Case study
From a one-off data rescue to the diary a busy law firm runs on
- Client
- Lawtons Solicitors
- Contact
- Samantha Harmer, Solicitor
- Sector
- Legal Services
- Year
- 2022 – present
Services delivered
The challenge
Lawtons Solicitors were moving away from an accounts system that no longer served them — but they hit a wall. The old software had no way of exporting their data, and the new provider couldn't import it. Years of critical client account history risked being stranded in a system the firm wanted to leave.
The firm's diary had a similar story. Microsoft Exchange shared calendars simply couldn't keep up with the nature of the business: hundreds of appointments, hearing dates and annual leave entries, with each user entering things in their own format. The day and month views had become messy, and the information the firm depended on was getting harder and harder to find.
What we did
Reverse-engineering the old accounts system
With no export facility, no documentation and no vendor support — just the application's screens and its SQL database — used SQL Profiler to trace how the software actually worked, mapping out the table structure and the business logic underneath it. That unlocked the firm's data.
A fast lookup site for historical accounts
Rather than dumping the data into spreadsheets, built Lawtons a quick, easy lookup website: staff search on exactly the fields they need, pull up customer balances and payment information, and open the attached correspondence and documents, such as invoices. The firm still runs it today for access to their old accounts.
A diary designed around how the firm actually works
On the strength of the data rescue, Lawtons asked for something bigger: a replacement for the shared calendars. Sat with the firm, listened to how appointments, hearings and leave are really booked and managed, and designed a diary that met those exact needs — structured entries in place of free-for-all calendar formats.
Secure sign-in with Microsoft Entra
The diary uses the firm's existing network login, Microsoft Entra, so everyone signs in with the same account they already use for their email and machines — no new passwords to manage, and security handled to the same standard as the rest of the firm's systems.
Tailored search and smart notifications
The diary went beyond the brief, with tailored search and tailored email notifications — if an entry is edited by someone else, or an entry is assigned to you, you know about it. Nothing gets lost in a shared calendar again.
The result
The diary went live in 2023 and has run quietly and reliably for three years — as Samantha puts it, without any issues. This year Lawtons renewed their diary hosting for another three years, and the lookup site from the original data rescue is still in daily service.
The next chapter is already on the drawing board: an updated UI and native Android and Apple versions of the diary, bringing offline access, biometric security and even greater speed.
Results at a glance
- Accounts data rescued from a system with no export facility — reverse-engineered via SQL Profiler
- Historical accounts still accessible through a fast, purpose-built lookup site
- Bespoke diary managing hundreds of appointments, hearing dates and annual leave
- Single sign-on via Microsoft Entra — the same credentials staff already use every day
- Three years of stable, issue-free running — hosting renewed for a further three
“Dave was recommended to us by someone else in the tech world and we have been really impressed with how efficiently he works and how responsive he is whenever we have a query. We are a busy law firm and required a diary system that was able to keep up with our needs in managing hundreds of appointments, hearing dates, annual leave etc. Dave was able to design and build exactly what we needed and we haven't had any issues over the last three years of working with him!”