Opening the lines of communication: the Link App

The idea for The Link App came out of my experience as a family lawyer. Although
I was prepared for being put through
the mill emotionally by the nature of the work, the amount of time spent on keeping everyone ‘in the loop’ about a case came as something
of a shock.

It was a daily battle to keep up with the constant emails, phone calls, and even letters going back and forth.

After listening to the continued grumblings of my colleagues, I realised I was not alone, and I was convinced there must be a better way for lawyers to communicate with their clients. After all, this is the twenty-first century.

Increased productivity

My starting point was to develop an application that reduces for a solicitor a client’s interruptions during the course of the day, which inevitably stifles productivity. The number of clients struggling to access legal services post LASPO
has been well reported, as has the number of
law firms that have folded in recent times.

Increased productivity means increased profitability and that means both lawyers andtheir clients can benefit.

The Link App is very simple to use. After downloading our system onto their computer,
the solicitor enters their user name and password, logs in and is presented with an alphabetical list of clients that they are currently working with. When a client is selected, their case(s) appears and, when one of those cases is chosen, a list of updates they have been sent are shown.

There is an option to use pre-populated case updates, which allow a lawyer to send regular notifications to the client at the click of a button. For example, ‘drainage search back: no issues’ or ‘contracts exchanged at 10.30am, completion due in seven days.’ However, we appreciate that lawyers can’t always work within pre-defined options, and additional or bespoke case updates can be tailored to suit a particular case.

The app is equally easy for a client to use.
Clients are given a unique login which allows them access to their own case(s) so they can see how things are progressing. The app saves them time as they don’t have to keep requesting updates about their case, all the information they need can be accessed at the touch of a button. However, if they feel the need to talk to their lawyer, they can request a call back via the app. Customer service is key in the battle for client retention.

All communications via the app are encrypted so interaction is secure and correspondence confidential. The first version of the app is in beta testing and will launch later this month.

Further investment

The Link App is free of charge for clients to use, while legal firms pay costs starting from £13 per case, varying dependent on usage, plus a nominal annual fee. Technical support is available over the phone or via email.

At the moment, the app is tailored to private client users, with the pre-populated notifications for conveyancers, with plans to add these for additional disciplines when further investment
is secured.

In this early stage, the app’s core function is communication, but I have many ideas how to take it to the next level. Once it has been rolled out in the legal sphere, the plan is to adapt it to other professional disciplines too.

I believe that The Link App will revolutionise the way law firms interact with their clients, increasing productivity while simultaneously saving both time and money. It is also a valuable marketing tool as, in an increasingly competitive marketplace, it will ensure a firm stays one step ahead of its rivals. SJ

Lauren Riley is a consultant solicitor at Labrums and creator of The Link App, which is available for download on iOS and Android devices from the App Store and Google Play from the end of the month. She was a contestant in this series of The Apprentice, BBC1 Wednesdays 9pm