Key Takeaways:
Law firms that invest in cybersecurity, IT support, and encrypted communications tools may have an edge over their competitors, with more than 40 percent of clients surveyed in the Integris 2025 Law Firm Report saying they’d be willing to pay more for firms with a secure IT architecture. Firms should consider:
- Case management systems to improve workflow, manage case documents, and help with billing and administration
- EDiscovery tools to speed up the pace and improve the quality of your legal research
- Cloud storage to make it easier to work securely on the go, and cloud backups to make sure the full gamut of your data is protected off site. With cloud storage and backup that’s carefully orchestrated by your IT support provider, you’ll never lose data or time during a breach, outage, or natural disaster
- Encrypted communication channels and document transfer services that keep your sensitive client data from falling into the wrong hands.
- A comprehensive approach to managing these tools that includes the proper security reviews before they’re installed, training and support for staff, and regular updates and monitoring.
Is IT Investment the New Competitive Edge?
If you’re running a small or medium-sized law firm, it may feel impossible to offer your clients the kinds of “bells and whistles” the largest firms bring to the table. With their big staffs and bigger budgets, the large law firms in your market often offer their clients a “white glove” service experience with a side of influence and prestige. But did you know—your IT infrastructure could be the key to leveling the playing field between you and your largest competitors?
New, intelligent platforms are automating law firm research, creating sophisticated case tracking and communication tools, and making light work of what used to take a large support staff to produce. Even better, cybersecurity tools are becoming more scalable, powerful and affordable than before, so you can run a tight ship that meets or exceeds American Bar Association Best practices without breaking the bank. With the help of an IT managed service provider dedicated specifically to law firm IT, you can get an advanced IT help desk, management of all your software licenses, IT strategy/compliance consulting, and high-end cybersecurity on a scalable basis. Let’s talk about what that can look like at your firm.
What Are Law Firms Spending on Technology?
According to Gartner, legal technology spending is projected to increase threefold by 2025, rising from 3.9% of in-house budgets in 2020 to approximately 12% in 2025. These investments do more than just save a law firm time and money. They’re a big selling point for your clients, too. In fact, we surveyed more than 1,000 law firm clients in the US as part of our 2025 Law Firm Cybersecurity Report. A full 40% of those surveyed said they’d be willing to pay more for a law firm that had a strong IT infrastructure and cybersecurity compliance.
At Integris, we’ve built our business providing IT services for law firms, and employ most of these technologies for our clients every day. From AI-driven productivity suites, to file encryption systems, to advanced cloud-based backups, IT Support for law firms has never been better. If you’re wondering what some of the new advancements can do for your firm, read on. These general categories will cover some of the areas where information technology is changing the game for law firms.
IT Support for Law Firms: Best Tools and Processes
Finding the right suite of tools for your practice is job #1 in your IT planning process. Fortunately, there’s several key categories of information tech that work well for nearly any practice specialty. We don’t recommend you jump into any of these services blindly. Instead, we recommend starting with a thorough IT needs assessment from an MSP or your qualified internal IT department. No matter what the size of your firm, you’ll find helpful tools that are scalable and affordable for your practice. We’ve mentioned some of the more popular choices below—but please don’t take these as qualified endorsement. You’ll need a thorough review to determine which tools are best for your system compatibility, budget, security profile, and practice type. Let’s get into it.
Case Management Systems
If you’re running a busy law practice you know—keeping track of case details is one of the hardest parts of the job. Luckily, case management software comes to the rescue. This specialized software puts all your case-related data in one place, including documents, emails, notes, and deadlines/reminders. With one tool, you can centralize and streamline your workflows,improve collaboration, and keep your team on task.
Benefits of Case Management Programs
A case management system eliminates the stress of trying to find files. Everyone on the team can easily share meeting notes, client contact information, case history, supporting documents, and case files. With built-in calendaring and task management features, you track important deadlines and court dates. When it’s time for billing, you’ll have everything you need to create detailed billing, backed with proof of your work.
Examples
- Clio: a case management system with a wide range of features, including time tracking, billing, and document management.
- MyCase: Offers robust case management features along with integrated client communication tools, making it easier to keep clients informed and engaged.
- PracticePanther: Known for its intuitive design and powerful automation features, PracticePanther helps law firms manage their cases, contacts, and billing efficiently.
E-Discovery Tools
E-discovery, or electronic discovery, refers to the process of identifying, collecting, and producing electronically stored information (ESI) for legal cases. If you’ve been practicing for long, chances are good you’re well acquainted with the E-discovery tools, and how they can help law firms manage enormous amounts of digital data efficiently and accurately.
Benefits of E-Discovery Software
E-Discovery tools can do a lot to make your life as a lawyer easier. They cut the time and cost it takes to do manual document review by automating the search, analysis, and categorization of electronic documents. These tools can quickly sift through large volumes of data to identify and retrieve relevant information. Interestingly, its advanced algorithms and machine learning capabilities may even exceed human review, as they can detect patterns and anomalies human reviews sometimes miss. Teams using e-discovery get the benefit of seamless collaboration, with everything they need on a centralized platform for sharing and reviewing documents.
Examples
- Relativity: A comprehensive e-discovery platform known for its powerful search capabilities and customizable workflows, making it a powerful tool for complex litigation.
- Logikcull: An intuitive, cloud-based e-discovery tool that simplifies the process of data collection, review, and production, making it accessible for firms of all sizes.
