Bakers link up
Baker & McKenzie, the world's largest law firm has completed its international network system, connecting all 54 of its offices in 34 countries. The system, which is known as Bakernet, allows several thousand people to send documents around the world through its email link. This enables lawyer and client to work on a matter using common documentation in different parts of the world 24-hours a day. Harry Small, the partner responsible for IT, said: "I am highly delighted that we have enhanced our ability to provide first-class project management to clients using modern electronic tools, which are already so important in industry."
LAB franchising
A new computerised package, the Lawyers Quality Manager, is designed to ease difficulties encountered by firms in ensuring that their planning is effective when working towards a Legal Aid Board franchise. The system is the result of two years intensive development by a software house, whose products include HACCP Quality Manager in the food industry, and Cardiff solicitors Huttons. The system is attracting substantial interest from lawyers who have been faced with difficulties in overcoming the time restraints for achieving a franchise and excessive consultancy costs. Further versions of the system are being developed. These will include job costing, real-time non-compliance flagging, and instant back-office admin- istration which in turn will be linked to the nominal ledger.
Jobs on the Internet
Worknet is a new nationwide service on the Internet's World Wide Web which will allow law firms to find staff across the country. The heart of the system is a large database of CVs, all of which are processed from email, fax or post. As well as searching for CVs, employers can leave job advertisements which will collect the reference numbers of CVs already in the system and assess new ones. Tom Laidlaw, managing director of service providers Network Training Group, said: "This on-line service will link input from in and outside the electronic domain, bringing the Internet into the everyday activities of business." The system's web site address is: http://ww3w.worknet.co.uk.
