Singapore law firm digitalizes to reduce manual administrative processes

Through the use of a low code development platform, the firm has created an in-house mobile app to boost employee/customer experience

In Singapore, highly regulated services such those in the legal industry are still reliant on manual processes, according to people from Allen & Gledhill (A&G), a law firm there.

However, in following the global shift towards remote/hybrid working, the law firm’s leaders recognized the opportunity to digitalize organizational processes to improve its readiness to deliver first-rate legal services in the digital age.

As part of A&G’s digital strategy, in-house developers partnered with an IT vendor to roll out an in-house mobile app that could be used to speed up the digitalization of legacy processes and administrative tasks, resulting in improved operational efficiency and a more conducive work environment for the firm’s 800 employees. 

Prior to the digital transformation, on-premises servers were used to supply employee e-services. However, this limited usage via the firm’s intranet, and the system was not mobile and accessible for staff. Subsequently, with the digitalization of in-house application development via a high-performance low-code platform, it was not difficult to create a mobile app within six months to facilitate employee real-time access to a wide range of corporate services, office management functions and company updates.

Ongoing app refinements

Starting off in Sep 2022 with time-saving features such as COVID-19 declaration forms, a company events calendar and staff directories, the app is undergoing continual refinement to consolidate additional features such as employee electronic name cards, internal bookings of company vehicles. An upcoming meeting room reservation system is now in the pipeline.

According to Darren Chan, A&G’s Head of IS: “As a law firm, we believe not just in the importance of remaining digitally adept, but in utilizing technology to ultimately elevate the overall client experience. We are therefore committed to a well-rounded digital transformation strategy that spans internal system infrastructure, employee workflows and client touchpoints. With new cloud-based technologies and digital workflows enhancing productivity for our staff, we hope that this will help us continue delivering the best quality legal services for all our existing and future clients.”

Said Mark Weaser, Vice President (Asia Pacific), OutSystems, the law firm’s IT solutions partner: “Driving innovation and improved operational efficiency is essential across industries to remain competitive, especially in this hybrid working era. Through this partnership, A&G is taking bold steps to drive modernization.”