City firm Speechly Bircham is undergoing a £1m overhaul of its IT front office infrastructure, which involves a migration to the Microsoft suite of products.
The 40-partner firm has entered into a contract with systems integrator Tikit to implement the new system, which will incorporate Microsoft Exchange for e-mail, Microsoft Office, the Docs Open document management system, the highly-regarded Carpe Diem time recording system, RightFax desktop fax software and Comparite document comparison software.
Tikit will work with Speechly Bircham's in-house IT team, headed by newly-appointed Sree Kumar.
The installation will be based on an NT network. Staff will be given internet access through Internet Explorer and a permanent line provided by internet service provider (ISP) UUNet.
The new system will replace Speechly Bircham's 10-year-old ICL Office Power installation. The firm will also review its current back office system – Resolution's FirmControl – later this year.
Speechly Bircham partner Tom Shaw, who was involved in the purchasing process, said the use of Microsoft products would bring his firm into line with clients. "We won't have to worry about things like file conversion," he said.
Stephen Dobson, the partner in charge of the buying decision, said: "We did not want the risk of leading edge technology. The vast majority of law firms are using Microsoft Word. That was our starting point, which then developed out into other bits of compatible kit. Going with Microsoft is a bit like buying IBM in the 1970s and early 1980s. Nobody ever got fired for buying IBM."
Dobson said his firm had chosen Docs Open after a process of competitive tender. "It was by far the best suited for our business and the way we work," he said.
Speechly Bircham also chose Tikit by competitive tender. "There were six potential suppliers," Dobson said. "But Tikit had the best recent track record, with an impressive list of site references."
Dobson said his firm had undergone a strategic review of its IT systems with the PA consulting group last summer, to determine its five- to 10-year knowledge management strategy. "We then moved from this high-level discussion to the low-level approach of what we were actually going to do, so we brought in Grant Thornton consultant Andrew Levison to advise on the procurement of a supplier."
According to Dobson, Speechly Bircham will spend a large bulk of the £1m within the next few months, and could up spending more once it reviews its practice management system. "Resolution will be given an equal chance to tender," he said.
Dobson said his firm wanted the chance to bed down its new IT infrastructure before it moved offices later this year.