The software supplier’s perspective

• Glyn Morris – Chairman, Legal Software Suppliers Association

Who are the LSSA?Trade association

Membership criteria

Code of conduct

Lobbying

Guidance

Standards

Knowledge

Speaking on behalf of all

Who are the LSSA?

Forms software

Case Management

software

Practice Management

software

Specific solution software

Members

Recent projects

• PI Portal• Legal Aid – Customer and Claim Management

System• HMLR

Activity – PI Portal

• Independently managed• Brought about by Civil Procedure Rules• LSSA involvement - integration• No early consultation on technical or specification

• … and many difficulties were encountered• Test and pilot operation • Commercials

Activity - Legal Aid

• Customer and Claim Management System• Massive project• Early engagement & consultation

• Our advice and requests were ignored• Escalated to senior (political) level • Much management change at LAA• Much greater engagement• A project of horrors – still not complete

• …. still a way off but is starting to come together

Activity – Land Registry

• Business Gateway• LSSA involvement• Technical• Standards• Test – which remains something of a problem• Commercial arrangements

• We continue to have a close relationship with HMLR and are pleased to see how this is mutually advantageous

Exciting times

Opportunities

Ideas

Needs

What do we need so we can help?• Advance notice• Understand what the need and purpose are• Consultation on technical aspects• Type of data interchange (files, ‘web services’)• Definition of data to exchange (‘schema’)

• Early, appropriate test • Stability

What causes problems?

• Uncertainty• Knowing something is coming, but not knowing what!

• Late changes• After ‘completion’

• Inconsistency• Between linked system

• Unrealistic expectations

The world is changing …

The software supplier’s perspective

• Glyn Morris – Chairman, Legal Software Suppliers Association