Babingtons Solicitors: A legacy of excellence

The firm's commitment to excellence is reflected in its investment in staff and infrastructure, with 3 partners and a 19-strong team of solicitors, paralegals and support staff across two offices based in Derry~Londonderry and Strabane. The firm has established itself as a trusted and respected name in the legal community, specialising in a range of private client areas, including property, probate, inheritance tax, wills, commercial law and family work.

In a recent interview with OneAdvanced, Killian Conwell, Senior Partner at Babingtons Solicitors and Donna Doherty, shared their insights on the firm's journey with digital transformation and their experience with our Practice and Case Management system.

Embracing digital transformation

As is common with many law firms, Babingtons is navigating the challenges of digital transformation, changing client expectations and a developing legal market. The firm is working towards becoming more digitally focused, with a goal of eventually becoming paperless within the next five years. For now, they still maintain a hybrid approach, with some clients and solicitors preferring a paper trail. However, the firm's use of OneAdvanced Practice and Case Management has really helped to streamline their processes, with documents being sent electronically and saved digitally.

"We're trying to get most of our work done electronically now," said Donna Doherty. "When clients send documents electronically, it makes life a lot easier. Although we still have some paper files for now, the technology supports our goal to eventually move to a paperless system."

The benefits of implementing modern technology

Babingtons migrated to OneAdvanced Practice and Case Management (formerly known as ALB) around four years ago, driven by the need for enhanced support and a modern case management system. The firm's experience with the software has been positive, with significant improvements in productivity and efficiency.
"The software has helped us to work more efficiently," said Killian. "We can do more with the technology now than we were previously able to, so there's definitely a logic to it”.

The firm's staff have also benefited from the implementation of Practice and Case Management, with younger solicitors in particular appreciating the modern digital capabilities of the system. "I think it's important for firms to have a case management system in place," said Donna. "It makes your life a lot simpler and helps you to do your work better. I'm very comfortable with the system, and I do promote it around the office."

The future of law: AI and beyond

As the legal sector continues to evolve, Babingtons is aware of the need to stay ahead of the curve. The firm is cautious about the role of AI in the legal sector but recognises its potential to improve workflows and increase productivity.
"My instinct is that AI ought not to do away with lawyers, but it might improve workflows and getting product out the door," said Killian.

The firm is open to exploring the potential of AI and is interested in learning more about OneAdvanced's AI capabilities.

A partnership built on trust

Babingtons Solicitor’s decision to partner with OneAdvanced was driven by a continued desire for a reliable and trustworthy software supplier. The firm values the support and advocacy provided by us and is pleased with the overall performance of the software.

When asked what is important to consider when working with potential suppliers, both Killian and Donna explained that it comes down to trust, reliability and confidence. Donna said, “It might sound simple, but we need a system that we know runs properly and does what it says on the tin”. When speaking about how our software has directly benefitted the firm, Killian noted: “I think the delivery of what we do is improved as a result of having OneAdvanced.”

A testament to legacy

Babingtons’ willingness to journey through digital transformation is a testament to the firm's continued commitment to excellence and its willingness to adapt to changing circumstances. The firm's experience with OneAdvanced has been positive, from support to day-to-day use of our product. Killian noted that our team were very good during the migration period, offering reassurance and support, available to always pick up the phone whenever it was needed “I think it's very important to have the right people in place, and [the team] certainly ticked that box, which definitely helped with the process.”

As the legal sector continues to change, Babingtons is well-positioned to continue delivering high-quality services to its clients and is open to take advantage of new opportunities and technologies, including exploring the possibilities of AI in the future.

By embracing modernisation, Babingtons is further solidifying its strong legacy in an ever-changing market, it’s continued success and significance. As Killian noted, "We're still here, and we’re proud of that, even when many may have fallen by the wayside”.