The experts opinion
"By making it easier to archive files and to manage subscriptions, the Legal Suite improves the quality of internal reporting”, says Véronique COUCHOUX, Director of Operations, LEGAL SUITE.
"By making it easier to archive files and to manage subscriptions, the Legal Suite improves the quality of internal reporting”, says Véronique COUCHOUX, Director of Operations, LEGAL SUITE.
The Group CERP ROUEN, the largest pharmacist cooperative in Europe uses the Legal Suite.
This strategic tool allows them to manage
their internal legal advising and to offer a legal information service to its members
(by paid subscription).
Wholesaler and distributor of pharmaceutical goods, CERP Rouen’s main job is to deliver goods to pharmacies (95% of their clients), they also do business with hospitals, clinics and veterinarians. With medication having to follow strict regulations from public health organizations and administrative authorities, legal matters have become very important.
The decision to implement new software coincided with the decision to launch a legal information system (by paid subscription) to pharmacists. Before 2002, in-house counsels didn’t have IT tools dedicated to their function. “We were mostly involved in litigations”, remembers Virginie Le Piolot-Dioubate, now responsible for a legal department which includes 5 Legal Suite users. “We mainly used spreadsheets and most of the follow-up of files was done manually”, she continued.
“The decision to choose Legal Suite was very easy; it was the only software on the market that was complete and still retained the possibility to evolve in the future should the need arise”, says Virginie Le Piolot-Dioubate. CERP Rouen chose 3 modules: Legal Advising, Litigation and Library. With Legal Advising they are able to answer to their internal advising needs as well as to their Ref’Lex subscribers. By equipping themselves with dedicated software, CERP Rouen took care of two issues: be more reactive and better prepared to answer requests for internal consults and offer, by paid subscription, external legal information system called Ref’Lex.
Today, 3 collaborators rely on each other to ensure this permanent service is maintained. “Without Legal Suite, we would not have been able to offer this type of service. It requires very tight organization in order to manage subscribers and their history”, mentions one of the administrators. “We adapted to using the software very quickly. The quality of our work has improved and we are a lot more reactive”, analyses Virginie Le Piolot-Dioubate. The Legal Department intervenes more and more in contract negotiation processes. This is proof that using technology within the legal function brings added-value to the profession.
For purposes of this website, all quotations have been translated into the English language