AlphaLAW-Vantage - Legal Aid (Civil)
The AlphaLAW-vantage Civil Legal Aid system contains all the functions necessary to allow you to process, control, monitor and report upon all civil legal aid work. It is generally recognised that only by using an efficient computer system that is specifically designed for legal aid work will efficient and profitable case management be possible. AlphaLAW Civil Legal Aid will produce all necessary LSC forms. Due to its specially designed procedures it will enable you to comply fully with all the requirements of the LSC, particularly with respect to billing. It will assist the practitioner, during the progress of the case, in ensuring that all the required records of time, actions and expenses are simply, accurately and speedily recorded.
There are three main areas of operation within the AlphaLAW Civil Legal Aid system - recording, billing and reporting.
Please note that the following list and descriptions are only a very brief overview of the main features and functions contained within AlphaLAW-Civil Legal aid support system. Only by viewing and using the system can its full functionality and benefit be fully appreciated.
RECORDING
MATTER INFORMATION
A civil legal aid matter is identified by the matter type code assigned when it is opened. Once identified as a legal aid matter a separate screen form is made available that contains the extra information required by the LCS for that type of work. This includes:
- Identifier if controlled work
- Controlled work limit (automatically loaded if controlled work)
- Gender
- Origin
- Age
- SPAN matter type code 1 & 2
- End codes 1, 2 & 3
- Certificate numbers and dates
- Counsel Fees
TIME RECORDING
- Separate time charge tables can be defined based upon the LSC approved rates.
- AlphaLAW-vantage will automatically present you with the correct charge table when you are making time entries.
BILLING
ISSUING BILLS
- A bill issued against a civil legal aid matter is treated by AlphaLAW-vantage as a notional bill and is stored in a separate bills file until selected for payment.
- Bills may be generated by the accounts department, fee earners and support staff
PAYING BILLS
- Monies received from the LSC is paid into a holding account.
- Bills to be paid are then selected from the list of unpaid civil legal aid bills, values changed if changed by the LSC, and posted.
- AlphaLAW-vantage will then automatically issue a real bill and take payment by transferring the monies from the LSC holding account onto the associated matter ledger.
REPORTING
Amongst the many specialised Legal Aid reports available are:
- Controlled Matter Start Form - fully completed
- Consolidated Matter Report Form - fully completed
- Controlled Work and Legal aid matter analysis
- Six monthly WIP and disbursements
- Bills issued, paid and unpaid
- WIP, disbursement and costs variance against limit
- average bill analysis
- Matters opened & closed since last audit