MatterSphere

DibbsBarker Transforms Legal Business Processes with Successful MatterSphere Deployment

JenniferRusek — Tue, 15 Jan 2013 08:00:22 +0000

Centralized Data Repository Results in Significant Business Efficiencies and Return on Investment

LOS ANGELES, Jan. 15, 2013 – Thomson Reuters Elite today announced that DibbsBarker, a leading commercial law firm, has deployed MatterSphere across its offices in Sydney and Brisbane. MatterSphere is legal matter management software that provides a central location for all of DibbsBarker’s matter-related data. It has significantly enhanced the firm’s client and matter opening processes.

“MatterSphere’s centralized database stores valuable information that was formerly manually entered into client reporting systems, spreadsheets or standalone databases. We have already eliminated numerous information silos and enhanced risk management with an improved new business intake process,” said Richard Figar, IT manager at DibbsBarker. “MatterSphere also provides us with a range of new functionality that was simply not previously available to the firm.”

MatterSphere consolidates DibbsBarker’s matter data into one central database that has been integrated with its existing document and practice management systems. As a result, the firm has automated a number of its processes. New clients and matters are now open and active within minutes, a huge improvement on the previous process which took 24 to 48 hours. MatterSphere also updates matters in real-time, which enhances production of precedents and bills, ultimately lowering the risk of correspondence containing inaccurate information. Furthermore, the firm can better manage its risks through online client approval and verification, as well as audit tracking of matter activities including conflict searches, credit assessment and cost estimate histories.

DibbsBarker estimates that the cost of implementing MatterSphere will be offset by replacing a number of disparate products throughout the firm used for handling precedents, workflow, case flow and document assembly. With the removal of these products, savings include costs in the area of maintenance, consulting, and licensing.

MatterSphere integrates with 3E, Enterprise and many other financial management and document management platforms. It is embedded in the Microsoft Office environment to unite operations and promote collaboration across the enterprise and with a firm’s clients. Visit MatterSphere for more information.

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About DibbsBarker
DibbsBarker is a commercial law firm with 350 partners and staff located in offices in Brisbane, Canberra and Sydney. DibbsBarker has the expertise, experience and depth of resources to meet legal needs in the core industry areas of energy, resources & infrastructure, financial services, insurance, medical & pharmaceutical, and property. To help clients achieve their business goals, DibbsBarker believes lawyers need to be aligned with, and part of the same industry. With a deep understanding of the challenges and developments occurring in each industry, the firm is able to balance the full spectrum of legal and commercial issues for optimal outcomes. For more information, visit DibbsBarker.

About Thomson Reuters Elite
Thomson Reuters Elite offers an end-to-end enterprise business management solution that allows law firms and professional services organizations to run all operational aspects of their firms including business development, risk management, client and matter management, and financial management. For over 60 years, we’ve demonstrated we understand the business and financial aspects of firm operations, with proven tools that streamline processes to increase visibility and workflow efficiency across the organization and provide the flexibility to change and grow your business. For more information, visit Elite.

About Thomson Reuters
Thomson Reuters is the world’s leading source of intelligent information for businesses and professionals. We combine industry expertise with innovative technology to deliver critical information to leading decision makers in the financial, legal, tax and accounting, healthcare and science and media markets, powered by the world’s most trusted news organization. With headquarters in New York and major operations in London and Eagan, Minnesota, Thomson Reuters employs more than 60,000 people and operates in over 100 countries. For more information, go to Thomson Reuters.

Maurice Blackburn Goes Live with MatterSphere

JenniferRusek — Tue, 09 Oct 2012 06:26:15 +0000

Leading Law Firm Selects MatterSphere to Meet its Custom Matter Management Needs

LOS ANGELES, Oct. 8, 2012 – Thomson Reuters Elite today announced that Maurice Blackburn, a leading Australian plaintiff law firm, has rolled out MatterSphere to more than 650 users across 27 offices to support its specific matter management needs and eliminate the challenges caused by an outdated system.

After struggling with an insufficient legal matter management solution, Maurice Blackburn turned to Thomson Reuters Elite to implement MatterSphere, the industry’s leading practice and matter management software. MatterSphere is part of Elite’s end-to-end enterprise business management solution, which includes business development, risk management, client and matter management, and financial management offerings.

Prior to MatterSphere, the management team was unable to accurately measure the progress of files across the firm and could not tailor the system to meet its specific criteria—firm wide and across diverse practice groups. Furthermore, they faced workflow continuity concerns, cross matter information issues and lengthy document generation and processing times.

“With our previous solution, staff would have to access different tools in order to complete different tasks, which was hardly an efficient means of handling a matter,” said Maurice Blackburn Chief Operating Officer Steve Schuurmans. “We turned to MatterSphere to have all of our document and workflow needs tightly integrated within a single package—an aspect that has proven most useful to our staff. As a plaintiff firm, the way we practice is a little different than most firms. We appreciate the flexibility of the system, its ability to precisely adapt to each of our practice areas and the tools it provides to easily change things in the system to suit our needs.”

