Norton Rose targets cost savings with £1.9m IT contract

Norton Rose’s lawyers are set to spend less time and money travelling as the firm introduces a new £1.9m integrated IT communications system.

The firm, as part of its move to its new offices at More London, appointed communications integrator Affiniti for the £1.9m contract to assist in creating a “more collaborative working environment and boost productivity”.

The new system will make it easier for the firm’s 890 lawyers to share information worldwide through initiatives such as desk-to-desk and remote video and audio conferencing. Other schemes include real-time, online file sharing between lawyers globally, speeding up the drafting of contracts.

Affiniti claimed that, as well as improving productivity, the new system would reduce costs and help address environmental issues by reducing the need for business travel.

Anthony Salter, program manager at Norton Rose, said that the firm’s move to More London in May, which saw the firm’s six separate London offices combined under one roof, was the ideal opportunity to install new technology and improve the business.

“Having these collaboration and communication tools at our fingertips is really helping to speed up our work,” said Salter. “It helps us to save time and money: international internal calls are made across the IP network and travel requirements are reduced.”