International Law Firm Selects Action Technologies for Intranet-Based Legal Applications; Action to Deliver Web-based Solutions to the Legal Market on Microsoft Platforms

Business Wire, April 10, 1997

CHICAGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 10, 1997--Action Technologies, the leader in LAN- and Web-based workflow and work management software, today announced that Perkins Coie, an international Seattle-based law firm, has selected ActionWorks Metro, Action's award-winning Web-based workflow software suite, to provide a variety of Intranet-based legal applications. Perkins Coie selected Metro because of its tight integration with the Microsoft(R) Office 97 and BackOffice(TM) platform.

Using Metro, Perkins Coie can now automate business processes across the enterprise, and tie all of its employees into standardized business processes accessible with an inexpensive Web browser. Perkins Coie's first Metro application is a Web-based time entry system for employee time recording (ETR), which will facilitate and speed the company's accounting and billing processes. Future applications under consideration include new matter review and approval, conference room/facilities scheduling, and MIS Help Desk. And, with its Action infrastructure, Perkins Coie can also tie outside constituents, such as clients, directly into their business processes via its Intranet. These applications can include SEC filing, client billing, and providing access to legal resources.

"Besides the new employee time recording application, our most immediate administrative requirements for Metro are in the area of help desk requests and human resource applications, such as time off requests -- and benefit changes, which require management review and approval," said Katherine DeBruyn, Information Systems Director at Perkins Coie. "We are very pleased with our relationship with Action, and our new ability to effectively and economically utilize the Intranet within our firm. We are also evaluating Metro for delivering legal services and information to clients, and for better linking our firms' lawyers."

"Action is positioned to deliver with Microsoft technology, the future of work management to the legal market," said Chuck Pendell, Vice President of Sales at Action. "Action solutions allow legal firms and departments to leverage their current investments in Microsoft products, streamline business processes, manage personal work, and implement Intranet applications quickly and easily delivering business benefits today, and building an infrastructure for the future."

"Over the past several years, law firms and corporate legal departments have successfully built their practices on Microsoft products, including Microsoft Mail, and Microsoft Windows NT and Microsoft SQL Server databases," said Gary Cooke, Legal Marketing Manager at Microsoft. "Action's products leverage the investment already made in Microsoft products, as Action's Metro product runs on the Microsoft NT Server platform, and Action's OnTrack product operates seamlessly within Microsoft Exchange."

Action Delivers Solutions to Meet the Needs of the Legal Market

Action Technologies offers two valuable solutions to the legal market: ActionWorks Metro, being used by Perkins Coie, and ActionWorks OnTrack for Exchange.

ActionWorks Metro is a Web-based workflow software suite that provides ready-to-run applications and tools for the rapid development and deployment of collaborative business applications for intranets and extranets. Metro is tightly integrated with the Microsoft BackOffice servers including SQL Server, Windows NT Server and Internet Information Server. Metro automates structured business processes across enterprise boundaries to provide benefits such as faster time to market, reduced cycle time and operating costs and improved employee, partner and customer service.

ActionWorks OnTrack for Exchange is a personal work management tool for getting work done, projects managed, and commitments met, all within the firm's groupware or electronic messaging system. Working within the Microsoft Exchange environment, OnTrack establishes accountability and helps clarify objectives, responsibilities, and deadlines so that everyone is committed to achieving a common goal -- on time. OnTrack is integrated seamlessly with Microsoft Exchange so that the user does not have learn a new interface or applicaoftware. Action offers a suite of software prs for knowledge workers across the extended entes. Additional information and product demonstrations are available on Actions Technologies' web site at hk of Action Technologies, Inc. Microsoft, Win their respective holders.

sfpr@concentric.net