For the past 25 years ellwood associates has worked with Canadian law firms, providing expertise to them as computer technology has revolutionized the practice of law.  Acting as a consultant ellwood associates has taken firms from IBM Selectric typewriters to word processing, carbon copy based one write accounting systems to fully automated accounting systems, paper calendars to always available time management systems for calendar and to do items, from rooms full of paper document discovery to fully indexed and searchable electronic documents.

Four years ago Dave Marks joined the team fresh from an honours program in computer science at the University of Toronto.  Over those years Dave's ability and work ethic has given him a great deal of experience in implementation and support of practice management systems which automate the 'business' of law firms; the accounting and time management systems of the firm.

Today Dave is the head of the Practice Management division of ellwood associates.

Over the past four years Dave has been a strong advocate within the firm to have ellwood look beyond Canada and into the Caribbean.  He made a persuasive case:

• Canada and many Caribbean countries share a common legal framework based on the Britsh Commonwealth system
• ellwood's experience over the last 25 years have given it a unique understanding of the process involved in moving firms from any point in the automation/technology spectrum toward great efficiency and cost effective practice
• ellwood's role here in Canada as an innovator and strategist for legal firms in dealing with cutting edge and emerging technologies bring the opportunity to leap frog whole cycles of evolution, taking the best practices of today and helping apply them within our client firms.
• finally and probably most persuasive, Dave was born in Kingston Jamaica.  He grew up there, his family is there, his roots are there.  Dave wants to bring the skills and expertise that he has learned in Canada to the Caribbean and especially to his home, Jamaica.

A year and a half ago when Brendon Cowans joined the firm, a York University graduate and Jamaican son, the expansion into the Caribbean was inevitable.

Both Dave and Brendon has spent extensive time in Jamaica this past year and half, talking with law firms, learning about the state of practice in the Caribbean, learning about where to focus to bring the greatest results to the Caribbean law firm.

Steve Ellwood, the firm's principal, attended a series of meetings with various firms in Jamaica to bring his years of experience to the question, "How can ellwood's abilities be deployed to most impact and improve a Jamaican law firm's practice?"

From the ellwood web site the areas of practice of the firm are clear, underlying technical infrastructure like PC's and servers, internet and phone systems is one area of the ellwood practice.  This area in Jamaica was well provided for.  Most firms have "computers'' and they use them to prepare documents. 

But the other two areas, practice management and case management, were not as well represented among Jamaican firms.

Mr. Ellwood said, "From what I have seen, there is an opportunity for many firm's in Jamaica to skip several costly generations of technology and move directly to well established automated accounting systems, calendar and practice management systems and then on to case management systems.  In the past the early adopters of these applications did so because the 'Return on Investment' was right given the nature and scope of their practices.  But today with costs falling due to new technology and practices, the 'Return on Investment' barrier is not nearly as high.  We have worked out strategies and techniques that can bring the technological prowess of firm's of hundreds of lawyers cost effectively to firms which even only one or two practitioners.  Our experience in Canada and our commitment to the Caribbean are being brought together to produce effective results in efficiency and productivity and ultimately in profitability to Caribbean law firms."    

ellwood associates has set up a permanent office in Jamaica to begin the process.  

Clients will be supported by Dave and Brendon, along with others from the ellwood team.  

Dave said, "An automated practice is built up from a solid foundation.  Once the computers and infrastructure are in place then the next step is usually an accounting system that automates the docketing, billing, reporting functions along with all other normal accounting processes.  Then depending on the nature of the practice the greatest gains might come from document management or a shared practice management system (calendaring, to do's, collecting the details of a matter together).  In some firms the greatest return is moving directly to applying technological tools to managing the documentary evidence of a case, the paper documents converted to electronic form, the emails and other digital data processed into searchable formant.  Each area can bring tremendous cost savings and productivity gains to a firm, but where to start depends on the situation a firm finds itself, it is all driven by 'Return on Investment' decisions."

As a Caribbean law firm, the ellwood team will no doubt be calling on you shortly in the hopes of arranging an initial meeting to consider how we can be of service to your firm.  If you would like to get started right away please contact; 

Dave Marks
Department Head - Practice Management
(416) 410 8191 x9
dmarks@ellwood.com