0333 772 1631
BPMS Southampton
info@bp-ms.co.uk

Legal Document Scanning

Accredited legal document scanning services tailored to you

Law firms have always produced a significant amount of paperwork – it’s something that simply comes with the profession. With this in mind there’s never been a better time to partner with BPMS for your legal document scanning and document management requirements.

Law firms, like any organisation will be looking for a number of essential criteria to be met before considering parting company with their documentation.

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Accurately and securely storing legal paperwork is critical to the business of Law Firms, particularly in today’s increasingly competitive environment in which enormous amounts of paper are created and require storage on a daily basis.

Lawyers have become very aware of both the cost of space and employee time when working with paper filing and are increasingly looking at working with electronic files as a means of reducing both.

This requirement to rethink the means by which files are stored and retrieved has increased in recent months with many fee earners and support staff now working away from the office

Our Legal Scanning Service

BPMS have been working with legal firms over many years and are very familiar with all kinds of matter including:

  • Contracts
  • Corporate Litigation
  • Compensation Claims
  • Personal Injury
  • List Item Deeds
  • Property
  • Wills
  • Employee Agreements
  • Conveyancing
  • Death Certificates
Our state-of-the-art scanning bureau allows us to scan any type of document from A4/A3/A0 to specialist book scanning. We have capacity for in excess of ten million images per month and always look to exceed our customers expectations of quality and turnaround.

Scan To Any Format

We are able convert your legal documents to any format you choose including PDF, JPG, and TIFF.

Instant Access To Your Filing

If you maintain your own Case Management software, we can both scan your filing and also provide you with your range of index/search characteristics such as: Matter Number, Client Name and Date to enable you to instantly search and find exactly the file you are looking for.

In addition, we can fully OCR (Optical Character Recognition) your filing to allow you to search the text for specific words and phrases.

A full Service Tailored To Your Precise Needs

At BPMS we work with you to fully manage your scanning requirements and arrange the following:

  • File Collection
    We collect your legal documents from your premises in secure containers using our dedicated vehicles.
  • File Scanning
    We carefully scan your documents and export these files to your chosen format – PDF, TIFF, JPG, etc
  • File Indexing
    We index your documents in line with your specific requirements to suit your ongoing storage, retrieval and workflow protocols.
  • Delivery
    We can return your electronic filing in whichever means suit your requirements. Alternatively, BPMS provide a wide range of document management solutions from easy-to-use search and find find options to fully automated document management platforms.
  • Secure File Destruction
    If you choose to destroy your original paper filing once it has been scanned, we can provide this service to current British standards.

Questions & Answers

The most common questions we are asked are:

We have numerous offices in the UK – can you accommodate this?
Yes we can, we have a fleet of vehicles giving full coverage of the UK. We run collections to meet each customers varying needs.
How do I know my documents are safe?
Our vehicles are GPS tracked, all staff are security checked to BS7858 standards, mobile phones are banned on our premises and security is very strict. We already work with some of the most sensitive data imaginable – medical records, fire arms certificates, employment records, celebrity records and staff salary details of high profile financial organisations.
Our documents are odd sizes, have handwriting and are often bound – can you work with these?
Our preparation department are tasked specifically with dealing with this sort of issue. Removing staples, sticky notes, paper clips, bindings and getting documents in a workable order is all in a days work.
We’ve currently got thousands of documents in storage. What can we do?
Many of our customers have records in storage and this means a growing monthly bill and slow retrieval times. Our archive scanning service is the answer. We can scan all your old document archives and make them available to you either on our own hosted platform or we can interface with you current database or document management software. Moving forwards its simply a matter of staying on top of your documents and making sure they are collected on a regular basis.
Can the original document be destroyed once its been scanned? What about BIP 0008 legal admissibility and record retention?
The simple answer is YES – as long as you follow the correct procedure. Below you will find information from the Law Society and also from BSI. BSI produce the BIP 0008-1:2008 – Evidential weight and legal admissibility of information stored electronically. Code of Practice for the implementation of BS 10008.
Can the original document be destroyed once its been scanned? What about BIP 0008 legal admissibility and record retention?
The simple answer is YES – as long as you follow the correct procedure. Below you will find information from the Law Society and also from BSI. BSI produce the BIP 0008-1:2008 – Evidential weight and legal admissibility of information stored electronically. Code of Practice for the implementation of BS 10008.
What type of documents can be scanned?

