Our Litigation Services

The greater part of our work is in helping lawyers with the production of Disclosure lists and the exchange of electronic files. Use the links on the left to see the range of services which we offer.

The work is not limited to Disclosure, or indeed to litigation – we get involved in anything where large quantities of information have to be identified, extracted, sorted and classified. The bulk of what we do, however, has some connection with disputes or with quasi-judicial areas such as Inquiries.

Litigation is increasingly time-critical, both in the sense of deadlines to be met, and in relation to the time which can be charged for stages. Deadlines are tighter and the sanctions for missing them are considerable; neither the courts nor clients are willing to see large blocks of chargeable time spent on the mechanics of listing documents for Disclosure.

The CPR was intended to reduce the quantity of documents which are listed. The rapid growth of electronic correspondence has put this objective further from reach. In addition, a higher standard is expected in the quality - that is, the relevance. The Disclosure duty is not discharged by throwing a box of files at a secretary and serving the resulting List.

We have developed techniques to catalogue and index electronic documents faster and more efficiently than if the documents were available only in paper form. Openlaw displays and prints these electronic documents in their native formats. This will become an increasingly important facility as the courts begin to require parties to serve their lists and exchange their documents electronically. [cross-link here in due course]

We offer a range of services aimed at speeding up the processes involved. The aim is not simply time-saving but making it possible to do each stage of the work in the most cost-effective way.

Click here for Information and ask to be sent our list of specialist bureaux and our information pack.