Epoq Group is an insurtech service provider that provides document automation systems.Article: Epoq Introduces Business Risk Protection Service for Legal Claims Insurance JournalArticle: InsurTech launches LEI business risk protection product Sian Barton, Insurance AgeArticle: Why big brand legal services are bad news for solicitors Neil Rose, The Guardian, (Tuesday 2 November 2010) The company supplies document assembly technologies in the U.K and U.S.A which were developed to enable corporates and law firms to provide documents & contracts to customers onlineArticle: ‘How logging on can help you find the right lawyer’ Neil Rose, The Times, (Thursday 21 August 2008)Article: Where solicitors are going wrong in online wills Rachel Rothwell The Law Society Gazette (Monday 24 January 2011)Article: Consumer brands launch Tesco law prototype Solicitors Journal (1 November 2010)
History
The company has been involved in activities surrounding the Legal Services Act 2007 and the opening up of the UK legal services market to competition from non-lawyer organisations.Article: 'UK's first chain of 'high street lawyers' is set to revolutionise legal services' Jon Robins The Observer (Sunday 3 April 2011) In 2002 Epoq provided the technology platform for a legal service delivered to MORE TH>N's policyholders; this marked the first entry of a large consumer facing insurance brand into the UK legal services market.Article: More TH>N sees 25% Rise in Sales Insurance Times (5 September 2002) In 2006 Epoq's technology was used by the Halifax to provide a subscription based web service for consumers thereby becoming the first major bank to enter the legal services market.Article: Halifax first bank to enter legal market The Law Society Gazette, (2 November 2006)Article: Q&A: Legal services Jeremy Davies, The Guardian (Friday 22 December 2006)Article: 'Halifax seeks firms for nationwide panel' The Law Society Gazette (Thursday 24 September 2009) Other services have been developed for RBS Group, Saga and the AA.Article: 'Here come the brands: AA and Saga launch legal websites aimed at Middle England' Legal Futures (1 November 2010)Article: 'New pre-Tesco law tie up doesn't replace 'trusted adviser' Legal Futures (2 November 2010)
Epoq has also supplied document automation systems to the U.K legal profession.Strategy for Law Firms, Nick Jarrett-Kerr, p103 Published by the Law Society (2009)Article: Lawyers and IT solutions in the age of cloud computing Grania Langdon-Down, The Law Society Gazette, (Thursday 16 December 2010 ) In 2008 Epoq launched the UK's largest "virtual" law firm, MyLawyer.co.uk in partnership with firms from the UK's legal 500.Article: 'Virtual firm reveals nationwide ambition' The Law Society Gazette (June 2008)Article: 'Online legal scheme threatens high street' Luke Mcleod-Roberts The Lawyer (June 2008) This was followed in 2009 with the launch of two SaaS services for law firms; DirectLaw providing a client-facing portal for self-serve document draftingArticle: 'Good firms’ should offer online services, say consumers' Rachel Rothwell The Law Society Gazette (Tuesday 13 April 2010)Article: 'A Quiet Revolution –. Changing business models for legal services' IRN Research and Rapidocs LawDraft providing firms with in-house document automation.
In 2011, Epoq was shortlisted for the Financial Times Innovative Lawyers award Article: Epoq shortlisted for FT Innovative Lawyers Awards Legal Futures and in February 2015 it joined forces with Tikit, part of BT Group, to bring TIkit LawDraft to legal firms in the UK.
Epoq entered the US market in July 2016 with the launch of LawAssure, a legal services benefit.Article: Online legal advice service offered for brokerage industry Business Insurance Since then the company has launched services for Mutual of OmahaArticle: Mutual of Omaha introduces online will service Coverager and Foresters Financial.Article: Foresters Financial introduces LawAssure technology platform Coverager
In the UK, Epoq developed and launched a new online legal service, Legal for Life in 2016. Aimed at helping individuals deal easily with everyday legal matters, Legal for Life was designed to be distributed to consumers via life and protection insurers, as well as employee benefit providers.Article: Epoq launches added benefit legal service for protection clients Cover MagazineArticle: British Friendly extends wills and power of attorney service Cover Magazine
2017 saw Epoq enter the ASEAN region through a legal tech venture with ZICO Holdings, which offered SMEs in the area access to online legal documents.Article: ZICO Holdings rolls out new legal tech venture Legal Business Online Then in early 2018, Epoq expanded its international presence further with the opening of an office in South AfricaArticle: Epoq Legal sets its sights on SA IT Web
Rapidocs
Rapidocs produces documents by presenting users with an interactive question and answer session which aims to mimic a face to face interview between a lawyer and a client.Article: Epoq Enters the South African Market in Q1 of 2018 Legal IT Professionals This data capture system is linked to an automated document that determines the right language and clauses to make up a final draft through the use of pre-programmed logic. The content for the system is developed through a legal team and maintained to track developments in the law.
See also Document automation Legal Services Act 2007 Richard Susskind
References
External links Epoq Tech USA Website Epoq Group UK Website