US practice snaps up UK document system

A LONDON software company has reversed the trend of UK firms "buying American" by exporting its information technology to the US.

Manhattan firm Morrison Cohen Singer & Weinstein LLP has become the first US practice to buy DPA-Egami's litigation support software, Egami-Legal.

The document management system is already used by seven major UK firms, including Lovell White Durrant, Eversheds and Beachcroft Stanleys.

Morrison Cohen bought the system after working with London firm Manches & Co on litigation this summer.

Morrison Cohen partner Fred Perkins said: "Simply being able to access the same electronic database as our co-counsel made litigation support significantly quicker and easier."

The move is unusual since it bucks the trend of UK firms buying US products because they believe them to be the market leaders.

DPA-Egami managing director Ted Clark said the company hoped to build on its success and expand its business in the US.

Egami-Legal allows documents to be scanned in and indexed according to key words so they are electronically "bundled".

Lawyers are then able to present case evidence on floppy disk rather than in the form of a pile of photocopied documents.