Five Things to Consider When Hiring a Legal Technology Consultant

By Stew Smith, CISM
 
Law firms are dependent on technology to keep things running smoothly.  Securing confidential client data, improving workflow while minimizing downtime, implementing the best-suited software solutions—all these things require a solid technology consultant who has a strong understanding of the legal industry.
 
So, how do you find someone that can consistently keep your law firm’s computers running seamlessly or quickly fix them if something goes wrong?
 
There are many technology consultants out there, but not all are created equal.  Understanding the challenges of finding the right one is key to hiring a person or company that can add value to your law firm.  Consider these five things when hiring an IT consultant:

1.      Experience Working with Lawyers

You want a company that understands the needs associated with the legal industry.  Heightened ethics requirements, specific software systems, privacy and security is of paramount importance.  Make sure the company you select has an existing base of legal clients.

2.      Specific Areas of Technology Expertise

The person who services your printers is not going to be able to best protect you against data breaches.  Someone who helps you select the best document management software is not going to be able to create a good website.  Remember, you can hire more than one technology consultant, and you probably should if specific assistance is needed.

3.      Vendor Neutral

In the area of practice management software, does the consultant recommend only Tabs3 or do they represent Perfect Practice, as well?  IT consultants who represent more than one product in a category are less likely to steer you to a solution that’s not the best fit for you.

4.      Area of Website Targeted to Legal

Be sure to check out the website of the company you are considering (this may sound obvious).  Make sure the website looks professional and is up to date.  The website should also have a section dedicated to how law firms are serviced and the products they represent.

5.      Dedicated Service

Having an engineer assigned to your account (onsite or remotely) that knows your business provides added insurance that your systems will be properly monitored and serviced.
 
Business Machine Technologies, Inc. (BMT) has been “Delivering IT Excellence” to small- and mid-sized law firms for over 25 years.  BMT offers managed IT, data and infrastructure, IT support, cloud and security solutions to help businesses work faster, better and with the confidence that comes with having an expert technology partner by their side.  For more information, please contact Stew Smith, CISM, Vice President of Business Development, at [email protected].

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