Latest news with #MarkDorman
Business Wire
12-08-2025
- Business
- Business Wire
Elite Advances Cloud and AI Adoption in Top Law Firms
NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Elite, the leading enterprise SaaS platform purpose-built for the legal industry, has unveiled the latest innovations to 3E, its pioneering cloud-based financial management product. 'We are excited to write the next chapter of legal technology—where real-time data becomes the engine of firm-wide transformation, driving improved business operations.' Elite also announced that demand for cloud migration rose sharply—with a 75% increase in SaaS subscription usage in 2025—signaling a decisive shift in how legal firms are choosing to run their operations. Momentum for Elite's invoice management solution, Elite Payments by Tranch, is also accelerating, with a threefold increase in monthly transactions since January. Five new firms recently adopted Elite Payments, including Clark Hill, Gentry Locke, and Greenspoon Marder. 'The legal industry is considered by many as the last frontier for digital transformation, but in 2025 we've seen the demand for new ways of working increase significantly. As a result, legal industry leaders are realizing faster billing cycles, reduced write-offs, and reclaimed lawyer time for their firms. Looking ahead, we know that Elite's investments in cloud and AI will drive even more meaningful outcomes for our industry,' said Mark Dorman, Chief Executive Officer, Elite. Nine out of 10 law firms are choosing cloud-based solutions when replacing their financial management systems, according to a recent ILTA survey, a significant jump compared to just a few years ago. 1 At this year's ILTACON, Elite presented three breakthrough innovations to continue driving forward this momentum: Elite Payments is now natively embedded in 3E: Invoice delivery, secure client invoice portals, and faster client payments are all directly in 3E. Clients receive greater transparency and the flexibility to split payments into smaller, manageable installments. At the same time, firms get paid faster and with the full sum up front. Users already report time-to-payment is reduced by up to 40%. Nearly three-quarters of the firms using Elite Payments are within the Am Law 200. Near real-time, Centralized Data Access: Later this year, customers will gain new ways to access data through a real-time, data lake in customers' Microsoft Fabric instance that is fully managed by Elite. This will unlock easy-to-use data anytime through Elite's robust embedded dashboard and analytics capabilities, while also supporting direct access from external BI tools. This innovation delivers a single source of truth across time, billing, collections, and profitability, allowing firms to always be in sync and make more informed decisions, much faster and without complexity. 'The ability for customers to access data in near real-time is only possible due to Elite's industry-leading investments in AI and cloud,' said Elisabet Hardy, Chief Product Officer, Elite. 'We are excited to write the next chapter of legal technology—where real-time data becomes the engine of firm-wide transformation, driving improved business operations.' Proforma AI Agent: Early next year, Elite plans to introduce an AI assistant that will enable users to review proformas and check matter status instantly. Users will be able to route proformas, flag delays, or escalate invoices directly from the chat. The agent will facilitate real-time interaction and information based on natural language prompts and questions, while adhering to each firm's unique billing rules and workflows. By reducing the manual back-and-forth that slows down billing cycles, the Proforma AI Agent will help firms accelerate cash flow, improve compliance, and free up time for higher-value client work. Taken together, these advancements are the latest bold steps forward from Elite to enable firms to unlock operational efficiency and empower smarter decision-making. "We see substantial value in leveraging 3E in the cloud, with its continuous enhancements, and updates that don't require full system upgrades. These tools not only streamline our operations but also empower us to deliver even more efficient and tailored client services," said Jen Fante, COO/CFO of Greenspoon Marder. About Elite Since its founding in 1947, Elite has transformed law firms with innovative technologies that are at the center of their success. Today, Elite is a leading, independent technology company that continues to develop cutting-edge digital financial solutions that drive success for the world's most successful law firms. Visit to learn more. 1 ILTA'S 2024 TECHNOLOGY SURVEY,
Belfast Telegraph
12-08-2025
- Business
- Belfast Telegraph
Mount Charles: a second generation family business putting its team's future first
