Building a platform for international growth, operational efficiency and better business insight
Asserson is an international commercial law firm serving predominantly UK clients through offices in the UK and Israel, providing expert legal advice on complex cross-border matters.
The challenges of scaling an international law firm
Asserson is a growing law firm serving predominantly UK clients while operating across both the UK and Israel. As the firm expanded and opened new offices, leadership recognised that its existing practice management system was starting to become a barrier to growth.
The firm wanted to improve the way matters were managed, reduce operational inefficiencies and gain access to meaningful management information that would support better commercial decision-making. Leadership needed greater visibility into firm performance and profitability, alongside a platform capable of supporting future growth.
Alongside these operational challenges, Asserson's international structure created a number of complex technical requirements. The firm required robust multi-currency accounting, support for multi-jurisdictional tax reporting (requiring a custom integration to be built with HERP, a software required for the submission of tax information to the Israeli authorities), and seamless integration with its existing document management platform, iManage.
Following a comprehensive technology selection process led by independent legal technology consultants Baskerville Drummond, Asserson selected Tessaract as its new practice management platform.
As our firm continued to grow, we recognised that our existing systems were limiting our ability to scale effectively. We needed better visibility into performance, stronger time capture and access to meaningful management information. Tessaract has given us a platform that supports both our operational requirements and our growth ambitions, while providing the insight needed to make more informed business decisions. We have been truly impressed by the high level of service provided by the Tessaract team: they have taken on a complex project, understood our requirements and consistently delivered, all while being a pleasure to work with.
The solution: Implementing cloud-native practice management software for international growth
Tessaract worked closely with Asserson and Baskerville Drummond to deliver a cloud-native practice management platform tailored to the firm's unique operational requirements.
The solution provided a modern foundation for matter management, time recording, financial management and reporting, while delivering the flexibility required to support international operations.
Key elements of the implementation included:
- Native multi-currency accounting capabilities to support financial operations across multiple jurisdictions.
- Advanced reporting and management information to provide greater visibility into business performance.
- Configuration to support complex tax reporting requirements across the firm's key operating jurisdictions.
- Integration with iManage, creating a seamless experience between document management and matter management workflows.
- A scalable cloud-native platform capable of supporting the firm's future growth ambitions.
Perhaps most importantly, Tessaract's data-first approach gave the firm access to the information it needed to better understand performance, improve decision-making and manage growth more effectively.
Legal tech insights from the Tessaract team
Mid-size law firms flock to the cloud: Why cloud native software is now your best bet
The legal sector is entering a new phase of digital transformation. What was once considered a gradual shift toward cloud technology has now become a clear industry movement.
What is legal practice management software and what should it actually do?
Choosing legal practice management software is one of the most important technology decisions a law firm can make. Yet many firms still evaluate systems based on feature lists alone.
Is technology becoming a deciding factor for potential employees?
Recruiting and retaining talent remains a persistent challenge for mid-size law firms. They are competing with larger firms that can often offer higher salaries, structured career progression, and more established remote working options.
What processes are mid-market law firms automating and where should you start?
One of the greatest benefits of modernising your practice management software is the ability to automate more processes across your firm. Automation helps streamline operations, eliminate workarounds, and reduce manual tasks that otherwise occupy fee earners and support staff’s precious and often, expensive time.
Building the perfect tech ecosystem: Why a best-of-breed stack often beats the all-in-one myth
It’s easy to understand the appeal of the one ring to rule them all software: one partner, one login, one support contact, one magic piece of kit that delivers everything you ever wanted…
The hidden cost of workarounds. How legacy legal practice management systems are quietly holding your law firm back
A workaround is a temporary fix to a process that's been used by permanent staff for years. It’s when three systems, two spreadsheets and a very patient person do the job of one piece of software.
Beyond features: How to choose legal practice management software that delivers real outcomes
When it’s time to choose a new Practice Management System (PMS), it’s tempting to start with a checklist of features. Every demo looks impressive, every vendor promises the world — and before long, you’re comparing dashboards instead of results.
Is your legal Practice Management Software holding your SME law firm back? 16 questions to make sure your PMS is pulling its weight
Before diving headlong into new legal practice management software, it’s probably a good idea to first gauge if your PMS is in line with modern standards and expectations to highlight any glaring challenges worth worrying about.
Essential types of analytics and reports for your law firm's success
According to “Big Data: The Management Revolution” by Andrew AcAfee and Erik Brynjolfsson, the success of a business depends largely on how it is able to collect, process and interpret data from a multitude of sources. Due to this, organisations are now using technological tools to explore how their data can be used for good. One such essential technological tool in the legal industry is analytics and reports.
Demystifying data migration, it’s not as scary as you might think
In our discussions with SME firm leaders, nervousness around the daunting challenge of data migration–or so it is perceived to be–is often the reason given for not considering a move away from a legacy legal Practice Management System (PMS) to a cloud-native solution.