West Group (Eagan, MN) has expanded in the law practice management and productivity solutions market with the acquisition of ProLaw, Inc. (Albuquerque, NM), a company that provides the "leading front-office and back-office management systems to the legal market," West said. No terms were given.

Established in 1987, ProLaw software connects front-office and back-office systems and offers case relationship, document management, billing and accounting functions and e-mail access. The product is targeted to almost all law firm sizes. West said the acquired company will become the center for all of West's law practice management solutions development and marketing initiatives.

West executive Mike Wilens said that West's attempt at office management integration, WestWorks, will be integrated into acquired operations and will be a "key element" in the next generation of ProLaw products. "Together, we'll launch the next generation of practice-specific law firm management tools built on world- class technology, authority and content," Wilens added. The new WestWorks libraries will include client intake forms, content and other practice-specific material.

ProLaw said the WestWorks practice libraries are a "strong editorial complement and natural extension" of Legalex Rules, the rules--based feature that provides rules governing all jurisdictions, including federal, state, appellate and bankruptcy, giving Prolaw users a calendar of every deadline in every case.