The Singapore Law Gazette

Get Inspired! Law Practices and Their Tech Adoption Journey

LegalWorks Law Corporation’s Transition to Legal Tech Excellence

As the legal profession navigates an increasingly digital landscape, firms across the sector are rethinking how technology can help streamline operations, improve client service, and ensure business continuity. One such success story comes from LegalWorks Law Corporation, where Managing Director Mr Thean shares the firm’s thoughtful and practical approach to embracing legal technology.

The Turning Point: Post-Pandemic Realities

Like many law firms, LegalWorks found itself at a crossroads during the COVID-19 circuit breaker. “Our staff couldn’t work from home effectively,” MrThean recalls. The firm had been relying on server-based software and NAS (Network Attached Storage) systems, both of which lacked reliable remote access. Remote desktop tools like TeamViewer proved slow and inefficient.

That disruption became a catalyst for change. Recognising the limitations of their legacy systems, LegalWorks committed to a digital transformation. One that would not only enable remote work but also future-proof the firm’s operations.

The Legal Tech Suite

Today, the firm leverages a combination of legal tech tools tailored to their unique needs:

Tessaract: A cloud-based platform that supports both accounting and case management. Unlike generic accounting tools, Tessaract accommodates the legal sector’s specific requirements such as managing office and client accounts, and even conveyancing trust accounts.

Pantropic Online: This solution ensures reliable cloud backups and robust cybersecurity, critical for safeguarding sensitive client data.

Data Dynamics Pte Ltd: Providers of the firm’s IP phone system, which enables seamless communication without disclosing personal phone numbers.

Video Conferencing Tools: Once a necessity during lockdowns, these platforms are now integral to client meetings, enabling remote consultations with ease.

Evaluating the Right Fit

LegalWorks followed a clear and careful process to go digital, focusing on six important things when choosing new technology.

Industry Suitability. The firm needed solutions built for legal practice, not off-the-shelf software designed for general business use. After experimenting with tools like Xero, the team ultimately found Tessaract better met the legal industry’s compliance and accounting demands.

Data Migration. The ability to port over existing client and financial data was non-negotiable. With expert help, the firm transitioned smoothly, avoiding disruption.

Ease of Use and Training. It was crucial that the system be user-friendly, with adequate training provided.

Stability and Reliability. An important feature would be ensuring that the solution was available 24/7 with little or no noticeable downtime.

Proven Track Record. The team favoured providers with strong reputations and long-term viability, to reduce the risk of future disruptions.

Responsive Support. Ongoing support and clear communication from service providers were essential in addressing the firm’s evolving needs.

Tangible Benefits

Since implementing legal tech, LegalWorks has enjoyed notable improvements across several fronts:

Enhanced Accessibility. Staff can access documents anytime, anywhere. Financial reporting is now real-time, empowering leadership with better insights.

Time and Cost Savings. Information retrieval — especially for archived documents — is now instant. This has significantly reduced time spent locating files stored in physical archives.

Reduced Risk. Centralised cloud storage has mitigated issues like data loss or inaccessibility due to staff absences or hardware failure.

Peace of Mind. While intangible, it is invaluable. Knowing that safeguards are in place to prevent data loss and maintain uptime allows the firm to operate with confidence.

Overcoming Implementation Hurdles

The greatest challenge wasn’t technical. It was human. “It is human nature to want to stick to the old, tried and true way of doing things.” Mr Thean admits.

To ease the transition, the firm employed several change management strategies:

• Educating staff on the tangible benefits of new tools.
• Providing user guides and walkthroughs for self-paced learning.
• Arranging training sessions with service providers.
• Phased rollouts to reduce disruption.
• Leadership-led adoption to model commitment.

Looking Ahead

While LegalWorks isn’t actively exploring new tools, Mr Thean has a practical wishlist: an app that automates reminder emails to non-responsive clients, a document-scanning tool that auto-generates meaningful file names, and software that extracts and auto-fills data from identification documents into court or SLA forms.

He sums up the firm’s philosophy well: “Legal tech solutions are tools to achieve an objective. It’s important to be clear on what those objectives are, so that any solution we adopt meaningfully improves how we work and serve our clients.”

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Ravindran Associates LLP Embraces Legal Tech to Strengthen IP Law Practice

Ravindran Associates LLP, a boutique law firm specialising in intellectual property (IP), has taken a deliberate and practical approach to legal tech adoption, integrating tools that enhance both operational efficiency and client service.

Mr Jon Chan Wenqiang, a partner at the firm, shares that their legal tech journey is grounded in aligning tools with specific workflow needs, ensuring compliance, and maintaining high standards in service delivery.

Optimising IP Management Through Technology

Given the firm’s substantial volume of IP filings and renewals, adopting DIAMS iQ, a dedicated IP management platform, was essential for efficient tracking and management. According to Mr Chan, this system plays a vital role in ensuring that nothing falls through the cracks, especially when managing filings on behalf of multiple clients.

For financial workflows, Ravindran Associates uses Affinity for billing and timekeeping. Mr Chan explains that Affinity allows lawyers to enter key data such as professional fees and disbursements, which then generates invoices using automated templates. This approach reduces the need for manual drafting, increases accuracy, and saves administrative time.

To support remote access and collaboration, the firm has also begun transitioning to Microsoft SharePoint as its main cloud-based document repository. This enables team members to work on matters from any location with an internet connection, reflecting the firm’s shift toward more flexible work arrangements.

Evaluating the Right Solutions

When selecting legal technology tools, Mr Chan shared that the firm focused on three main criteria: Price, Reliability, and Ease of use. It was important for the firm to adopt systems that were both cost-effective and accessible to all staff, regardless of technical expertise.

Benefits of Legal Tech Adoption

One of the most significant outcomes has been increased flexibility. Mr Chan notes that the ability to access systems remotely has untethered the firm from the physical office, making hybrid and mobile work models not just possible but efficient.

Overcoming Implementation Challenges

Transitioning to new technologies often comes with its challenges. For Ravindran Associates, one of the main hurdles was ensuring that staff adopted the new systems. To address this, Mr Chan emphasised the importance of briefings and tutorial sessions, which played a crucial role in helping the team get acquainted with each platform. This approach familiarised the staff with the tools and also built their confidence in using them effectively.