The Gazette 1989

OCTOBER 1989

GAZETTE

Solicitors Computer Systems What Next? Unix -v- Networking

The following is the text of an address given at the Solicitors Financial Controllers Association Seminar, Newpark Hotel, Kilkenny on 15th September, 1989. Recent developments of Computer Systems for Solicitors Offices have gone badly awry. Considering the present level of automation in Irish solicitors practices, it is surprising that the new standards have been set for those who wish to acquire computer systems. We can take some consolation from the knowledge that the situation in Britain and America is, if anything, worse. Hereunder, I describe the Solicitors' Computer System of the future and debate the methods likely to be used in the Office of the 1990s. STANDARDS which the Solicitor needs for the conduct of his affairs.

financial and property services, online banking etc. It will be capable of performing a substantial number of tasks all at the one time. As new services become avail- able it will be able to take them on board without fuss or great expense. DO FLEXIBLE SYSTEMS EXIST? YES! Some years ago such a multi purpose computer system would have been a mainframe computer with data processing and word processing facilities, an administra- tion manager, a huge maintenance contract and rigid operating procedures. This is no longer the case. The advent of multi-user systems, with the capacity to carry out this work has reduced the cost and brought this type of flexible system to reality and within the budget of most firms. WHAT ARE MULTI-USER AND NETWORK SYSTEMS? Multi-User Systems A Multi-User System is one where- by there is a Central Computer/ Processor and a series of non-

In 1985 the Technology Committee of the Law Society set a code of standards, which were, in effect, minimum contractual requirements for those supplying the profession. In the early days these standards protected the legal profession from unscrupulous computer salesmen and led to a successful implementa- tion of basic computer systems in solicitors offices. However, despite massive changes in the market in the last t wo years, no clear standards have been set for the new systems of the 90s. Solicitors have now become quite dependent on computers but find it hard to trust them. As neither the Law Society nor the industry has established any new standards, the busy solicitor's firm, without clear guidance, is afraid to invest heavily in new technology, while other pro- fessions, particularly the Account- ants, are marching ahead. Many solicitors have turned to their accountants to advise them on computer acquisition. I believe this to be a serious mistake. So, what next? WHAT NEXT? The Flexible Computer System • The flexible computer system will be a tool for producing docu- ments or accounts as heretofore, but it will also be a storage method for the legal information which passes through the office,

By Frank Lan i gan So l i c i t o r*

It will be less obsolescent. The Solicitors office will not have a computer system which will go out of date over-night. It will be able to cope with the changes required by 1992, the restriction of traditional methods of fee creation and the extension of areas of work available to the Solicitors profession in informa- tion technology and financial and property Services. It will not be tied down to any single computer vendor or proprietary operating system and will not be restricted in terms of expansion. Information gathered elsewhere on other computer systems will be capable of being transferred to it. It will be able to carry out word processing, accounts, time re- cording and costing, payroll, internal data base, client information, archive and library facilities, communications to data bases such as the Land Registry, the Companies Office,

Frank Lanigan.

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