Legal Technology Journal

SOS Connect from Solicitors Own Software was first choice when Chebsey & Co, a well established law firm in South Bucks with offices in Beaconsfield and Burnham, needed to replace an ageing system, no longer able to handle the growth of the firm. SOS Connect has now gone live for matter and practice management for 25 fee earners and 15 support staff.

Founder Keith Chebsey, first came across SOS at a previous firm almost 20 years ago and has continued to follow SOS’s growth and success as a leading supplier to mid-sized practices. “I had watched SOS build its reputation in the sector, following its progress in the Law Society’s software solutions’ guide and knowing that one day when the firm was large enough, we would look more closely at the system.”

Chebsey & Co is a high street practice with niche specialities such as Spanish law and  entertainment licensing, as well as undertaking more usual legal work including family, private client, civil and commercial litigation, employment, personal injury, property, crime and regulatory defence. Founded in 2001, in recent years the firm has placed enormous strain on its first computer system, supplied by Lawbyte.

Having grown to 40 users, Chebsey & Co decided to investigate SOS Connect in April 2008. Keith Chebsey recollects: “We were impressed by the spread of satisfied SOS customers, especially in the 25 – 200 plus user range, and could see that the scope of the system would meet our growth ambitions for many years to come.”

SOS Connect went live in mid-December 2008, with SOS handling the conversion of data from the old system to the new one. “We are looking forward to the benefits envisaged such as wider use of time recording across all departments and speedier provision of management information, which we will assess in late April 2009,” said Keith Chebsey.

David McNamara, managing director of SOS said: “It is very flattering to hear that our progress has been so closely watched and that we were the solution of choice as Chebsey & Co outgrew its old system. We look forward to a long and fruitful relationship and improving operational efficiency as Chebsey & Co continues to prosper.”