15 February 2006 | Anusha Bradley

The Law Society has published a guide of "approved" IT suppliers to help purchasers at law firms make informed procurement decisions.

The free and updated Software Solutions Guide 2006 profiles 15 suppliers.

They are: ACCESS Legal Systems, AIM Professional Systems, AlphaLAW, Axxia Systems, Civica Systems, DPS Software, Eclipse Legal Systems, Edgebyte Computers, JCS Computing Solutions, Linetime, Mountain Software, OPSIS, Quill Computer Systems, Solicitors Own Software and TFB.

The list was compiled by a panel of judges following "rigorous market research" and surveying existing customers about products such as e-mail integration, client conflict identification and money laundering checks.

Suppliers were also evaluated according to the financial stability of their business and the functionality of products such as e-mail integration, money laundering and client conflict checks.

The guide profiles the suitability of each supplier to the size of firms, gives pricing details and the number of current users.

Law Society president Kevin Martin said it gives firms "a head start with IT purchasing decisions".

"Effective information management is essential in today's competitive legal services market and good software systems can help firms save money and increase profits by improving efficiency," he added.

Martin Pearson, head of procurement at Allen & Overy, said IT was the largest spend for most firms after payroll.

He said there was now more choice of suppliers as general software firms realised the potential of the lucrative legal market.

He said the guide would be most beneficial to smaller firms without in-house IT or procurement expertise.

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