What Law Firms Should Look for in Managed Technology Services

judge writing on a paper

Managed Service Providers is a competent IT team that can provide services such as facilitating technology, overseeing backup solutions, protecting data, and providing consultations for the business’ long-term vision. 

Your Law Firm Requirements 

Whether you are a small attorney office, a network with connections across regions, or a large firm dealing with corporate or criminal proceedings, size is a helpful indicator for the IT services to look into. Larger offices with sensitive documents definitely benefit from the reliable services of an MSP partnership, although even the smaller ones with their own IT staff can benefit from partnering with an MSP to help expand the available resources.

IT influences a greater part of business than most owners give credence to, and often becomes a lower priority, until something goes wrong. With legal information on the line, it’s a smart investment to delegate the necessary time and resources to the area of your business that influences a large portion of your procedures and legal records.

What Deliverables Should You Expect?

When you partner with managed IT for law firms, you will set up an agreement that aligns with the needs of your organization. Not every firm requires the full suite of IT services, and some MSPs can tailor the agreement to a selection of suitable services. 

An MSP can offer a range of services, between monitoring, remote support, centralized management, data storage, security, and 24/7 servicing. Even if those services are not a part of your current package, it’s helpful to know you have access to a provider if needed.

Whatever option you decide on, your MSP will provide a range of basic services that bring value and security to your firm. Along with updating your network to ensure everything is running securely on the cloud, they can establish better security measures throughout your network. 

The Service Level Offered 

If an MSP doesn’t offer the services you’re looking for, find one that can. Your network goes down, you encounter a security breach, or an in-house analysis discovers some performance issues with your network—you want to make sure that they meet the standard you need.

Whether you’re looking for an MSP to fix your problems as soon as they occur, or one to routinely check your systems, keep in mind that some MSPs do not offer on-site call, or after-hours maintenance. So be sure when researching MSP services to look into the levels of service offered within each package, and consult with them on the best deal for your needs. Take the opportunity to get to know them, and find out whether they fit with your corporate culture. 

Is the MSP Up to Date? 

How flexible is the MSP you are thinking of partnering with? Can they adapt to a changing corporate environment, or perhaps you need an update to your software or digital workstations; can the MSP collaborate with your efforts and meet the challenge? 

Not only do you want to make sure the security measures they’re implementing are some of the latest, but also in your search for the right MSP, check their ability to adapt to market trends and keep your law firm up to date with the latest practices. If there are any certifications that the MSP needs in order to work with legal, or sensitive information, check to ensure they are certified to handle your industry. 

What Are Their Credentials 

Some MSPs have HIPAA certification to work with healthcare clients, while others are PCI compliant, and hold higher security standards. Research, and ask about the compliances they have to know if they’re a good match for your firm.

Ultimately choose an MSP that is a good fit for your work pace, provides the right assets, and is located nearby in case of on-site visits. Not only does researching and getting to know the types of MSPs available to work with help you understand their role in your business, but it increases your chance of finding the MSP being a good match for your firm.