Storrar Cowdry Solicitors

Modernising operations through technology is a key strategic objective shared by many UK law firms we work with. It’s an objective that Cheshire-based, 35-user law firm, Storrar Cowdry, was keen to achieve with a view to enhancing internal processes and transitioning to digital systems from inception to file closure. States Freddie Storrar, solicitor and head of the corporate and commercial department at Storrar Cowdry: “Becoming electronic with everything we do from process to signatures to billing is paramount to our continued success.” A paperless environment was Freddie’s ambition and, thanks to the excellent collaborative working partnerships we have with our industry peers, including consultants and managed service providers, we were able to play an integral role in enabling Freddie to achieve this goal.

Selecting the right partners was crucial for Storrar Cowdry’s successful digital transformation. Freddie and his team were already working extensively with specialist consultancy, The CS Partnership. Founders Clair Payne and Sarah Keegan had begun to lead change in technology, processes and behaviours within the firm. Aligning the firm’s specific needs, they played a pivotal role in introducing IT services provider, etiCloud, to deliver its bespoke hosted desktop solution – the Agile Digital Workplace – trusted by over 200 law firms for secure working anytime, anywhere.

“We’ve established a solid foundation of trust with Clair and Sarah, so when they recommended etiCloud it was a recommendation we knew we could depend on,” says Freddie.

“When we met with Freddie, we outlined clearly and concisely how we could help and he felt the hands-on approach we take to business was very refreshing,” comments Jonathan Ashley, co-founder of etiCloud. “It’s paramount to us that we work in partnership together with our clients and any other providers they have on side and that was just what Freddie was looking for. Collaborative working is what we do, and we only work with other like-minded suppliers with the same ethos.”

When it came to selecting a Practice Management System (PMS), the first time the firm would use any such kind of software, a third party recommended PracticeEvolve to Storrar Cowdry based on their highly positive experience of working with us on several other CMS projects.

Storrar Cowdry had clear objectives including the need to be a paperless, digital firm. This was in keeping with the firm’s vision to be more digitally focused. In order to achieve the vision, the expectation was for PracticeEvolve to work effectively, in a partnership, alongside The CS Partnership and etiCloud.

As advocates of PracticeEvolve having partnered with us on many occasions in the past, Clair Payne was more than happy to have us on board. Comments Clair: “Becoming digital is almost mandatory in the modern day as looking for past records can become a huge problem if not found in a timely matter. Then, to discover outdated paperwork, only makes matters worse complicating the process and costing both time and money. We needed the best businesses in their individual fields on board so we were delighted when PracticeEvolve became part of the team.”

In fact, both The CS Partnership and etiCloud had worked with us previously on a variety of different client projects so we were advocated by each company!

Storrar Cowdry were very careful when selecting their supply partners and recognised just how important it was for all teams to be able to communicate effectively and work seamlessly together with a high level of trust. So, seeing how delighted PracticeEvolve, etiCloud and The CS Partnership were to have the potential opportunity to work together again and complement each other’s strengths with past experience, was a good indicator that PracticeEvolve was a front runner.

Further positive feedback from both Clair, Sarah and John Williams, a Customer Success Consultant here at PracticeEvolve, reinforced the decision-making process. Transparency, service levels, and trust were the key elements that guided Freddie’s selection.

“We have always treated our business partners as integral team members, and I knew this was vital for a successful digital transformation,” outlines Freddie.

Explains John: “Collaboration, a cohesive approach and trust among stakeholders is central to our ethos. Our company values include fostering a positive and collaborative environment, building strong relationships with those you work with inside or outside the business and creating a sense of community. These values are shared by The CS Partnership and etiCloud alike which is why we function so well together.

“This project was particularly enjoyable because we were all working with people we can be open and honest with. Working together as one big team, we built trust with the client and created transparent and frank communications which are integral to success.”

Continuous support and service excellence were fundamental in the delivery of Storrar Cowdry’s digital transformation. Our Client Success team worked closely with Freddie and his team to enhance their software usage and, operating alongside The CS Partnership, they created (and continue to create) intricate workflows which were bespoke to Storrar Cowdry’s specific needs.

“PracticeEvolve’s Client Success team was instrumental in tailoring the software to our individual needs, helping digitise paper documents and workflows for our team to use on a daily basis,” commends Freddie.

etiCloud’s hands-on approach simplified operations, supplying the ideal cloud-based programmes for PracticeEvolve to work on to create a fully digitised workspace.

Collaborative efforts drove positive results for Storrar Cowdry and allowed Freddie to achieve his original objective cost-effectively and efficiently. etiCloud contributed to increased performance, PracticeEvolve amplified productivity, and The CS Partnership improved internal systems.

Comments Freddie: “We’ve witnessed a significant increase in performance thanks to all involved and the collaborative way in which each party approached this project. The PMS that PracticeEvolve developed for us is first class. It does everything we want and more. Plus, the Client Success team is continually on hand to help us maximise the system and get the very best from it to benefit the firm, including hands-on training and ongoing professional insight. Put simply, when we ask them: “can the CMS do this?” the answer is always, “yes, let’s see what we can sort!”

“The whole experience of working with PracticeEvolve is a positive one. They are a trusted partner alongside The CS Partnership whose input led (and continues to lead) to improved systems, making the workflows more efficient. And with etiCloud’s hosted servers creating a secure and compliant workspace, every provider complements each other perfectly”.