LexisNexis Streamline Delivers First Bespoke International Networking Solution to Farrer & Co

26 August 2010

Farrer & Co’s customised CRM solution to support firm’s ‘International Lawyer Network’ programme

LexisNexis® UK, a leading provider of content-enabled workflow solutions including legal enterprise software, today announced that London-based, Legal 500 law firm Farrer & Co LLP, has implemented its first bespoke international networking solution using LexisNexis® Streamline®, a best-of-breed rapid application development platform. This new solution, developed to support the ‘Farrer International Lawyer Network’ programme, is improving Farrer & Co’s international networking ability by allowing the firm to actively develop relationships with lawyers across the globe for potential collaboration opportunities.

Farrer & Co has used the rapid developmental capabilities offered by the LexisNexis Streamline platform to customise its customer relationship management (CRM) solution LexisNexis®InterAction®, within which all the international lawyer network contacts reside. An early adopter of LexisNexis Streamline, Farrer & Co chose the solution for its unrestricted developmental capabilities, flexible workflow, document assembly and powerful systems integration ability.

“LexisNexis Streamline is a good complement to our existing technology systems,” Neil Davison, Head of Information Technology, Farrer & Co LLP, commented. “It offers us the ability to easily enhance and extend the functionality of our existing applications. This platform also provides us with the capability to quickly and cost effectively develop new solutions in response to market demand, which is crucial in today’s rapidly evolving legal business environment. In the long run, we will maximise the return on our technology investments.”

Utilising the standard ‘Development Frameworks’ offered by LexisNexis Streamline, which enables firms to extend the functionality of their existing best-of-breed applications, Farrer & Co has leveraged the LexisNexis InterAction Framework to broaden the ‘contact creation’ process of its CRM solution. The firm has redeveloped the LexisNexis InterAction ‘new contact wizard’, adding new information fields for data capture such as area of expertise of lawyers, the countries they reside in the specific legal networking groups they belong to and history of collaborative work undertaken by Farrer & Co’s lawyers with international lawyers and firms. This data, captured via a single web interface, is increasing the accuracy and enhancing the quality of information residing within LexisNexis InterAction. This information is also assisting the firm with new business development activities in other geographies. The wizard can be extended further, capturing more detailed information on expert witnesses and other specialised contacts.

LexisNexis Streamline will play a crucial role in the firm’s long term IT strategy to bring together its core legal applications to reduce operational inefficiencies and deliver enhanced client service. The solution will create a seamless, integrated business environment by linking together the firm’s existing best-of-breed applications including Aderant practice management system, OpenText document management system and LexisNexis InterAction CRM system along with its Microsoft SharePoint intranet.

“With the Legal Services Act 2007 opening up the UK legal market, firms have the opportunity to expand their businesses across borders. However, the current economic climate coupled with increasing regulation means that firms need to operate in a more competitive, enterprise-like manner. Underpinning business with flexible, future-proof technology can help firms to achieve operational efficiency and devise innovative ways of working to meet growth targets. As an early adopter of technology, Farrer & Co is well ahead of the curve,” Tim Cheadle, General Manager, LexisNexis UK Enterprise Solutions, added.

Using the LexisNexis Streamline platform, Farrer & Co has already commenced work to rationalise and automate the firm’s client and matter inception process. This project will be followed by the creation of a fee earner portal for client and matter management, which will give fee earners access to all relevant, contextualised information across the firm’s business systems, from a single user interface. The portal will eliminate the need for fee earners to log into disparate systems, enhancing productivity and ultimately improving client service.

LexisNexis Streamline is a best-of-breed, scalable, single platform for legal process workflow, offering organisations a powerful toolkit to build customised applications embodying best practice to fit their specific business needs.