Work on free trust account software continues.

Progress is being made on developing software to automatically handle trust accounting duties for small- and mid-size law firms, according to the chair of the Bar's Special Committee on Trust Accounting Solutions.

Board of Governors Parliamentarian Andy Sasso told the board at its September 30 meeting that the committee is working with FIS Global, a Fortune 500 company, to develop the programming.

The Jacksonville-based firm specializes in banking and payment technologies.

Sasso said he has received positive feedback about the committee's goals since its formation was announced at the board's July meeting. He quoted from two letters from two former Bar counsels, who now defend lawyers being investigated for violating Bar rules, who said technical compliance with trust accounting rules is a major problem for small firms and solo practitioners.

"Through the years, I have seen many different trust accounting [problems]," Sasso said, quoting from one letter. "Some have involved expensive commercial software that has not been set up properly and has not been designed to generate all of the reports required by the Bar rules."

The committee, which includes board members Brian Burgoon and Renee Thompson and Young Lawyers Division President-elect Zack Zuroweste, has had two phone conferences with FIS officials.

"We don't have a formal proposal yet from FIS, though we expect one very shortly," Sasso said.

The initial cost is about $25,000, he said, and would allow lawyers to make deposits directly into a bank either by wire or physically depositing funds and then make withdrawals either by wire or having FIS or the law firm write a check, he said. The...