What Law Firms Should Consider when Hiring an IT Provider
How to Choose Legal Technology Services in Tampa
For legal professionals, having around-the-clock access to case files, depositions and court documents is incredibly important to doing their jobs well. Any downtime in systems, servers or internet could put them at a disadvantage and impact the outcome of their cases. To avoid these inevitable challenges, law firms should work with a trusted provider of legal technology services in Tampa.
Here are five things to look for when searching for legal technology services in Tampa:
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Experience in the Legal Industry
When searching for legal technology services in Tampa, search for a managed service provider (MSP) with experience in the industry. MSPs with experience in the legal industry will be more knowledgeable about the industry’s unique requirements. They will also be familiar with the various software systems that law firms have come to rely on. Find someone who understands the struggles that legal teams face on a daily basis and can support your mission and goals through legal technology services.
The Atlas senior engineering group has a breadth of expertise and years of experience in the legal industry.
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Quick Response and Resolution Times
Things move quickly in the legal profession, and any downtime in systems, servers or internet could impact the outcome of your cases. Don’t trust your legal technology services to just anyone. Look for a provider that can solve your IT issues quickly and effectively.
Over the years, our team has grown to understand the time-sensitive nature of legal operations. We take our turnaround time very seriously. In fact, we’ve structured our organization to have top engineers manning the service desk – meaning fewer escalations and quicker response and resolution times.
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Internal Personnel Training
Even the most secure IT systems can fail if its users don’t follow proper protocol. Law firms should have the right technology and security infrastructure in place. They should also work with an IT provider that trains internal personnel on best practices as part of their legal technology services. This includes everything from setting good passwords to encrypting hard drives to not walking away from a computer while it’s displaying sensitive information.
At Atlas, our team works with our clients to educate and train employees on how to protect data and the firm.
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Data Backup and Recovery
The Florida Bar Association requires that lawyers retain copies of trust accounting records, contingent fee contracts and closing statements in contingent fee cases, and the statement of insured clients’ rights for six years following the execution of the case. There are very few rules around how these documents are stored. But, The Bar does encourage electronic storage as long as the appropriate safeguards are in place.
Many firms store these documents in-house. However, it’s important to work with an MSP that provides robust data backup and recovery services to protect your data in the event of an unexpected outage or disaster. Atlas provides these data protection services at an affordable monthly rate, giving you peace of mind and ensuring business continuity.
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Secured Systems
To choose the right IT provider for your legal technology services in Tampa, seek MSPs that can offer secured systems. A few common best practices include:
- Controlling users and remote access
- Setting up visual screen protection
- Implementing good password policies
We work closely with our legal clients’ security officers and office managers to receive information about changing security regulations. We use that guidance to provide secured IT protection in our clients’ environments – keeping confidential information safe.
Looking for legal technology services in Tampa Bay? Contact us today to learn how we can help.
