Legal IT challenges and how to overcome them
Lawyers today face a myriad of IT challenges as the sector moves swiftly towards greater digitisation. Protecting data is paramount, alongside storing and managing the data your firm holds digitally. Firms require reliable IT solutions which protect data whilst improving productivity.
Whilst the legal sector has lagged behind other sectors somewhat in digitisation, technology has been transforming and evolving the sector which is often viewed as an uncomfortable trend by the more traditional law firm.
Embracing digital transformation however is vital and can be a savvy strategic move for law firms. Bringing in streamlined and secure IT services can ensure greater efficiency for your organisation and free up valuable time to help you serve clients even more effectively.
Better Remote Working
In the current climate, working from home is more prevalent than ever. Whether you and your team are in the office or at home, accessibility to data, networks and programs is crucial to success. Having the relevant information at your fingertips makes a huge difference to efficiency and productivity.
Consider a hosted infrastructure allowing your whole team to access the full array of resources that would ordinarily be available in the office and optimising your storage and cloud solutions will ensure all team members can get to work no matter where they are.
Reliable Data Handling
Bearing in mind that data in the legal sector is often highly sensitive and confidential, you must be confident that your firm’s sensitive data is being handled professionally by experts in the field of legal data handling. It is worth exploring the multitude of compliance services and data security companies serving the legal sector, paying particular attention to GDPR compliance and reporting, vulnerability testing and intrusion protection for your firm.
Many service providers also offer bespoke data management plans, round the clock support and business continuity solutions to ensure your firm can maintain maximum client care with minimal downtime, no matter what challenges or unforeseen circumstances may occur.
Top Notch Cyber security
Ultimately, the best method of data protection is to ensure you and your firm are aware of the threats you face. Consider signing your team up for security awareness training, the ideal method of covering the most up to date threats to protect every user, network and device used by your team wherever they are working. Research indicates the majority of employees struggle to identify fake emails, in particular phishing, therefore cyber security training should be considered a fundamental aspect of your staff training.
Busy lawyers receive multiple messages and emails daily making effective training in this regard all the more important, hackers can be sophisticated and phishing attacks have been on the rise as criminals take advantage of the pandemic.
Technology is ever-changing, therefore it is important to try and be prepared for every circumstance. If you can ensure your firm is safe and efficient working remotely with the ability to access your data securely, you are well on the way to overcoming some of the IT challenges facing firms in the legal sector plus you can boost productivity and streamline your working practices.
