WordLAW
WordLAW is Curat Lex’s own document production and management system, which automates the production of documents in conjunction with Microsoft Word. WordLAW boosts efficiency by:
- rapidly producing documents from easily selected templates
- utilising data from the Sovereign LAW database
- allowing the creation of templates customised for use with a particular file
- inserting standard clauses into documents
- naming documents automatically and saving them into a pre-defined folder.
- instant viewing/retrieval of documents via database enquiries
WordLAW also includes (optional) HotDocs electronic forms link with free access to the Everyform library including Legal Aid, Court and Land Registry forms. For more information on HotDocs and the libraries of forms which are available visit www.capsoftuk.co.uk
Relevant data is merged automatically allowing the user to complete the document. Documents can be assembled on screen from standard paragraphs.
WordLAW automatically saves each document under the client and file number for instant retrieval via database enquiries
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Case Management
If you are looking for a more structured approach, then Curat Lex Case Management is an easy-to-use, generic, user-definable case management system, which is fully integrated with the rest of the system.Curat Lex Case Management is based on WordLAW but allows you to specify case plans, steps and data screens. Each case category (area of law) has its own:
- case data files, containing information relevant to the specific cases,
- case plans, containing a number of
- case steps, with ‘properties’ e.g. whether or not the step is to produce a document (or documents); an entry in the fee-earner diary system; a time recording entry etc., depending on whether the emphasis is to be on events, document production, or a combination of both.
The user works on case plans by simply by ‘ticking off’ steps on an on-screen list, which makes for extreme ease-of-use. The case data screen or screens can also be very easily maintained by the user with up-to-date information.
The primary document interface is with Microsoft Word, which merges the necessary data into the specified document; displays it on screen; allows the user to enter any necessary keyboard text; prints it out with the specified number of copies and then saves the document with a pre-defined name in a designated directory.
A further feature is that the word processor can process all data generated by the fee-earner, or just the data for a specified document. This gives busy fee-earners the option of printing urgent documents immediately, whilst leaving others either until later or to be printed out by a secretary.
Curat Lex Case Management exploits the amendability of Sage Line 100 by allowing the case data files and associated screens to be customised to meet the precise requirements of the firm in the area of law in question. The case steps and associated properties are easy to define, and entirely standard word-processor documents with appropriate merge fields are utilised (although it is also possible to make use of suitably adapted commercially available forms as well). Each category is accordingly truly user-definable.
Whilst Curat Lex can provide example applications, firms are encouraged to develop their own documents and case plans so that they ‘own’ the project. This considerably reduces the cost of setting up and installing case management, and the number of changes, which subsequently have to be made. It also demonstrates that the case management system justifies its description as a generic system.