Wednesday, 26 April 2017

IT Solutions for Law Firms That Could Transform Your Business

Finding competitive IT solutions for law firms that can help your business grow and compete is arguably one of the biggest challenges facing law firms today. That’s because technology is transforming the law industry at nearly every level; from how you manage documents and share information with clients and partners, to the technology solutions you choose to conference with clients and plan your billable time, to the billing solutions that track and invoice your clients.
Because the technology available in this industry is changing so rapidly, IT solutions for law firms are also changing. But one thing that holds true in spite of change is that the solutions you choose depend on the type of law firm you are, and the goals you set for your business.
What are some of the IT solutions for law firms that are transforming the industry?



Managed IT Services Outsourcing – Whether you’re a large firm with hundreds of attorneys nationwide, to a small office that only has a few lawyers, managing your technology is a big challenge. Of course, in a large firm, there is usually an IT department full of technology experts that is responsible for managing the constantly changing needs of a successful law practice.
For small firms, this isn’t the case. In a small office, the responsibility for IT may fall to an office manager whose expertise isn’t IT, or potentially even to one of the attorneys. This means that many smaller offices aren’t keeping up to date with IT solutions for law firms, and are losing out on technologies that might enhance their productivity and allow them to grow. Worse, IT issues may be getting in the way of billings and client relationships.
Managed IT services outsourcing is an IT solution for law firms that is helping to resolve these issues that face many small firms. For a set monthly fee, a managed services provider manages all the network security and IT maintenance that often impacts productivity and impedes growth. Its allowing small firms to level the playing field and compete against firms many times their size.
Cloud applications – Many attorneys have been wary of cloud applications and for good reason. The idea of sharing sensitive client information in an offsite location, even one that is well-managed, does give many in the industry pause.
However, as cloud security becomes more trusted, the cloud is delivering many viable IT solutions for law firms. It delivers access to enterprise-grade applications – such as VOIP calling and conferencing, file sharing and branded email - that were once within reach of only the largest law firms. And many of the security concerns that were once voiced against the cloud are proving to be false alarms.
In fact, for small firms that may not be following the most up to date security protocols, cloud applications may actually be a better solution.  Why? Here are three reasons:
  • Cloud technology providers are security experts, because their business model depends on it. This means that when law firms use cloud solutions, their data may actually be better protected than it would be if managed in-house.
  • Cloud providers manage upgrades and patches centrally, so it doesn’t fall to the law firm’s already overworked staff to manage these processes.
  • Failure to regularly apply upgrades and patches is a major source of vulnerability to hacking, so in this sense the cloud is actually a more secure IT solution for law firms than data managed in house.
Cloud providers are also technology professionals, so the quality of solutions is higher; you get the most up to date solutions to ensure your data is always secure. And of course, your data is always safely backed up, protecting you from loss.
These are just two of the many IT solutions for law firms that can help to ensure that your business is more competitive and positioned for growth.

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