Broadband changes the legal profession

Video case study: Woolley & Co creates the world's first virtual law firms

Ten years ago, very few people knew what the Internet was and fewer still saw the benefits to business - particularly smaller businesses. One of those that did was Andrew Woolley, a partner at a large law firm based in the Midlands, who signed up to BT's Internet service in 1996.

After a spell at Warwick Business School, Woolley decided to set up his own company, Woolley & Co, but wanted it to move away from the traditional law firm mould. Most importantly, he wanted it to use technology to provide the best possible service to clients, while keeping the costs down. In order to do this, Woolley decided to create the first virtual law firm. Rather than having an office, partners would work from home, and would make the Internet central to the business' development. This would reduce costs, including office space and administrative staff, and also increase efficiencies.

The video case study above looks at how Woolley & Co. uses BT Business Total Broadband to give its team everything they need to get online, be secure, work on the move at BT Openzone hotspots across the UK and Ireland and collaborate across the company, and share files and documents.