Why Law Firms Need Managed Services

The law industry isn’t known for embracing change quickly: tradition can trump a willingness to embrace new technologies. Although, digital technology has become an essential part of many lawyers’ working day. Partnering with a Managed Service Provider (MSP) provides support and enhanced cybersecurity during this evolution.

Lawyers rely on technology to:

communicate with colleagues and clients
exchange documents
schedule events and share calendars
research precedent and legal issues
streamline file management
automate menial tasks
track billable hours
invoice clients and pay vendors
access information from mobile devices, when and where needed
virtually conference during the pandemic

Now, imagine the disruption if that tech-savvy firm’s systems went down, even just for a few hours. No, this is not an argument to return to paper-pushing and the old-school methods; it’s a reminder that you need an IT expert at the ready in case something goes wrong. Plus, an MSP can manage and watch systems to help prevent the worst.

The MSP Solution

Legal service provider clients expect digital proficiency. They want to schedule appointments online, upload documents to the cloud instead of coming into the office, provide digital signatures, and pay securely online. An MSP can set up software to meet customer expectations without risking compliance or cybersecurity.

An MSP with experience in the legal industry can also boost competitive advantage. These IT experts can identify opportunities to improve productivity. It may be a faster network or computer upgrades, or you may benefit from improving software integrations and adopting better collaboration tools. The MSP’s initial tech review may also save you money. They’ll identify where you are overpaying or places to streamline software licenses.

Also, on the financial front, your law firm can enjoy a consistent budget line item working with an MSP. Instead of waiting for something to break and then looking for someone to fix it, you’ll have IT experts on call, which can reduce costly downtime. Better still, the MSP will take preventative action to avoid that downtime in the first place. This includes keeping your antivirus and security updated and checking technological asset health.

An MSP’s small, ongoing fee is something you can plan around. Additionally, the ongoing monitoring makes a budget blowout less likely.

Securing Your Law Firm

Managed IT services offer proactive support plus enhanced security. They understand the importance of end-to-end, layered security. They know the threats to a legal firm and can recommend quality precautions. Attorneys need to secure sensitive data and documents to remain compliant. An MSP can suggest secure storage and backup to perform the essential tasks.

Further on security, an MSP has the know-how to help your firm safely become more mobile. Your IT partner can put systems in place that allow your team to securely work when and where they need to.

Additionally, it helps to have a dedicated support team available. They’ll already know and be familiar with your firm and its technology. This can speed up the response if there are ever issues, plus, you have a consultant to call with questions about new technological innovations.