MatterSphere integrates with 3E®, Enterprise®, and many other financial management and document management platforms. It is embedded in the Microsoft® Office™ environment to unite operations and promote collaboration across the enterprise and with a firm’s clients.

“We are thrilled to expand upon our existing relationship with Maurice Blackburn,” said Cary Burch, president of Thomson Reuters Elite. “Maurice Blackburn was one of the first firms to partner with Thomson Reuters Elite when it launched in the Australian market. This continued collaboration adequately reflects our unique ability to meet the outstanding needs of such large and reputable firms across the globe.”

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About Maurice Blackburn
Maurice Blackburn was founded in Melbourne in 1919. Almost 100 years later, its founder’s belief that the law should serve everyone, not just those who can afford it, remains at the heart of its practice. It is now a national law firm that has remained true to its roots of standing up for workers’ rights and fighting back against unfair treatment, mass wrongs, and injustice.. For more information, visit Maurice Blackburn.

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Thomson Reuters Supports The Co-operative’s Expansion in Legal Services with Advanced Matter Management Solution

JenniferRusek — Wed, 25 Jul 2012 16:37:46 +0000

The Co-operative is the UK’s first consumer brand licensed to provide legal services under the Legal Services Act

London, July 25, 2012 — Thomson Reuters, the world’s leading source of intelligent information for businesses and professionals, today announced that The Co-operative Legal Services has selected MatterSphere to support its front office matter management needs. The Co-operative Legal Services is a major UK consumer brand which has recently been awarded an Alternative Business Structure (ABS) licence to provide legal services as a result of the Legal Services Act.

Thomson Reuters won the multi-year contract with The Co-operative Legal Services at the end of a competitive bidding process. The Co-operative Legal Services selected MatterSphere to support its launch into the family law business, which it plans to offer to the public later this year. MatterSphere is an industry-leading practice and matter management platform and is available as part of Thomson Reuters’ Elite suite of integrated management solutions.

MatterSphere integrates with ELITE 3E®, Elite Enterprise™, and many other financial management and document management platforms and is embedded in the Microsoft® Office™ environment to unite operations and promote collaboration across the enterprise and with a firm’s clients.

The Legal Services Act marked the biggest shake-up in the UK legal market for generations with the introduction of the ABS in October 2011, which for the first time allows external ownership of law firms. The Co-operative, the UK’s largest mutual business with more than 7 million members and annual revenues of more than £13bn, is the first consumer brand to have obtained an ABS license.

“We are absolutely delighted to have secured this groundbreaking agreement to support The Co-operative Legal Services as it embarks on expanding its legal services offering to the public,” said Tim Harty, vice president, Thomson Reuters UK & Ireland Legal business. “The Co-operative Legal Services is paving the way for a greater emphasis on efficiency and value for money, and to provide tangible benefits that can be passed on to the customer. Thomson Reuters is uniquely positioned to offer an unequalled range of solutions and services to help meet their customers’ needs.”

“The Co-operative is committed to playing a leading role in the provision of legal services to consumers in the UK. We are entering the family law market this year and require a reliable software solution that can be implemented on time and easily integrated to help us manage a range of everyday activities, from billing to reviewing case files,” said Ian Mackie Sales & Marketing Director of The Co-operative Legal Services. “We chose MatterSphere for the degree to which it can be easily customised to meet our specific requirements and seamlessly integrated into our telephony and online functions, and importantly, for its proven track record of successful implementation”.

The Co-operative Group is a major food retailer and provider of professional services operating The Co-operative Bank and The Co-operative Insurance. It plans to become the largest consumer law business in the UK which will sit alongside the number one funeral services provider, the third largest pharmacy chain and one of Britain’s largest farming operations. It offers a wide range of consumer legal services, including Will writing, employment law and probate, through The Co-operative Legal Services, which currently has 470 staff with rapid expansion planned, and annual billings of circa £40M.

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About Thomson Reuters
Thomson Reuters is the world’s leading source of intelligent information for businesses and professionals. We combine industry expertise with innovative technology to deliver critical information to leading decision makers in the financial and risk, legal, tax and accounting, intellectual property and science and media markets, powered by the world’s most trusted news organization. With headquarters in New York and major operations in London and Eagan, Minnesota, Thomson Reuters employs approximately 60,000 people and operates in over 100 countries. For more information, go to www.thomsonreuters.com.

Thomson Reuters Brings Advanced Matter Management to the United States

GreggFranklin — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 07:29:55 +0000

Los Angeles, Jan. 30, 2012 – Thomson Reuters, the world’s leading source of intelligent information for businesses and professionals, today announced that MatterSphere is now available to law firms in the U.S. market as part of the company’s Elite suite of integrated management solutions. MatterSphere is an industry-leading matter management platform that incorporates MatterCentre within its structure.

