E&A Lawyers

When E&A Lawyers assessed their technology needs, they saw a clear shift in the legal software landscape favouring cloud solutions. Recognising the flexibility and cost savings a cloud-based system could bring, they made a strategic decision to transition from a traditional desktop setup to PracticeEvolve’s EvolveGo.

Practice Manager Ryan Alfonso identified the cloud’s flexibility and cost-effectiveness as key benefits, enabling the firm to operate without the overhead of self-hosted platforms. However, like many firms, E&A Lawyers needed to carefully navigate the change management process.

Through a collaborative approach, Ryan and his team introduced the new platform gradually, demonstrating how it could streamline daily tasks and enhance productivity. This strategy quickly won over the team, who embraced the solution’s potential to make their work more efficient and set the firm up for long-term success.

“We looked at the transition to a cloud-based product from a number of different perspectives,” explains Ryan. “Cost is always a factor of course, and we were facing ever-increasing storage costs. But we also felt the cloud products that were coming onto the market were a lot more advanced and more closely aligned with ease of production of work. Plus, they offered that extra flexibility we needed to grow.”

Continues Ryan: “Our search for the best cloud-based product had to take these factors into account and bring benefits to allow us to easily streamline and simplify our processes. One of the key elements that attracted us to EvolveGo was the task system, for example.”

The objective of the task system in EvolveGo is to simplify tasks across the board thus improving efficiencies within a firm. It’s an element that many clients cite as being extremely empowering.

“Whilst it’s very comprehensive, you don’t need a PhD in worflow or technology to understand it,” outlines Ryan. “There are other task systems out there but, in my experience, you need some coding and development knowledge to get the best from them. With EvolveGo you can set up intelligent workflows that automatically assign the right tasks, complete with all necessary documents, to the appropriate team members, which is great.”

Adds Ryan: “Adopting EvolveGo has enabled us to take a much more consistent approach to tasks and, since they’re all on the same system, which is so easy to follow, it makes achieving a level of consistency far easier throughout the practice.”

Transitioning to a cloud-based system is often a daunting step for many law firms, but with PracticeEvolve, it’s a smooth, well-supported process. Our cloud solution, EvolveGo, is designed specifically for the legal industry, delivering enhanced efficiency, effectiveness, and profitability through swift implementation.

Our commitment to clients, such as Ryan and his team, spans every stage of the migration process, ensuring full transparency around what’s happening, when, and why. Our objective is clear: to provide a seamless transition with strong engagement in training, leading to a successful go-live experience—every time.

“There are inevitably hiccups with this sort of change project, but the transition was relatively straightforward from start to finish,” states Ryan. “There was always enough support there when we needed it and that definitely helped.”

As Practice Manager at E&A Lawyers, Ryan oversees the firm’s management, administration, and accounting functions, utilising both the document and matter management features as well as the financial components of EvolveGo.

At PracticeEvolve, we understand the importance of delivering a system that seamlessly serves both legal and financial professionals. EvolveGo was crafted with legal industry workflows in mind, while also ensuring the accounting functions are intuitive and accessible. Our goal is for every user to maximise their experience and productivity with the software.

Reflecting on his experience, Ryan shared, “Since I handle both accounts and practice management, I get to use the system from multiple perspectives. From the outset, I found EvolveGo easy to use, and I quickly became proficient with the accounts module after dedicating time to learning it.”

Ryan continued, “As we’re onboarding a new member to the accounts team, I’ve had to deepen my knowledge of the system’s accounting functions. This experience has reinforced my confidence in EvolveGo’s capabilities. For example, the visibility of financials on the homepage is highly convenient, and the reporting tools are exceptionally user-friendly. Generating polished, professional reports is seamless, and I can easily export data to spreadsheets or PDFs. The ability to drill down on specific items, such as profit and loss statements, is particularly robust—I can locate a specific cost with ease.”

