Access Legal, part of business management software provider The Access Group, has appointed Insight’s EMEA president Emma de Sousa as its new managing director. De Sousa will head up the legal tech provider’s next stage of growth, starting with the product roadmap for the next phase of Access Workspace for Legal, which launched in 2022.
De Sousa’s appointment follows the retirement of former managing director Doug Sawers, who has spent more than 40 years in business and almost three years at Access Legal. He has led the division since 2020 and through the acquisitions of Eclipse and DPS Software and then subsequently Select Legal, Oosha and Legal Bricks, and the launch of Access Workspace for Legal.
Speaking about her new position as managing director, de Sousa said: “This year is going to be a challenge for law firms of all sizes against the backdrop of a struggling economy and a cost-of-living crisis that will put a squeeze on their clients’ pockets. Yet the focus for firms remains largely unchanged – profitability, recruitment and talent retention, compliance and security are still their priorities – all of which underpin the purpose of our solutions for firms.
“My early observations indicate we have a winning formula; a team with deep knowledge and experience in technology and the legal sector, unrivalled breadth of products and services and a remarkable passion to support our customers reach their goals. I look forward to leading this impressive team to bring yet more success for law firms in the UK and beyond.”
Access Legal has over 3,800 law firm clients across its case and practice management software, legal compliance, legal learning, conveyancing and property services, legal specific cloud hosting solutions and HR and finance tools. Most of these solutions now sit on its Access Workspace for Legal platform, where firms can add and implement products to meet their practice and business goals.
Access Legal is part of The Access Group, one of the leading providers of business management software to mid-sized organisations in the UK, Ireland and Asia Pacific. Its client portfolio includes The MAPD Group, Minster Law, Winn Solicitors, Wolferstans and Neves Solicitors LLP.
For more information about Access Legal, visit https://www.theaccessgroup.com/en-gb/legal/.