It remains a leading facilities management company, founded in Belfast by Trevor Annon back in 1988. And it's now evolving into the next generation – with Trevor's sons Gavin and Chris leading Mount Charles into further growth and expansion, while ensuring its people are front and centre, and remain at the core of the business's success. That's been fuelled by the appointment of Mark Dorman in a new role as learning and development manager – building an ambitious leadership and mentoring academy to help team members excel and grow in their roles across the company. 'Business has been really good,' Gavin Annon says. 'We've been on a bit of a growth spurt again.' Mount Charles Group has evolved into a combined services solution which includes catering, cleaning, vending and multi scale events. They operate 350+ contracts in 1,000+ sites across the island of Ireland. Mount Charles now boasts 3,500 team members, and remains one of Northern Ireland's top 10 employers. But according to Gavin, it's aiming to increase team member numbers to more than 5,000 by 2030. 'For us, it's about making our people feel important,' Gavin says. 'It's about making them understand why they want to be here, whatever they want to do: part-time, full-time, or building a career. 'We can build on that and light a fire under that excitement – it's about getting up in the morning and making a difference and having a real impact.' Over the last four decades, it's expanded to include a bespoke events business, Craft Event Co, a casual recruitment agency, Werkit, corporate hospitality business (and joint venture with Yellow Door), Pan & Pour, and in 2023, acquired the Concept Group, a Belfast-based 'one-stop-shop' for facilities management companies. Gavin says Mount Charles eyes three core areas within the business, and the reasons for its success – great people, great service, and great future. 'If we attract and train exceptional talent, in turn, they should deliver a great service, and have a great future together,' he says. Mount Charles is taking its team and its development seriously. Mark Dorman joined the team last year, and has been instrumental in implementing a new learning platform across the business, which has been key for training new starts and maintaining the high standards expected of Mount Charles. And he's developed a Chartered Management Institute (CMI) recognised three-tier management training academy – key to the organisation's team development. 'We have introduced our mentoring and leadership academies, managers and aspiring managers begin with training at the mentoring level, and then they can progress to bronze and silver leadership levels,' Mark says. 'We were able to identify core skills which Mount Charles would need for its future leaders. 'It's been an amazing journey – showcasing the talent which is coming through the business.' The leadership academies are based on hands-on, reflective, on-the-job learning. 'It about showing people in this sector that there is a very clear career progression,' Gavin says. 'You may have someone working in cleaning who wants to become an operational manager, for example. We have a pathway to that trajectory.' Ensuring it remains a family business – with a wider family culture and atmosphere extending to its team – is key for Gavin and the wider Mount Charles business. 'It's the only reason we exist,' Gavin says. 'We have to maintain that as we get bigger and stay true to our values which are – do the right thing, take pride in what you do, have fun and grow together. These define us and tell the world we are one of a kind. 'We are not on a crusade for mass market domination. We are the only business out there which is competing with the very large ones. It's important that we remain strong and ensure everyone is on the same path and journey.' Mount Charles is focused on its contribution to wider society – ensuring it places environmental, social, and governance (ESG) front and centre of its strategy. It's also delivering key insights from some 45 of its executive committee, through to line managers. 'We have a duty around ESG, because of our size and scale,' Gavin says. 'It's not just a nice thing to do any more, it's now key, and it filters down to the suppliers which we work with. 'ESG is around 40% of our current strategy. When you can see the direct impact you are having it helps the company and the team – there's fulfilment in doing the right thing.' Mark says: 'We have signed up the Belfast Business Promise, and hope to move to member status.' That includes adopting eight pledges, helping the firm, and others, network, and play a bigger role within their community. 'It's about making strategic community partners,' Mark says. That includes working with local community groups, including USEL (Ulster Supported Employment). It's also heavily involved with industry organisations such as the IoD, NI Chamber, Belfast Chamber, CBI, and Ibec. And looking ahead towards further expansion and growth, Gavin says that will come through organic expansion, while Mount Charles is also actively looking at making a sizeable acquisition, to give it considerably more market share. 'It's not a race to a larger number,' Gavin says. 'We are a heavily people-orientated business, and can't function without them. 'What we are working on – and what Mark is focused on – is keeping our people for as long as possible, and investing our time in them. 'We are well on our way with our five-year strategy – developing our leadership academy and ensuring our team has a great future. We are also developing and adapting more integrated systems to make us more efficient. 'We will continue to keep pushing forward with our strategy over the next 12 months – keeping positive, and keeping on path. 'All-island growth is a priority. We aren't looking at new markets, but plan on becoming bigger, better, and stronger.'
