News

McCathern Mooty successfully implements BigHand Digital Dictation system

Texas-based McCathern Mooty, LLP, has significantly improved its productivity by installing the award-winning BigHand Digital Dictation system. The firm's founding partner, Jerry Mooty, said the move has shortened the billing cycle by more than 10 days. This has had a positive impact on the firm's bottom line. If someone is absent or on vacation, the firm can redirect digital audio files to cover the work he or she would normally do. Earlier, the firm's attorneys used tapes for dictation or didn't dictate at all. According to Mooty, it was unnecessary for attorneys to do administrative work themselves when they had to concentrate on advising clients. BigHand 3 was nominated as a "Best of Breed System of the Year" at the 2007 Legal Technology Awards.

Compass cooperates with Milbank Tweed to study benchmarking

According to a press release, technology firm Compass, along with Milbank, Tweed, Hadley & McCloy, LLP, will be hosting a webcast to examine the status of benchmarking. Benchmarking clauses help managers judge whether outsourced services are being carried out at reasonable rates. The discussion, to be held on April 10, will focus on recent developments in the outsourcing market and ways to improve outsourcing relationships. The webcast will discuss the elements of benchmarking clauses and the varied management objectives they can assist with, as well as problems associated with executing benchmark clauses, reasons vendors resist benchmarks, and the strategies they employ to avoid using them. Recent market trends and developments, legal issues pertaining to benchmarking clauses, and strategies for making benchmarking effective are some of the other topics on the agenda. Webcast participants will receive copies of a new Compass white paper on offshoring. A global management consulting firm, Compass focuses on improving business and IT performance at Fortune 1000 organizations. International law firm Milbank, Tweed, Hadley & McCloy is known for providing innovative legal solutions for corporate transactions and litigation.

UK law firm Lewis Silkin to equip staff with enhanced BlackBerry devices

Lewis Silkin, LLP's staff will now be able to access business-critical applications while on the move. In addition to increasing its number of BlackBerry connections to 80, the firm is also making more device applications available to its employees. Provided by MoboTel, the software will integrate two of the company's key back-office systems and enable the law firm's staff to access its server from far-flung locations. The technology includes Interaction, a customer-relationship management system, and Open Text's DM5, a document-management system. The move is expected to augment the firm's productivity by providing flexibility and secure access to critical data. London-based Lewis Silkin has 232 employees and serves clients ranging from small businesses to FTSE 100 companies.

Canadian law firm switches from Dell to HP

Manitoba-based Thompson Dorfman Sweatman, LLP, which was using a single server from Dell, has successfully installed multiple HP servers. While using the Dell server, the law firm was susceptible to network outages and security breaches, and downtime was very costly. Working with reseller Insight Canada, the firm upgraded to HP ProLiant servers, Ultra-Slim Desktop PCs, and HP LaserJet printers. Insight has also brought the firm increased network security and provided lawyers with more mobility. According to Thompson Dorfman's IT manager, this year, 54% of the firm's IT budget will be utilized for hardware. One of the oldest law firms in Manitoba, Thompson Dorfman Sweatman has 79 lawyers and a support staff of more than 100.

Harter Secrest is on expansion track

Harter, Secrest & Emery plans to add 40 lawyers to its offices in Rochester and Buffalo, New York. The firm, which has acquired more space in Rochester's Bausch & Lomb building, will recruit 25 additional attorneys to work there. According to the firm's managing partner, Maureen Alston, the Rochester office currently has 106 lawyers and is slated to add six first-year associates by fall. Harter Secrest's Buffalo office, which currently employs 17 attorneys, also plans to expand to accommodate 15 more lawyers. According to Alston, the firm has maintained its competitiveness due to its quality of service and lower billing rates in comparison with those of big city firms. Use of the Internet and technology has also helped the firm do business with clients in other cities. In the last couple of years, both the firm's billing cycle and the size of its staff have increased by about 25%. Harter Secrest has captured The American Lawyer's number-one ranking for associate work satisfaction for three consecutive years.

Clifford Chance names 11 senior associates across Asia

Clifford Chance has announced that 11 lawyers have been named as senior associates across its offices in Asia. According to Asia Regional Managing Partner Jim Baird, the new appointees have practical experience, are well trained, and have the necessary language skills to serve clients. The appointments have been made in the firm's corporate, capital markets, finance, and litigation and dispute resolution areas. Hong Kong witnessed the most appointments, with Candy Chan, James Chapman, Teresa Chong, Hazel Law, Dauwood Malik, Tim Sung, and Stefanie Willis being named as senior associates. Matthew Truman and Matthew Whittle were promoted in the Tokyo office. Senior associates Tim Wang and Josephine Law will work from the Beijing and Singapore offices respectively. London-based Clifford Chance bills itself as the largest law firm in the world. The firm focuses on advising financial and commercial businesses and regulatory bodies on complex legal matters.

Chadbourne raids Morgan Lewis's wind energy practice

New York law firm Chadbourne & Parke has announced the appointment of Edward Zaelke as the managing partner of its Los Angeles office. Zaelke will be responsible for managing the firm's expanding practices—primarily its wind energy and other renewable energy divisions. Zaelke, who recently joined the firm as a partner, also serves as the president of the American Wind Energy Association. He comes from Morgan, Lewis & Bockius, where he led the renewable energy practice group. Zaelke brings with him a team of lawyers with significant experience in the wind energy and renewable energy areas. Joining Chadbourne's Los Angeles office from Morgan Lewis are partners Adam Umanoff and Thomas Dupuis and a group of associates. Established in 1902, Chadbourne & Parke handles complex legal matters and advises clients ranging from corporations, financial institutions, and startup ventures to nonprofit organizations.

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