What is BarCAT?

Introduction

BarCAT is a system for ensuring a Barristers' Chambers can easily manage its requirement to ensure that lay clients are informed of their right to complain. The system will ask the instructing solicitor via Email how the client is to be informed of that right and responses can be reported on to demonstrate Chambers' compliance.

How it works

BarCAT is designed to be quick and easy to use so as to minimise the burden on Chambers staff.  After logging into the system the home page provides an overview of the current status of requests to solicitors as well as the option to send a new request.

(Note the names mentioned above are ficitious and are not real matters)

How to "quick notify" a solicitor

Instructing solicitors can be asked how they client is to be notified either using a quick notify option or through a bulk notify option. 

To use the quick notify option, simply enter the required details and click the Notify button (see below):

Type the barristers initials , the Chambers case reference , the name of the case , any hourly rate that is to be applied , the instructing solicitors E-mail address and then click Notify to continue.

If the solicitors Email address isn't already in BarCAT you will be asked to provide a few basic details before moving on to the confirmation stage.

You will then be asked to confirm the details and if correct you click the Notify button.

Within a few minutes the solicitor will receive an E-mail which outlines Chambers policy either in the body and/or in attachments depending on how you have set up your E-mail template.

Included in the Email are buttons (see below) that the solicitor clicks to indicate how the client is to be informed.

If the solicitor indicates, by pressing No, that Chambers is to inform the lay client they will be asked for the Client's contact details which will be recorded in BarCAT.

Reminders

BarCAT includes the capability to send a reminder to the solicitor if they have not responded within a chosen period of time.  This reminder can be the original E-mail or a dedicated reminder message and you choose the reminder time from your BarCAT settings.

Bulk Notifications

Although the quick notify process is simple to use, it may be more convenient to send all your notifications in one go in which case BarCAT has a bulk notify capability for Chambers using the LEX Chambers Management System.  You simply copy and paste the results of a specific LEX report into the BarCAT importer and it will then process all the notifications required in addition to checking for duplicates and existing cases.

More information

If you want to find out more about the BarCAT system and try it for yourself, please contact us.