seamless integration between case and practice
management software combines all front and back office tasks
into a single, firm-wide system. Our software is rich in functionality
and extremely easy to use, helping to make law firms more efficient
and productive.”
For more information about the software solutions provided by
SOS visit www.soslegal.co.uk or
call 01225 787700.
