Chronological time line
of key milestones in BigHand's history
DEC 1996
Founded as VoiceWrite Ltd. The business was initially 100% focused on reselling desktop speech recognition solutions, Dragon, IBM ViaVoice and Philips.
APR 1999
VoiceWrite Ltd solely responsible for more than 60% of Dragon’s UK channel software sales at the height of the desktop speech recognition market.
MAR 2000
Company name changed from VoiceWrite Ltd to BigHand Ltd.
DEC 2000
BigHand becomes the first company to develop a package integrating digital dictation and speech recognition, BigHand TotalSpeech (version 1).
JAN 2001
First digital dictation workflow project in the UK, implemented by BigHand.
JUN 2001
BigHand start a small transcription unit in Mumbai, India to act as a pilot scheme for an overseas transcription service.
SEP 2001
BigHand TotalSpeech (version 2) released. A client-server digital dictation workflow solution.
JAN 2002
Ashurst sign-up to roll-out to all staff in London, the UK's largest ever digital dictation project.
MAY 2002
BigHand breaks the 500-user scalability barrier as Ashurst project is completed (850 users).
SEP 2002
Nabarro Nathanson rolls out BigHand TotalSpeech firm wide in the UK's second largest ever digital dictation installation (686 users).
NOV 2002
BigHand TotalSpeech wins Best Legal Office Automation System at the LOTIE Awards 2002.
JAN 2003
BigHand TotalSpeech wins The Society for Computers & Law Award 2003 for “the most outstanding application of information technology to the law in the UK and Ireland."
MAY 2003
Global roll-out at Ashurst, the legal sector's first worldwide digital dictation project. First digital dictation workflow at a European firm as Claeys & Engels install TotalSpeech.
JUN 2003
BigHand shortlisted as Best Legal Office Technology Supplier 2003 for the LOTIE Awards 2003.
JUL 2003
Successful launch in Scotland as Morisons roll out BigHand technology.
AUG 2003
BigHand launch in Ireland as Mason Hayes & Curran roll out digital dictation.
SEP 2003
An independent survey of the Top-200 UK law firms finds that BigHand was "the digital dictation workflow market leader" with over 50% of all digital dictation systems used.
NOV 2003
BigHand voted 'Best Legal Office Technology Supplier 2003' at the Legal Office Technology Awards, from votes by over 12,000 lawyers and IT managers across the legal sector.
FEB 2004
Pinsents run RFI process and proclaim BigHand the "best-of-breed", and sign up for 800-user roll out.
MAR 2004
BigHand Thin Client released. BigHand become the first digital dictation developer to offer dictation over Citrix & Terminal Services systems.
AUG 2004
Nine Top-200 law firms implement BigHand Digital Dictation systems showing widespread popularity of the product.
OCT 2004
BigHand voted 23rd fastest growing technology company in London and the South-East, in Deloitte's prestigious league table.
NOV 2004
BigHand voted "Best Legal Office Technology System" from votes from over 14,000 IT Managers and lawyers at the LOTIE awards, in a category that also contained Winscribe and nflow.
DEC 2004
BigHand announced as one of the 500 fastest growing TMT companies in Europe, in the Deloitte EMEA Fast-500 awards.
DEC 2004
BigHand was celebrated as the “Fastest Growing Digital Dictation Customer of the Year 2004” by Philips Global Dictation Systems, confirming that BigHand has supported more digital dictation users globally than any other digital dictation vendor in 2004.
JAN 2005
Pinsent Masons rolls out the BigHand Digital Dictation system to all lawyers and secretaries. Masons had previously used the nFlow system which was replaced by BigHand technology across the board. Pinsent Masons becomes one of the largest digital dictation workflow sites in the UK legal sector with 1250 users.
JUN 2005
Top-100 firm DWF switch to BigHand system for firm wide digital dictation rollout after piloting a leading competitor. Among a number of differences the BigHand system was found to be more server efficient and offer more user friendly management reporting options.
SEP 2005
BigHand Highly Commended at National Business Awards for 'Best Use of Technology'.
SEP 2005
Sunday Times Tech Track 100 lists BigHand as the fastest growing legal software developer in Britain.
FEB 2006
BigHand technology implemented at Clayton Utz in Australia's largest digital dictation roll-out
JULY 2006
BigHand Management Buy-Out and investment from LDC, the private equity division of the Lloyds TSB Group opens new opportunities.
AUG 2006
BigHand, Inc. opens first U.S. office in Chicago
AUG 2006
Godfrey & Kahn first U.S. law firm to roll out BigHand3 technology
SEP 2006
BigHand make The Sunday Times Microsoft Tech Track 100 for Second Year Running
NOV 2006
Ten Top 250 law firms install BigHand3 Digital Dictation software in close succession
JAN 2007
BigHand nominated as Best 'Best of Breed' System of the Year 2007 at the Legal Technology Awards. No other DD supplier is named.
APR 2007
BigHand Secures 500th Professional Services Client in Record Year
MAY 2007
Launch 'Digital Dictation For BlackBerry' Through PaperIQ Partnership
JUN 2007
Awarded Microsoft Gold Partner Certification
JUL 2007
BigHand wins 'Best Use of Technology in Business' for the South East at the National Business Awards 2007
SEP 2007
BigHand releases Mobility Suite for instant remote digital dictation
OCT 2007
Head to head trial with BigHand and Winscribe secures BigHand rollout at international law firm K&L Gates
DEC 2007
Gilbert + Tobin becomes the first Australian law firm to install BigHand digital dictation for BlackBerry
FEB 2008
BigHand wins 'Best of Breed System of the Year' at the Legal Technology Awards 2008
MAR 2008
BigHand vital to the £13million turnaround strategy at Mid Yorks Hospitals NHS Trust, incoporating 700 users across 4 sites
MAR 2008
BigHand replaces Winscribe as Connect2Law's preferred digital dictation system
MAY 2008
BigHand announces release of BigHand Mobile (Windows Mobile Edition), developed using Microsoft Windows Communication Foundation Protocol
AUG 2008
BigHand announces support of Apple iPhone's native AIFF and CIF sound formats
SEP 2008
Top 100 UK law firm Howard Kennedy becomes the first firm globally to implement a digital dictation system using a virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI)
SEP 2008
BigHand Mobile (BlackBerry Edition) wins 'Mobile Product of the Year 2008' at CNet Business Technology Awards
OCT 2008
BigHand becomes the only vendor to support the Grundig wireless speech mike; the Digta CordEx
DEC 2008
3rd generation of BigHand Mobile offers unique set of Smartphone dictation capabilities
JAN 2009
BigHand enables Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust to deliver same day patient discharge, in one of the largest implementations of digital dictation within the NHS
JAN 2009
BigHand awarded Certified Status within the Vodafone Applications Porfolio