Our Client Success Programme, combined with resources in EvolveCommunity, is central to empowering users to unlock the full potential of EvolveGo and create new efficiencies for their firm.

Since E&A Lawyers went live in May, Ryan and his team have raised only a handful of support requests—an impressive testament to the software’s intuitive design and ease of use. This low volume of tickets highlights both the effectiveness of our Support and how EvolveGo fits into daily operations.

“I’ve found the videos in EvolveCommunity incredibly helpful; they’ve been a great resource, and we still use them for onboarding,” shares Ryan. “When our new recruit joined the accounts team, we encouraged her to start with these videos to get familiar with the system. The training PracticeEvolve provided was thorough, and we monitored staff progress closely, addressing any gaps through the Client Success team.”

Ryan added, “Having the Client Success team available was invaluable; they did a fantastic job guiding us through the transition and ensuring everyone felt comfortable with the software.”

He further noted, “Whenever we’ve needed training on new features, they’ve been implemented quickly. And regarding Support, every time we’ve reached out, the follow-up has been prompt, ensuring every issue was fully resolved. Personally, I’ve only raised a couple of tickets myself, which I think speaks volumes about the system’s reliability.”

• Intuitive Task Management: Easy to use without requiring any coding knowledge.
• User-Friendly Interface: Accessible for all levels of tech proficiency, without being overwhelming.
• Powerful Reporting Capabilities: Robust tools for financial management and informed decision-making.
• Convenient Sidebar Widgets: Quick overview of task progress at a glance.
• One-Click Reporting: Access all essential reports in one place, especially useful for profit and loss reviews.
• Efficient Activity Tracker: Accurately logs time spent on matters, streamlining time management.
• Communicate App: Invaluable for the conveyancing team, simplifying contract-related emails.
• Ongoing Access to EvolveCommunity: Comprehensive training resources for onboarding and skill refreshers, ensuring users can easily look up any feature or process as needed.

At PracticeEvolve, we’re committed to refining each transition to continually improve our services for every client. While change management can often pose challenges for law firms, it doesn’t have to be a barrier.

For Ryan, this was his first major change project at E&A Lawyers, and his insights into the process provided valuable perspectives.

“There’s a mix of generations in our firm,” Ryan explains, “which naturally brings a diverse range of attitudes toward change. We have colleagues who are very tech-savvy, and others for whom technology can be a real struggle.”.

“As we went through the migration, there was an element of fear, and I think that’s inevitable. However, we found the process to be quite intuitive—everything just made sense at each stage. Even those who aren’t particularly tech-savvy felt comfortable within a few weeks. They quickly adapted and started engaging with the system, appreciating features that simplify daily tasks and communications, like managing phone messages and tracking tasks.

“Yes, the thought of the transition was intimidating for many, but as we moved forward and people saw the benefits, buy-in was immediate, and the entire firm embraced it.”

For both Ryan and the PracticeEvolve team, the goals were clear: a smooth implementation, easy onboarding with comprehensive training, and positive adoption across the firm.

Ryan reflects, “The team adapted seamlessly, and everyone is genuinely pleased with the new system—honestly, we couldn’t ask for more. My advice to other firms considering a move to the cloud is: go for it. It’s not as daunting as it seems. The efficiencies we’ve achieved with PracticeEvolve have been highly appreciated throughout our office.”

Would he recommend PracticeEvolve to others? “I already have! I’ve discussed our experience with multiple firms. We’re very happy with the software—it fits our needs perfectly, and the team at PracticeEvolve is incredibly easy to work with.”

Located in the northern beaches of Sydney, E&A Lawyers has a long and local history of providing services in Family Law, Wills & Estates, Conveyancing and Commercial & Business Law.

A well-resourced firm offering big-city expertise and experience coupled with an individual approach, clients are the #1 focus at E&A Lawyers. As such, the firm prides itself on listening to and working with clients to reach solutions that are both achievable and cost effective.