The Partners of Williams Graham Carman Doug McKinstry, Eddy Lago, Roy Payne, Michael Huelin

Williams Graham Carman (WGC) was established in Cairns in 1972 and since then the firm has grown from 5 to 47 staff at the present time. This steady growth has been built on client and employee advocacy rather than slick marketing. Almost all our clients are derived from referrals from happy and loyal clients.

The firm attracts and retains outstanding legal professionals in each key jurisdiction. People who see themselves at home in Cairns are targeted to ensure low turnover. Given the stability at WGC, we are able to nurture our people and provide an environment whereby each develops mastery in their chosen field. This leads to a dedicated workforce that is sensitive to clients’ needs, careful with their money and focused on value.

In 2004 the firm relocated to purpose built state of the art premises located at 1A Water St, Cairns. Combined with investment in the updating of technology platforms and systems, WGC is likely the most technologically advanced legal firm in the region.

The system that ties all areas of the firm together is Locus Affinity, which went online in May 2004. Whereas our previous system was mainly used by the firms’ legal professionals and accounting staff, Locus Affinity is used by all staff in the office: legal professionals, secretarial support, accounting, administration support, marketing and management.

The total integration of all areas of the firm immediately provides a more consistent approach to procedures and service levels whilst providing a platform that enables the automation of tasks and document production and tracking. Combined with our digital dictation system, the ability to move work around the office to persons with the best capability mixed with capacity is greatly enhanced by the Locus Affinity system.

From a management perspective the amount of information available would be overwhelming were it not for the ability of the system to produce clear and concise reports at varying levels of detail from overviews to the smallest detail.

The “all in” approach of Locus Affinity as compared to other modular systems (where individual modules of the program are purchased as required) means that firms such as WGC are able to have an integrated practice management system that already has the capacity to grow with the firm, and in a way, pushes the firm to grow through greater productivity throughout all levels of the firm.

Since Locus Affinity came on line, time recording and billing is, on average, 10% up on previous levels with little change in the market.

Really though, we have so far only scratched the surface of the capabilities of Locus Affinity.

Contact Paul Furse, Chief Executive Officer at WGC Operations Pty Ltd, on (07) 4046 1199 for more information.

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