We can scan almost any document, but needless to say some are easier and quicker than others. Our scanning capabilities include the following documents:

  • Case files
  • Deeds
  • Wills
  • Plans
  • Contracts
  • Claims files
  • Certificates
  • Property & mortgage documents
  • Financial documents
  • Expenses,invoices, receipts
  • Memos, hand written notes
We already use case management software, can the scanned documents be inserted into this?
Yes. Once we’ve scanned your documents the data can be manipulated to make it compatible with almost any case management or document management system. Most systems import data in a similar way and we’ve worked with the most well known right through to the most bespoke systems.
What is BIP 0008-1:2008?
“It’s important that organizations realise the value of the information they store and to act under the ‘duty of care’ principle. This relates to data processing, data management and the electronic storage of documents. BIP 0008-1 gives practical guidance on information management, data security and legal procedures. The code of practice is based on BS 10008 – Evidential weight and legal admissibility of electronic information – and can therefore be used as a guide to implement the British Standard.” Taken from BSI – BIP 0008-1:2008
How does it work?
BIP 0008-1 first looks at information management planning and covers various topics within this chapter, including risk assessment, information security policies as well as documentation and records. It also explains best practice methods of data capture and handling, version control and different storage systems that can be used. BIP 0008-1 concludes with audit requirements, planning and procedures, as well as preventive and corrective actions and continual improvement.
The key principles
  • Following the key principles ensures as far as possible that scanned documents and images will be accepted as evidence by the courts.
  • Authenticity – Processes to be followed at system planning, implementation and the procedures by which the systems should be operated.
  • Storage and access procedures – Procedures including scanning, indexing, retrieval, system administration, archiving, off-site storage and training.
  • Demonstrability of adherence – A structured audit process resulting in a Certificate of Conformity that displays demonstrability of adherence.
  • Images produced are dated stamped and cannot be altered.
  • The certification process that we follow ensures a full audit trail of all files scanned and destroyed.
Law Society Guidance
The Law Society provide specific guidance on this in a paper entitled “Guidance – ownership, storage and destruction of documents”.

Some points from the this article you may find particularly relevant are below:

Can I store documents photographically or electronically, and destroy the originals?
Original documents, such as deeds, guarantees or certificates, which are not your own property, should not be destroyed without the express written permission of the owner. Where the work has been completed and the bill paid, other documents, including your file, may be stored, for example, on a CD ROM, computer system or microfilm and then destroyed after a reasonable time. In cases of doubt the owner’s written permission should always be sought. If it is not possible to obtain such permission you will have to form a view and evaluate the risk. When seeking owners’ permission to microfilm or store data electronically and destroy documents, you may wish to reserve the right to make a reasonable charge for preparing copies if they are later requested. See question 4(a) above for the requirements of Customs and Excise.
What is the evidential value of a photographically or electronically stored document where the original has been destroyed?
There is a dearth of judicial authority on this topic and, until the law and practice on the subject of microfilmed or electronically stored documents are clarified, it is only possible to provide general guidelines. The Society has been advised that:

(a) A microfilm of any document in a solicitor’s file will be admissible evidence to the same extent, no more and no less, as the document itself, provided that there is admissible evidence of the destruction of the document and identification of the copy.

(b) Written evidence of the destruction of the original and of identification of the copy will enable the microfilm to be adduced in subsequent civil proceedings (under the Civil Evidence Act 1968) and in criminal proceedings (under the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984).

