Why Your Legal Firm Needs IT Professionals

IT businessman and lawyer or judge working together

Technology is constantly evolving, and in the past decade, it has permeated almost every aspect of the business world. With this rapid technological development, the demand for technical support has risen proportionally.

The law industry is not exempt from this revolution. With this mass migration to technology, the question arises: Does your law firm need dedicated IT professionals?

The answer largely depends on your firm’s size, the number of lawyers and clients you have, and the software and hardware your organization currently uses. 

However, whether your firm creates an in-house IT department or outsources to a managed IT services provider, below are a few current reasons law firms are adding IT professionals to their team.

Cybersecurity

In a 2019 survey by the American Bar Association, cybersecurity is the main reason lawyers are wary of using the cloud. The concern is warranted because law firms handle so much sensitive client data and the worry about compromised information is very real. 

Hacked data can compromise a client’s case or even lead to lawsuits against the firm itself. However, IT professionals significantly ease this fear by creating robust and secure infrastructure policies to protect your law firm from cyber threats. 

These threats range from email phishing to ransomware and anything in between that can create considerable damage to your firm’s essential data.

When you work with a trusted managed service provider (MSP), you also gain expert help in keeping your compliance practices up to date and in line.

Many law firms are required to comply with HIPAA, PCI DSS, and other compliance standards to ensure clients’ data is protected. Complying with these essential regulations becomes much easier with IT professionals on your side.

Risk Reduction

Law firms work with a lot of information. Some data you handle is very sensitive, and only authorized individuals should have access to it. 

IT professionals can implement a security system to ensure that only team members who have authorization can access particular devices and files. This level of security can reduce the likelihood and potential impact of any sort of internal breach, whether malicious or unintentional.

The right IT services will significantly reduce risk when it comes to keeping systems secure and data accessible for the right people. 

Increased Productivity

With a dedicated IT team, your staff can worry less about hardware and software concerns and focus their energy on work and winning cases. Eliminating this constant source of anxiety over data security and hardware malfunction can boost productivity within the firm.

When your IT provider is engaged in keeping your systems running smoothly, staff spend significantly less time just trying to get equipment to work and more time doing important tasks that help clients win cases.

Keeping Up with Technology

Technology is developing at a swift pace, and having an IT team in your organization ensures your firm is always up to date with the latest technology trends and upgrades to your software and hardware.

And if you decide to migrate to new technologies, your IT professionals will be on hand to ensure a smooth transition. 

Whether your IT department is in house,, outsourced through a managed service provider, or comprises a mix of both through co-managed IT services, dedicated IT professionals can be a valuable resource to your organization to help navigate the ever-changing landscape of technology.

If you don’t already have IT professionals on your team, today may be an excellent time to think about adding them to your organization.