The Importance of IT in the Legal Sector
In our rapidly evolving digital landscape, access to professional IT support is essential for the vast majority of businesses and sectors. It is particularly important for organisations working across the legal sector, and in particular law firms where cyber security, data protection and compliance are vital, non-negotiable requirements within the profession.
Every business is unique and finding the right IT infrastructure to suit your legal firm and the legal services you offer to clients can be complex. Appropriate handling of sensitive data and information, streamlined communications between teams, lawyers, clients, caseworkers and courts are essential. Add to this the importance of reliable data management and regular, secure back-ups to off-site or cloud based storage. All to ensure that should the worst happen, your legal firm can be up and running again with minimal downtime.
We understand that the impact and necessity of technology, IT and internet use for lawyers and legal businesses can feel complex, especially on top of dealing with demanding caseloads. Making significant changes to streamline systems and create automated processes that allow you staff to work more efficiently might seem improbable in terms of time and cost but the savings in both areas can be immense.
In the following article we’ll be exploring the importance of IT in the legal sector and examine some of the advantages of technology for law firms and businesses operating in all areas of the legal profession. All of our observations are based on our experience of working with organisations from across the legal profession since we started offering expert IT services back in 2003. Many things have changed in that time but the importance of excellent, straight-forward IT support has not.
What is IT support and how can it help your business?
IT support is commonly offered by in-house staff or departments or by external managed IT support providers (MSPs) who cover all aspects of a company’s technology requirements. From hardware and software installations and upgrades to cyber security, communications systems and data management including back-ups and retrieval.
Some businesses have found benefits in combining in-house IT staff with additional support from an external IT support provider. This could be to cover staff absences or during recruitment periods, to facilitate larger projects or for specific one-off solutions where the experience and breadth of knowledge from an outside IT company complements and enhances that of the in-house team.
Some form of IT is required by 99.9% of organisations worldwide, no matter the sector, size or business type. Secure communications, reliable data management with cast-iron back-ups and systems that are not only efficient today but future-proofed for tomorrow are necessary solutions for companies wanting to succeed and grow in our global, digital marketplace.
Firms particularly in need of this type of robust, forward-thinking IT infrastructure, security and efficiency are those in finance, manufacturing, transport and of course the legal sector.
What is the role of IT in the legal sector?
There are pressures and deadlines in the legal sector uncommon to other industries. Time sensitive cases with multiple stakeholders and several law firms involved can mean that sensitive or personal data needs to be moved securely across several networks.
For businesses in the legal industry, IT infrastructures need to be functioning at optimum capacity all the time, with security and essential back-ups guaranteed.
Law firms need to build strong business partnerships where the foundations are confidentiality, trust and efficiency. For this to happen in the modern world, IT systems and procedures particularly those dealing with communications and the transfer of information must be reliable and secure.
All industry types, particularly those that offer services in the legal industry, are having to evolve and change to respond to the innovations and demands of a digital way of doing business. In many ways, instead of being approached with caution, technology can help to meet changing client expectations when it is employed in the right ways; ways that identify and match the requirements of an individual legal firm, its legal technology, and the unique set of needs, services, staff and clients it has.
From cyber security to operational continuity in day-to-day tasks, even the integration of a dedicated company app to support your law firm in working more closely and efficiently with clients, innovative IT use in the legal sector could be an exciting addition to the way your firm works and put you head and shoulders above your competitors.
How can expert IT support benefit the legal industry?
The importance of IT in the legal sector can’t be understated. For reasons both unique to the law profession and those applicable to other businesses too, professional, expert IT support is something all companies can benefit from. The role of IT, the internet and the advantages of integrating new technology to meet changing client needs is something all law firms should be considering as part of their short and long-term goals.
Five key benefits for using technology in the legal profession:
- 24/7 Support – Not all legal companies work regular GMT hours. Firms may have clients across the world and could be conducting online meetings across time zones. On-call, round the clock responses and monitoring of your systems are important and can help your firm operate on a global scale.
- Efficient, empowered employees – Many working in the legal sector have a role that requires a high level of focus and efficiency. With secure systems of data management and communications that are consistent, staff feel empowered in their positions and are able to execute their workload without constant digital fire-fighting.
- Secure, safe systems – Legal firms need to protect data and sensitive information. A strong IT infrastructure and regular cloud back-ups alongside 24/7 monitoring combine to create a system that can withstand cyber security issues and guard against data loss.
- Compliance and clarity – Proactive and attentive management of legal requirements and professional compliance are essential for all firms, but especially for those working in the law. Expert consultancy services on IT support designed with the legal profession in mind are the pathway to business growth and client confidence.
- Reduced outgoings – Every sector and company need to make money to survive – no news there. With the correct IT support, legal firms can reduce their outgoings by streamlining systems, integrating a more efficient IT infrastructure and incorporating processes that allow staff to work smarter, not harder.
Expert IT Services for Law Firms
The team at Acronyms understand how important it is that innovation is a focus of the legal industry but this needs to exist alongside the traditional goals of client satisfaction and business continuity.
We have supported many firms of lawyers and businesses working across the legal industry to optimise and improve the work their practices undertake, in order to effectively balance the needs of their clients with the forward momentum of the law profession in this digital age.
We’ve helped companies to find the benefits in better IT systems like VoIP communications as well as harnessing the powers of dedicated, branded apps and automated processes that take a burden of work from lawyers and staff so they can focus on meeting the needs of clients.
At Acronyms our experienced staff are here to support your team of legal professionals to achieve, build and develop a law firm that can meet the future of digital innovation and evolving client needs with confidence and security.
To find out how we can assist your legal business with IT support you can book a free, no-obligation consultation with one of the team here.
Alternatively, here are a number of resources you might find useful:
Our IT Support Services
Acronyms’ Work in the Legal Industry