What procedures would the Society recommend where an original document is stored electronically or photographically and then the original is destroyed?
(a) Written evidence of the destruction of the original and of identification of the copy must always be preserved in case oral evidence is no longer available when needed (see question 7(b) above).

(b) There should be a proper system for:
(i) identifying each file or document destroyed;
(ii) recording that the complete file or document, as the case may be, has been photographed;
(iii) recording identification by the camera operator of the negatives as copies of the documents photographed; and
(iv) preserving and indexing the negatives.

(c) If a microfilm, electronically or photographically stored data is required to be produced in evidence, a partner or senior member of staff should be able to certify that:
(i) the document has been destroyed;
(ii) the microfilm, electronically or photographically stored data is a true record of that document; and
(iii) the enlargement is an enlargement of the microfilm, electronically or photographically stored data.

(d) Microfilm copies of some documents (e.g. coloured plans) can be unsatisfactory, in which case the originals should be preserved.

Will I be covered by the Solicitors’ Indemnity Fund if I lose a client’s file or destroy it without the client’s consent?
If you incur liability either to a client or to a third party by the loss or destruction of documents, cover will normally be provided by the Solicitors’ Indemnity Fund.

Why BPMS?

Experience

By putting your trust in BPMS you have access to decades of experience in working with clients both large and small in delivering document management solutions. We deliver and support the latest platforms and operate a fully staffed document scanning bureau housing the very latest equipment to deliver you a professional one stop shop for all your document and information management needs.

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Security Guarantee

The security of your highly sensitive data, the cornerstone of everything you do, is central to everything we do at BPMS. All our personnel are subject to DBS checks and enter into a non-disclosure contract and our systems are continually subjected to the most strenuous testing.

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Accreditations

Whilst maintaining the highest standards of security and professionalism across our entire business, at BPMS we constantly subject our systems, solutions and processes to external scrutiny and as a result we hold all of the necessary accreditations to ensure your total peace of mind.

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What Our Clients Say

Neil and his team provided a professional and efficient service and completed the project within the agreed timeframes. Neil was extremely helpful and we have been delighted with the service from BPMS which has enabled us to move to a paperless HR office.
Rachel Byers

Human Resource Manager

Adams Morey Docuware Case Study
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FAQ’s

What types of legal documents can BPMS scan?

We work with law firms across all matter types including contracts, corporate litigation, compensation claims, personal injury, deeds, property, wills, employee agreements, conveyancing files and death certificates. Our scanning bureau can handle any document size from A4 through to A0 and specialist book scanning.

How does scanning integrate with my existing case management software?

If your firm uses case management software, we can scan your filing and provide it with your preferred index and search criteria – for example Matter Number, Client Name and Date – so you can find any document in seconds from inside the system you already use.

What is OCR and why is it important for legal scanning?

OCR (Optical Character Recognition) converts the text in scanned documents into searchable, machine-readable text. For law firms this is invaluable – it means fee earners can search the full content of every file for specific words, names or clauses, rather than relying on file names or index fields alone.

How does BPMS handle the confidentiality of legal documents?

Confidentiality is central to everything we do. All BPMS personnel are DBS-checked and bound by non-disclosure agreements, and our systems undergo continuous security testing. For particularly sensitive matters we can also provide an on-site scanning service so files never leave your premises.

What capacity does BPMS have to handle large legal scanning projects?

Our state-of-the-art scanning bureau has capacity for in excess of ten million images per month, so we can handle large-scale archive projects, ongoing day-forward scanning, or both – without compromising on quality or turnaround.

What output formats can scanned legal documents be delivered in?

We can convert legal documents to any digital format you require – most commonly PDF, JPG and TIFF. The format chosen will usually depend on how you intend to store and use the files within your case management or document management system.

Can BPMS scan bound legal documents and deeds without damaging them?

Yes. We use specialist book scanning equipment that allows us to digitise bound documents, deeds and bundles non-invasively, preserving the original paper records while creating high-quality digital copies.