When handling transactions
worth millions you can't afford to take your eye off the ball.
Luckily – at AWS Legal they don't have to.
Whether it's buying and selling property, building a business or succession
planning, access to information is vital.
The Invercargill-based firm is one of the largest in the South with 14 partners
and offices at Queenstown, Wanaka, Gore, Te Anau and Christchurch. Given the
firm's strong rural client base they're also prepared to practice at many points
in between.
AWS Legal Practice Manager Kelly Tagg said they could afford to have senior
staff on the road – at home and even overseas – without losing their edge.
The Citrix Presentation
Server means our Partners can login anywhere, any time, whether it's from home or from other offices.
Where a day out of the office once meant a day of reduced production, now staff
can work literally anywhere.
"We never would have been able to spread out to so many different locations if
this technology wasn't available," she said.
"A few years ago we had a Partner who went to Queenstown one day a week – he
didn't even have a computer – it was the same in our Te Anau office.
"There was no point having computers in our branch offices until they could
access our system in Invercargill."
Private Client Partner Anne Henderson has often holidayed in Australia using her
laptop and a wireless modem to check email and keep in touch with the team in
Invercargill.
"It may sound awful – taking work on holiday with you – but that's the reality
of being a supervising Partner," Mrs Tagg said.
Family Law Partner Kasey Templer was able to attend a specialist conference in
Wellington while providing detailed support to a new junior solicitor at AWS
Legal's head office.
While an army marches on its stomach, a law firm runs on paper – deeds,
documents and contracts – often in triplicate. A paperless office might be a
pipe dream but modern technology can help them use paper more effectively.
Solicitors can send dictation files directly to a secretary who will transcribe
it and email it back as a print-ready document so access to real-time support
staff is never further than an email away.
That remote technology has another spin-off for the permanent branch offices,
too.
A bottleneck in Wanaka, for example, is eased by transferring dictation to
Invercargill where it's also far easier to get temp staff if need be, Mrs Tagg
said.
The firm also benefits from the strong relationship with its IT provider Focus
Technology Group relying on them not just to keep things ticking over, but
moving forward.
"Focus has provided our IT support for around 13 years and we know we can trust
them to look out for our best interests," Mrs Tagg said.
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