UC Advanced - issue #2

CONNECTING LAW FIRMS

Cracking the Modernisation Case Legal is one of the more elusive industries for UC providers. So how is the Legal industry embracing the cloud?

Although everyone needs a phone and a broadband connection, being able to crack into the legal industry is often the hardest task. The traditional arguments of virtual conferencing, analysing employee interactions, and integrating into cloud systems don’t always work. After all, for years the legal profession has been dominated by face-to-face negotiations, late hours in the office, and binders brimming with legal papers. Yet, with the hybrid working movement affecting everyone, legal are being forced to change tack and embrace the gains that can be made from enhanced connectivity; and the evidence would suggest that once a reseller is in, they’re in. New Normal Being experts in legal matters, as the name suggests, the law firms and courthouses that do embrace technology can be hesitant to do so. In many cases, legal firms are handling sensitive information and as a result, the protocols they implement to keep this information safe are paramount. On top of this, as Lori Stout, CMO of Bigleaf Networks points out, a lot of legal work is working with other companies, adding: “Since the pandemic, things are returning back to business as usual, but the legal world is very collaborative. “On any given day, law firms work with subject matter experts and have to remotely connect between multiple locations. Because of this, it’s crucial for law firms to have not only a stable and secure internet but also internet contingency as a safety net for lapses.” “Connectivity and security are vital components for law firms, given the sensitive data they handle,” said James Green, Managing Director of Advanced IT Managed Service, “but with optimised IT infrastructure,

law firms can enhance their reputation, improve productivity, and minimise risk. “Inadequate connectivity and security can have significant repercussions for law firms, including financial loss, reputation damage, and tarnishing the organisation’s good standing. Ensuring an optimised IT infrastructure that meets the specific requirements of law firms is a top priority.”

Lori Stout CMO

bigleaf.net

On any given day, law firms work with subject matter experts and have to remotely connect between multiple locations

Risk That final point from Green carries a lot of weight. The legal industry is an auspicious one built on reputation. With the embrace of technology comes a potential risk in the eyes of many legal firms of things going wrong. Whether it’s logging into a call, finding files on the cloud, or protecting themselves from a potential breach, legal firms have good reason to be cautious. Alex Crewdson, Director of Sales for Strategic Accounts Team at Kinly said “When client time is lost trying to connect to a call, or deal with a technical glitch, it’s a big deal. “Clients are paying by the hour, so delays cost money, but consistent technology problems that get in the way of client work can negatively impact the firm’s reputation.

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