Case Management - Bulk Service Contracts

Increasingly, certain business clients such as financial institutions, insurance companies, local authorities, utility companies and housebuilders wish to purchase legal services "in bulk". Such contracts contrast with the more traditional approach where a number of different managers within a client organisation would place individual items of work with different lawyers, sometimes entirely at their discretion, or alternatively from a panel of lawyers. Where "panels" of established advisers exist, however, there is also a noticeable trend towards their continual rationalisation. This trend has been epitomised by the activities of Du Pont in relation to its global team of external lawyers: fewer firms, closer relationships, value-based billing.

Where clients have a reasonably large volume of work that follows a common pattern - work that the client regards as "routine" - the combination of a close working relationship, a systems-based approach and the use of case-management software can pay dividends for client and law firm.

To service this growing market, Peterkins has used its business experience and knowledge of routine transactions to develop a range of flexible, fully automated systems using a leading case-management software. When applied to the transactions concerned, these systems enable a dedicated team of partners and staff to access all relevant material and deliver a rapid, quality assured service to the client and (equally if not more importantly) the client's own client/customer. The current transaction types include:-

* residential sales
* residential purchases
* remortgages
* development sales
* commercial mortgages

Many other types of transaction are also suitable for this treatment, however, and we have the lawyers and staff to develop them as necessary. The key features of these systems are as follows:-

Packaged services
In many instances, the legal service will form an element of a financial product, such as a remortgage. It is necessary therefore for the legal service to correspond to the underlying product in terms of efficiency and quality of delivery. This is achieved by providing standard form transaction procedures; standard form documents; guidance notes and other explanatory materials, wherever possible using plain English.

Quality assurance
No legal transaction is entirely straighforward. Our systems ensure that each stage of the work will be conducted by competent staff, according to an expertly designed case plan, and under the supervision of an experienced partner.

Competitive pricing
We recognise that the professional fees incurred will impact directly upon the competitiveness of the underlying product. Accordingly, our systems allow us to combine an efficient, quality assured service with competitive pricing. This approach can be particularly effective when it is coupled with a significant volume of work. In these circumstances, in return for a guaranteed level of income, we can commit ourselves to providing a workable solution to any problem which arises at no additional cost, absorbing any extra time costs involved - to use a cliche, taking the rough with the smooth!

Reporting
Our systems are designed to allow the use of e-mail and secure external webspace for the purpose of taking instructions, reporting and sharing other information with the client. In particular, our software allows us to generate reports automatically, which can then be accessed by selected staff within the client organisation on a password protected basis. In some cases we anticipate that we shall be able to use space on the client's own intranet for the purpose of taking instructions.

Contact Aberdeen Office
Brian Aitken	01224 428000
Fiona Bowman	01224 428000
Contact Inverurie Office
Graham Matthews	01467 672800