- Everlaw: A user-friendly e-discovery platform that combines advanced analytics with collaborative features, helping legal teams work more efficiently.
Cloud Storage and Cloud Backup
Cloud storage solutions allow law firms to manage their data on remote servers accessed via the internet. This effectively eliminates the need to have onsite server rooms—which can be a real boon for smaller law firms looking to cut out expensive, difficult-to-maintain spaces. A cloud structure makes it easier to have a distributed team that can work from anywhere, too.
For law firms still storing their data in on-site servers. cloud services can still have big benefits. Of course, many firms are already enjoying Microsoft 365 in the cloud, as well as many other SaaS services, many of whom are storing and backing up your data already. However, it’s usually wise to purchase additional cloud backup services that servce as an offsite backup. Cloud storage solutions provide a secure, scalable, and cost-effective way to handle large volumes of data, ensuring that information is always accessible when needed.
Benefits of Cloud Storage
Cloud storage ensures that legal documents and case files are securely stored and easily accessible from anywhere, at any time. This flexibility is particularly beneficial for law firms with remote or mobile workforces. Cloud solutions also offer robust security features, including encryption and multi-factor authentication, to protect sensitive client information. Additionally, cloud storage is scalable, allowing firms to adjust their storage needs as they grow without significant upfront investment. Regular backups and disaster recovery options provided by cloud services further ensure data integrity and availability.
How to Find the Right Cloud Storage Solution
We recommend that you consult with a qualified cybersecurity professional, such as a virtual Chief Information Security Officer (vCISO) to evaluate your cloud storage options. Commercially available services, like Google Drive, for instance, aren’t always secure and can put the integrity of your files and processes at risk. You’ll also want to evaluate your storage needs, as this will dramatically effect the price for these services. Before you sign up for a cloud storage solution, you’ll need to answer these questions:
- How quickiy would I need to access my files and systems in the event of a disaster or outage? In other words, how long could I go before the lack of access would create an unacceptable risk to my firm? This will be your recovery time objective (RTO).
- How much data could I afford to lose before that data loss becomes an unacceptable risk? This will be your recovery point objective (RPO).
Learn More: Cloud Storage and Backup
Encrypted Communication Channels
If you want to protect your client data and stay regulation compliant, you’ll need an encrypted, password protected way of staying in touch with your clients. Encrypted channels help you stop data leaks in transit, and discourage hackers poking around your files. They can go a long way promoting peace of mind in your client relationships.
Benefits of encrypted documents and communication channels
Secure communication tools help maintain client confidentiality by encrypting messages and data transfers, ensuring that only authorized parties can access the information. They also support compliance with legal and regulatory requirements, such as GDPR and HIPAA Chances are, your team may already be using some of these encrypted tools, which create a “walled garden” for your data and communications. These tools are workhorses of your information technology infrastructure, facilitating efficient collaboration within legal teams while still operating under the highest cybersecurity standards.
Examples of Encrypted Communication Channels
- Microsoft Teams: Offers secure messaging, video conferencing, and file sharing with enterprise-grade security features, making it ideal for legal teams.
- Slack: Provides encrypted messaging and collaboration tools, with options for secure file sharing and integration with other legal software.
- Encrypted Email Services: Tools like Microsoft Outlook, ProtonMail and Hushmail offer end-to-end encryption for email communications, ensuring that sensitive information remains confidential.
Again, it’s important to know the details of the type and quantity of information you’re transmitting, the size of your remote teams, and more, before you make a decision on your storage and encryption options. Always consult an IT provider with a solid knowledge of the data security expectations of the American Bar Association before you proceed. For a good starter on this topic, check out this article from the Bar Association.
Best Practices for Implementing IT Support for Law Firms
It’s not enough to purchase a few licenses and subscriptions, and call it a day. Your tools will only be as good as the governance around them. We recommend finding the right IT help, so your tools will perform optimally. You’ll want IT support for law firms that includes:
Training and Support—Ongoing training and support are crucial for ensuring that staff can effectively use IT tools. Regular training sessions help employees stay updated on the latest features and best practices, while a dedicated IT support team can address any technical issues fast, minimizing downtime and disruptions.
Regular Updates and Maintenance—To ensure that IT tools function well, it’s important to perform regular updates and maintenance. This includes updating software to the latest versions, applying security patches, and conducting routine system checks. Regular maintenance helps prevent potential issues and keeps the technology running smoothly.
Data Security—Don’t install new tools with a comprehensive data security plan to support them. This includes using encryption, conducting regular backups, and setting up access controls to ensure that only authorized personnel can access certain data. Have a data security policy in place and conduct regular audits to identify and address vulnerabilities.
IT Support for Law Firms: The Right Partner Can Help You Find the Right Tools
By investing in these technologies, law firms can level up their efficiency and client service. The adoption of IT support tools enables law firms to handle larger caseloads, respond more quickly to client needs, and maintain a competitive edge in the legal market.
If you’re looking for an IT partner that can scale to your needs and budget, Integris can help. We have experts on staff to help you assess, evaluate, purchase and manage your cloud productivity tools. We’d love to sit down with you for a free consultation. Here’s where to sign up.
Encourage your firm to embrace these technological advancements and consider partnering with a reliable IT support provider to ensure seamless implementation and ongoing support. The future of legal practice is digital, and staying ahead of the curve will position your firm for long-term success.
