Law firms today are changing rapidly. Clients are demanding more from the attorneys that represent them, access to information, and more efficient use of billable hours.
For Salt Lake City law firms, IT is a key part of the solution. But all too often, internal IT departments are stretched thin, unable to provide the support, security, and infrastructure necessary for creating the right solution.
Many law firms now look outside, with legal IT services in Salt Lake City that enhance the internal team and provide the services necessary for success. Knowing what to look for in IT support for law firms in Salt Lake City means understanding the capabilities and opportunities that managed IT services provide.
If you are looking for IT managed services for your law firm, here are five questions to ask to make the smart choice.
1. How Does Managed IT Lower Operating Costs?
Keeping a busy law firm office up and running means supporting lawyers, paralegals, legal secretaries, and other administrators. There are constant demands for hardware and software, multiple devices, and data security. Managing the costs of a data center alone, with space, power and cooling needs, can be a drain on budgets. With managed IT services, those issues are shifted to your technology partner, driving down costs and allowing internal staff to focus on other projects. In-house IT staff can be redeployed to other tasks and projects, leaving the maintenance and upgrades to your IT partner.
2. Will Our Data Be Available and Secure?
Attorneys may be working remotely or on different devices. But the need for data — files, cases, billing info — is ever-present. A managed IT solution can provide secure access to information in the moment of need.
Threats to data seem to be everywhere, with new hacks, viruses, and malware appearing daily. Knowing how to manage all these threats requires a commitment to keeping information protected at all times. A managed IT solution uses the latest protections of your data, both virtually and physically, are in place, including multi-factor authentication, encryption, intrusion blocking, antivirus and anti-malware tools, and secure monitoring of network devices users, and data.
3. How Will Other Systems and Tools Integrate?
Whether your solution is in the public or private cloud or a hybrid, a managed IT service provider that specializes in law firms will know how to ensure that systems integrate with key hosted applications and software commonly used in the industry, including time recording, legal research, case management, practice management, and trial presentation tools. Using a solution that’s based on best industry practices, your managed IT services should allow for easy use and customer support of core functionality for the modern Salt Lake City law firm.
4. Will We Remain Compliant?
Regulatory compliance is critical for law firms. Email security, payment card processing, and accounting standards must be adhered to for law firms to remain credible and viable. A managed IT solution customized for the legal industry will have the right tools and reporting that ensure full regulatory compliance. With the security protocols and constant monitoring available, firms can be confident that data will remain secure, whether at rest or in transit.
5. What Happens If We’re Attacked or There’s a Natural Disaster
Managed IT solutions are designed and built to ensure business continuity. A fire, flood, earthquake or avalanche could strike at any time. With available business continuity services, your law firm will be prepared. Your data will be accessible via backups, ensuring that data loss is minimal if any. With redundant servers accessible at any time, employees and clients can have needed files and data quickly, resulting in little downtime. Even if your physical location is compromised, applications and data can still be used via cloud solutions.
With continual monitoring of systems, users, and access points, a managed service solution provides attorneys with peace of mind, too. Unusual or suspicious activity can be flagged, quarantined and contained, minimizing the impact of an attack and preventing the loss of access or critical data.
A Proven Partner
With a managed services partner, you’ll have access to your own technical experts. With a trusted IT partner like Nexus IT Consultants, you can have access to the latest technologies and innovations that will help your law firm become more profitable and efficient. Contact us today to see how we can help develop your IT strategy and provide solutions.