| Below is a personal testimony from two practitioners on how utilising
technology in practice can be beneficial.
26 February 2002 Dear Pala, EFS System and Technology in Providing Legal Service As you know, our firm is a small one comprising two partners specialising mainly in civil and commercial litigation. Technology and its effective application, so important to major- and medium-sized law firms in the quest to provide efficient legal service to the public, is no less crucial to small firms like ours. Given this premise, there is no stopping progress, be it the EFS system or the next technological leap. The public expects no less. Our firm implemented the EFS system since February 2002 after we had gone for the related briefings and training. In a relatively short space of time, we found there are real savings in time and costs. In our first electronic filing, our Govind Menon lodged a Notice of Discontinuance after a matter was amicably settled. It cost S$16.50. Had we filed it manually, it would have cost our clients S$39.50. There was a saving of S$23. Our clients were pleased. Pala, multiply that in the various processes of court work and you can begin to see real benefits to the public. Ultimately, it is their interest that is paramount for our profession serves them. Why am I writing to you? Because you represent all of us as President of our Society. We can imagine small firms like ours having to make a decision to invest for the future to keep up with the times or remaining in status quo. Financial consideration is probably a very important factor. For our firm, implementation of the EFS System costs approximately S$6,200. The training of our staff costs approximately between S$225 to S$256 per person. This is a manageable investment. What can we do for small firms and how can we help? Invite them to see the EFS System in actual operation in a small firm, be it ours or any other. Their support staff should go along. The partners and support staff in the firm which has implemented the EFS should be on hand to explain every aspect including the costs of maintaining and using the EFS. Members of small firms can relate to each other better because we understand the constraints under which we work. That said, you will find, so long as it advances the interest of the public and there are savings in costs and time, in principle, they would wish to implement. This brings us to the next point. How can we help on the finance aspects? We must consider and put in place a bloc loan system with financial institutions which members of small firms can draw on. The terms can be structured very much like car loans except that here the amounts involved are comparatively small if spread out over a reasonable term. Consider the effect - small firms are immediately placed on a level playing field to match the major- and medium-sized law firms in the delivery of professional service. This is worthy of consideration and our firm will open its doors to help. There has to be co-ordination and dedication in this exercise to allow small firms to benefit from all technological advancements relevant to our profession. Pala, you have the interest of all members of the profession and your committee and Council members have always been there to help. We should help and our small firm welcomes any participation in any exercise to see an EFS System in place in every small firm involved in litigation. Always, with best regards |