Published Articles
Project Management for In-house Lawyers: Seeing the Wood for the Trees
Project management was used in the space race and now dominates large construction, engineering and military developments – but what can it offer in-house lawyers? Sandra Potter and Derek Begg explore the benefits of adopting a project management approach.
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The New Review Paradigm – Cutting Edisclosure Costs
Sandra Potter looks at the changes in strategies for lowering the cost of electronic disclosure review.
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NowWeAreTalking - 30th April, 2008 - Broadband simplifies court proceedings
One of Australia’s foremost experts on electronic document management and eCourts, Phil Farrelly, says broadband is vastly improving how courts and lawyers manage large volumes of information, especially in big civil cases.
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LAWYERS WEEKLY - 11th April, 2008 - Saturation point
A document saturation point has some lawyers reaching their information absorption limits. But with effective document management moving beyond mere housekeeping to a powerful weapon of knowledge, at least the desk is tidy.
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When cross-border factors arise in commercial litigation, the legal and logistical issues can increase exponentially. Sandra Potter and Derek Begg write on how technology has some – but not all – of the answers.
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Law Institute Journal - December, 2007 - Court Raises The Bar In Technical Innovation
The management of increasing volumes of documents in a variety of electronic formats has presented a major challenge to the courts and litigants alike.
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Lawyers Weekly - October 5, 2007 - Lower electronic discovery costs: 9 steps
Being litigation-ready is about better management of claims, and having strong electronic discovery processes will save your time and your sanity. Sandra Potter writes..
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The new Alberta Practice Note governs the use of technology in civil proceedings The Practice Note #14 provides technical guidance on such matters as the format of image files, the format of the list of schedules to an Affidavit of Records, the format of a Record of Pleadings and Agreed Exhibit book by setting out default standards for managing these documents in a technology environment. The Note provides practical guidance on such issues as costs, communication with another party and the court and electronic trials.
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Malaysian Institute of Arbitrators inaugural regional conference - June 23, 2007
Hon. Neil Brown QC, Simon Greenberg, Christopher Kee and Phil Farrelly, making up a small Australian contingent, attended the Malaysian Institute of Arbitrators inaugural regional conference held in Kuala Lumpur on June 23,2007. Phil Farrelly delivered a presentation on the Pros and Cons of Document Hosting to the conference.
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Vox Judicia - The cutting edge: e-litigation standards - May 2007
The Canadian Judicial Council (CJC) has approved a project to establish a national standard for the exchange and presentation of evidence in electronic form. The proposed standard, which is based on the practice direction issued by the Supreme Court of British Columbia on July 1,2006, was prepared after a series of consultative workshops.
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Lawyers Weekly – Controlling your practices – May 2007
“Workflow automation tools are soreading outside the "sausage factory" practice areas, but wether and how firms do this is a difficult choice to make. Shaun Drummond takes a look at some of the options.”
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Australian Lawyers Weekly (March 2007) -
Practical Electronics
The Victorian supreme court is taking the lead in E-Litigation practices once again....
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Australian Lawyers Weekly (June 2006) -
Potter Farrelly & Associates open Malaysian office
Malaysia offers an ideal base for developing litigation services....
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The Australian Financial Review (July 2005) - Local Expertise
used in war crime courtrooms
"It has been a steep learning curve from writing practice notes for the Supreme Court of Victoria to designing courts in war-torn countries around the world all in the space of six years."
Lawyers
Weekly - April 2005 - Shredding
the Printer
"While the office printer is unlikely to become a museum piece any time soon, law firms in recent years have been keen to make a paperless office a reality. Some feel this is close to being achieved, but several areas are still stuck on the page."
This case study demonstrates how Australian courts are moving closer to paperless environment in both civil and criminal matters.
“Most jurisdictions have recognised technology as an emerging tool that reduces delay, complexity and cost in the conduct of both civil and criminal matters. When it comes to issuing practice notes as guidelines for the use of information technology in civil litigation, Australia probably leads the rest of the world.”
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Society for Computers and Law - Nov 2004 - Wireless Security - What is the issue?
Sandra Potter, Phil Farrelly and Adam Todhunter highlight the dangers of easy access that is the inevitable companion of wireless technology.
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“Interestingly, in the Supreme Court of New South Wales, possibly one of the largest civil litigation jurisdictions, electronic hearings have been few and far between”
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This facility provides leading edge audio, visual and integrated computer technology never before implemented in an Australian court.
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Australian Law Management Journal – Aug 2004 - Lower Legal Fees Through Better Management
“Once in place, an effective approach will provide a steady stream of benchmark statistics that will improve the organisation’s ability to predict costs and timelines for future work”
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Lawyers Weekly – 2 July 2004 - Getting By with a Little Help from your Friends
“Even large firms can’t be everything to everyone. IT is not just about finding the best solutions - it’s also about support, maintenance and lots of other functions”
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Malaysian Newspaper “The Edge” - Net Value: E-courts: Learning from Down Under By Bernice Low
“At the Third MSC International Cyberlaws conference last week, a paper on e-courts was presented by Phil Farrelly, an Australian expert on the deployment of information technology (IT) to enhance, support and improve legal infrastructure.”
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“Sandra Potter talked to Laurence Eastham about her initiative in creating and consulting on a draft Practice Direction to cover the use of IT in the litigation of civil matters.”
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Malaysian Cyberlaws Conference – March 2004
“The challenge ahead – bring the courts into line with the expectations of the 21st Century while maintaining a stance that preserves the court’s reputation and supports the court’s critical role in maintaining public confidence in the protection afforded to them in the law.”
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Electronic Court for the ACT Bushfire Inquest and Inquiry. Canberra Times – Oct 2003
“Courtroom 10 in the Magistrate’s Court in Civic will be the home of the coronial enquiry, which is expected to stretch over many months. The room has been fitted out with the latest technology by Melbourne firm 3C Consulting, including 11 computer screens and a large monitor.”
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Law Institute Journal – “Managing e-Files in Discovery in civil litigation matters” July 2003
“The move to include electronic files (e-files) as a part of the civil litigation discovery process is an international trend gaining momentum in Australia.”
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Lawyers
Weekly June 2003 - Knowledge going out the revolving door
Twenty years ago it was accepted that most professionals jealously guarded, rather than shared their knowledge. As Professor Bill Martin and Sandra Potter report, times have changed.
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Lawyers Weekly – Effective Use of IT in Civil Litigation – May 2003
“As information technology plays an increasingly prominent role in civil proceedings, the courts have responded by developing guidelines for its use. Sandra Potter looks at the efforts of a range of jurisdictions to promote the efficient use of new technology”
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Law Institute Journal – Guidelines for the use of technology in Civil matters – August 2002
“In April 1999, Supreme Court Practice Note 3 of 1999 set the scene for the use of technology as an everyday tool in Victorian civil litigation. Its recent replacement, Practice Note 1 of 2002, reflects both the changes in technology and the experience of the Supreme Court and the legl profession over the past two years.”
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The Age (Melbourne) – Direction puts neo-Luddites on Notice – July 2002
“The Supreme Court of Victoria has established itself as the nation’s pacesetter in dragging the legal profession into the information technology age.”
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