“MatterSphere has an impressive client base in EMEA and Asia Pacific (APAC) because of its revolutionary approach to matter management. It is a more natural and intuitive way for lawyers to practice law since it lives within familiar applications like Microsoft Office,” said Cary Burch, chief operating officer of Elite. “We plan on replicating its success in the U.S. market through continued innovation to simplify everyday activities.”

Nabarro LLP is a major UK commercial law firm that deployed MatterSphere to accomplish multiple efficiency objectives. According to Director of IT Andrew Powell, “MatterSphere removes time-consuming and routine administration delays. It is flexible enough to cope with the unique aspects of our work, yet still supports management supervision. And it allows us to realize more billable hours from our lawyers, while reducing the service costs of supporting them.”

Kingsley Napley LLP leveraged its investment in MatterSphere by developing portals to enable direct access to key files by clients. “One benefit of MatterSphere is that it not only provides a window into our case management systems, but is sufficiently flexible to offer us complete creative control as to the case and contact details, documentation, milestones, reports, and other data we wish to expose to our clients,” said IT Software Development Manager Laura Brown at Kingsley Napley.

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Mills & Reeve Selects MatterSphere to Drive Matter Management Efficiency and Deliver Better Value to Clients

GreggFranklin — Thu, 18 Aug 2011 06:22:21 +0000

LONDON, Aug. 17, 2011 – Top 50 UK law firm Mills & Reeve has selected MatterSphere (formerly MatterCentre, created under the previous company FWBS) to increase matter management efficiency by automating processes and creating a 360-degree view of its clients and matters. The extra improvement in efficiency will ultimately enable Mills & Reeve to deliver better value to its clients.

Mills & Reeve is ranked among the 50 largest law firms in the UK with 97 partners and over 800 employees across their 6 offices in Cambridge, Birmingham, Leeds, London, Manchester, and Norwich. As a full-service law firm, Mills & Reeve is able to advise their clients, who range from PLCs and multinationals to start-ups and small to medium-sized businesses, on an array of legal issues. The implementation of MatterSphere will enable the growing firm to share knowledge effectively and manage matters across the whole firm while continuing the high level of service it is recognized to offer to its clients.

“As a leading national law firm, we are committed to delivering outstanding client service,” said Mark Finch, director of Finance at Mills & Reeve. “Having the best systems available enables us to deliver better value to our clients and manage matters more efficiently. Selecting MatterSphere for the whole firm was an important strategic decision for us, made easier by the proactive approach of the implementation team. The system will enable us to provide greater cost certainty and transparency to clients whilst helping us to comply with OFR, which comes into effect in October this year.”

“Through our MatterSphere solution we are providing industry-leading productivity gains to fee earners with ease of use and adoption, all from within the familiarity of the Microsoft Office environment. We are delighted to be helping Mills & Reeve improve management of its cases, matters, and other critical processes,” said Mark Craddock, MatterSphere Sales & Marketing Director.

Developed by FWBS and acquired by Thomson Reuters in 2011, MatterSphere is an industry-leading practice and matter management platform that integrates with best of breed solutions to unite operations, connect siloed applications and data repositories, and promote collaboration across the enterprise.

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Grindeys LLP Selects MatterSphere to Improve Workflows and Drive Process Improvement

GreggFranklin — Fri, 08 Jul 2011 14:22:44 +0000

LONDON, July 8, 2011 – Leading Law Firm Grindeys LLP, based in North Staffordshire, UK, has selected MatterSphere (formerly MatterCentre created under the previous company FWBS) to help drive process improvement and enhance productivity firm-wide across a range of different legal case types for both private and corporate clients.

Grindeys LLP currently employs in excess of 175 people from its four sites across North Staffordshire, with their main office situated in Glebe Court, Stoke. Grindeys selected MatterSphere for their case and matter management after an extensive review of the market. The ease of use, flexibility, and workflow functionality within MatterSphere made it stand out as the clear choice.

Stephen Grocott, Grindeys senior partner, explained, “As a leading law firm, it is critical that we are able to maintain, and more importantly, improve upon our productivity and the level of service that we provide to our clients. We are confident in MatterSphere’s ability to address our requirements, specifically with regards to our workflow needs. Furthermore, the seamless integration that MatterSphere offers with BigHand, DocsCorp, Practical Law Company, and the Land Registry Online made it stand out as the clear solution for us.”

“Through our MatterSphere solution, we are providing industry-leading productivity gains to fee earners with ease of use and adoption, all from within the familiarity of the Microsoft Office environment. We are delighted to be helping Grindeys improve management of its cases, matters, and other critical processes,” said Mark Craddock, MatterSphere Sales & Marketing Director.

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