SILQ Testimonials

Joanne Chapple of Level 15 Hitachi Building, Queensland (user since August 2006), says:

When I started at the bar, my wise and insightful junior master gave me three tips: The first was “A judge’s joke is always funny”; the second: “no matter how hard, resist the temptation to refer to the UNCITRAL model law in every advice” and the third was “get SILQ”. Today, nearly three years later, the fact I am still here is testimony to that wisdom. And it’s also a testimony to SILQ. SILQ is an easy to use, complete practice management tool. It helped me transition from employed solicitor to private bar with confidence that the business side of the equation was being managed properly; allowing me to concentrate on the law. It organises everything from my invoices, accounts rendered, expenses, BAS, contacts, briefs, and costs agreements. It also has a diary function and syncs with outlook. I thoroughly recommend it.

John Oswald-Jacobs of Melbourne Chambers, Victoria (user since April 2008), says:

After using SILQ for a few months, I sacked my clerk. SILQ gives me complete control of my financials, and assists me to capture significantly more chargeable time. It therefore pays for itself many times over every year. In addition, any “specific use” software package is only ever as good as the support that is provided with it – on which score SILQ cannot be faulted.

Derek Kordick of Equity Chambers, Cairns, Queensland (user since May 2008), says:

I first heard of SILQ when it was recommended to me whilst I attended the Bar Practice Course in 2007. When I started practice at the private Bar about a year later, I trialled a few accounting packages, including SILQ. SILQ quickly proved itself as recommended – a simple yet feature packed application, specifically for barristers. The Chambers I practice in does not have secretarial support, so I needed an application that was simple to use, yet reliable and relevant to my work. I was most concerned about keeping good financial records for tax purposes. SILQ handles this with ease and can generate account summaries – including BAS – in seconds (provided you keep up to date with your accounts payable/receivable). It integrates with Outlook and I run SILQ as a ‘portal’ to access, create and save all details and correspondence with respect to any brief I hold. The program backs up easily to secure your data (and I recommend the backup files be stored, securely, off site). The technical support is excellent and the application updates without fuss (and works with Windows Vista and Office 2007). Having used SILQ for nearly a year, I would now be lost without it. I thoroughly recommend this application to any Barrister.

Philippe Doyle Gray of 8th Floor Wentworth Chambers, (user since May 2005), says:

SILQ is indispensable in my private practise as a barrister

Producing accurate documents is essential to looking professional. Little details like the spelling of solicitors’ names and titles, plaint numbers, email addresses and reference numbers speak volumes when they are wrong. The automatic way in which SILQ inserts all this information into every conceivable document that I use in practise keeps judges, solicitors and clients happy with a minimum of effort from me. SILQ’s seamless integration with my email and word-processing software ensure that my advice quickly goes to the right person without any mistakes.

A critical part of my practice is to ensure that the legal work that I do is paid for. SILQ streamlines my accounting so that I can swiftly and accurately give estimates, bill clients, monitor outstanding accounts, chase clients for payment, and provide detailed information about invoices and receipts, all at the push of a button. Compliance with the costs and fees obligations under the Legal Profession Act 2004 becomes a doddle.

SILQ is so easy to use that I can retain complete control over my income without the need to pay for a bookkeeper. SILQ is incredibly fast – I moved to SILQ after I was spending a day a month grappling with MYOB; now it takes me half an hour a month to do everything that I used to do in a day with MYOB. Even though my accountant uses MYOB, SILQ data exports into MYOB easily, allowing me to satisfy the demands of my accountant with software that he knows and likes, obviating the need for me to master another price of software.

SILQ’s flexibility is unique – I can easily tailor templates to suit my exact requirements, from content to format, allowing me to produce consistent documents customised to the way that I practise.

SILQ saves me time and money, and gives me unparalleled control over my practice and accounts. I would not dream of practising without it.

François F.F Salama of 4th Floor St. James Hall, (user since July 2006), says:

SILQ – the art of time management. I commenced using SILQ when I first came to the Bar. I quickly realised that it was a one stop shop for all my needs as a practising Barrister. The simple layout and procedure for document generation was as simple as a click on the document title in the relevant window. The simple screens with clear and concise buttons meant that you knew exactly where to look and click when selecting a feature. I quickly realised that transition from solicitor to Barrister (although a big step) in terms of administrative tasks, would be minimised with the use of SILQ. Features such as generating Fee Disclosures, reporting letters, chronologies, lists of authorities, invoicing and receipting as well as quarterly BAS and tax reporting was as simple as clicking and tagging. Put simply, the administrative and mundane tasks that one would ordinarily retain a personal assistant for are comprised in SILQ. SILQ is extremely easy to use with reliable support staff at hand especially with urgent enquiries. The staff at SILQ are always prompt and concise and I have no hesitation in recommending SILQ to any member of the NSW Bar.

Andre Zahra of Ninth Floor Selborne Chambers, (user since March 2004), says:

I started using SILQ as soon as I commenced practice at the Bar. The first thing I noticed was that, as well as having all of the functions of accounting packages used by many law firms, it could also generate retainer letters, reminder letters, chronologies, lists of authorities and more. Using SILQ has dramatically reduced the time that would otherwise be spent on administrative work - issuing accounts and preparing business activity statements literally takes minutes; receipting payments, issuing reminders or checking outstanding accounts or WIP takes seconds. The package is easy to use and reliable and the staff at SILQ prompt and helpful. I have no hesitation in recommending SILQ to members of the Bar.

Kate Williams of 11th Floor Selborne Chambers, (user since June 2003), says:

"I simply cannot recommend SILQ highly enough.

[SILQ's] features save me so much time that I have no need for a secretary and, more importantly, allow me to keep the business side of my practice on track almost without effort."

Sandy Dawson of Banco Chambers, (user since June 2003), says:

"When I found out about SILQ it sounded almost too good to be true, but I really can't fault it. I have used it for several months now and have found it to be so much easier to use than I could have imagined. It is logical and incredibly well thought through. It minimises the time taken by the administrative side of practice and best of all, it gives me peace of mind knowing that that side of things is under control.

Literally in seconds, with a few clicks of the mouse, I can for example:
- generate a bill
- generate a report for my BAS
- prepare a letter
- check outstanding accounts
- send out a fee agreement and costs disclosure.

Given the time and worry SILQ has saved me, it really has paid for itself over and over again. I cannot recommend SILQ highly enough."

Christos Mantziaris of 8th Floor Selborne Chambers, (user since March 2004), says:

"SILQ is easy to use and it has saved me a lot of time and money. On average, I spend about five to ten minutes a day entering matter details, recording time against matters, recording expenses and drawings from the business, and generating and sending out invoices, bill chaser letters, fee agreements and other standard documents. This 5-10 minutes a day takes care of about 90% of my practice management. There is no end-of-the month drama. I have no need to employ a book-keeper and my secretarial needs have been reduced radically. I would spend more time instructing a book-keeper and a secretary to perform work that SILQ enables me to do myself effortlessly. SILQ gives me control over my business; and it makes excellent financial sense."

Mary Boneham of 11th Floor Selborne Chambers, says:

"SILQ not only streamlines barristers billing and accounting procedures but also saves secretaries valuable time in preparation of correspondence. Once the details of a matter are entered it is only a matter of clicking on the desired template to produce a fax, letter, tax invoice or many other forms - all perfectly formatted and only requiring the body of the text to be typed in. The SILQ program, with its many features will ensure the smooth operation of a busy practice.