Technology Development

This week sees us launch a pioneering technology development that will drive efficiencies and cost savings for Legal Aid work across criminal law firms.

We’ve worked with consultant Paul Fisher to create a new software program to enable fee earners to take client instructions digitally, speeding up the process significantly. This will mean that our team, via a tablet, can record digitally the client brief, and access DSS, PIN and other police station data instantly.

By replicating the police station taking of instruction form we will be able to calculate billings quicker, automatically generate letters to clients instantly with exactly what they have briefed us, send police reference numbers, request CPS for digital evidence form, and finally diarise any further proceedings.

The new legal aid contracts being announced in October will see firms needing to be in different locations on a daily basis so advances in communication and technology will be necessary to make this work effectively, particularly with the fee reductions being implemented too.

This new way of working will speed up police station work and make the follow up processes much quicker and more effective. Fee earners can email the file to the office straight away as all records are digital and legal aid forms are instantly created. This will also change the way that we store records, reducing administration, storage space and paper costs.

The O’Garra’s team are delighted with this new development. The staff are amazed at how much time it will save, and the repetition / duplication that it will remove. With the additional legal aid cuts being brought in this next month this will help us improve our business efficiencies and help reduce our costs.

We’re really excited about integrating this new process into our business.

Leeds Crown Court will this month be the first court to pilot the presentation of evidence digitally. O’Garra’s will be advocates in the first murder trial using this new technology which will interlink with the CPS and Courts.

As a result, partner Michael O’Garra will become a ‘superuser’ of the new system and will be involved in the training and coaching of other advocates. This will involve working with other criminal firms but also the DVSA to help support their work too.

The work that we’ve done on this is leading edge and has already generated interest from other criminal lawyers. If your business is interesting in learning more about it then please contact Michael O’Garra (mog@ogarras.com)