Read Post
Wed, 09 Jul 2025 17:14:57 -0700
Andy from private IP, post #10558289
/all
In search of law firm I.T. projects
One of the most frustrating things about being a lawyer is the lack of technical proficiency in other lawyers. I try to fight this by offering my I.T. package
to other law firms, but no one wants it. I'm talking about my combined web, email, calendar, portal, and file server system, which is across four machines on a
dedicated fiber connection. If other firms adopted this model, I could save them so much money from not having to use these various cloud providers. But they
don't. We've tried calling around and offering this type of system to other firms, but they hang up on us.
What can I do to get in the door for law firm I.T.? I was thinking of linking up with a Managed Service Provider (MSP) and adding my solutions to their
portfolio of offerings. Any ideas?
#LawFirm #Programming #Technology
Thu, 10 Jul 2025 09:13:01 -0700
phosita from private IP
Reply #12714102
👍
There's an old saying: "nobody ever got fired for choosing IBM." The names may change, but the sentiment is the same, i.e., that nobody in any institution,
especially one at/above certain size, wants to go out on a limb and pin his reputation to an unknown vendor. Especially for mission-critical and/or
privacy-sensitive functions.
My Firm, by way of nonlimiting example, is completely MSFT top to bottom, and there are only a small handful of non-MSFT products in use. All of those are from
well known vendors. The trend has been to cloudify anything cloudifiable and leave on-prem only that which must be on-prem. I've asked about getting some
Linux/BSD stuff from time to time and it's always a polite but firm invitation to go count prime numbers until I see the error of my ways.
An old hand like me, well, I see "cloud" and translate that to "other guy's computer" and I have an innate resistance to that. And for many aspects I think
that's not misplaced, with the possible exception of certain aspects of security (Some Big Vendor can use economies of scale and employ large dedicated teams of
whitehatters, etc.).
All by way of saying the main hurdles, as I see them, are:
(1) inertia;
(2) trust.
The corollary of this is that your solution is most productively aimed at small shops (#1 less of an issue) wherein the stakeholders are technically clueful
enough that if your solution be worthy of trust then the stakeholders would have a mind willing be to convinced thereof.
You have to bark up the right tree. The foregoing is my opinion. YMMV.
Thu, 10 Jul 2025 14:39:51 -0700
Andy from private IP
Reply #12504020
That's helpful, thanks. I've concluded that marketing law firm I.T. is futile, which is consistent with all of my experience showing that law practice is how
I'm going to make money, rather than these other/side areas. But I like the ability to do them, which is why they're still out there.
Thu, 10 Jul 2025 15:46:42 -0700
2tierreality from private IP
Reply #10029077
👍
Query: are you marketing your "solution" to all types/ sizes of firms, or just to certain types/sizes?
Is there a particular practice area or size of firm for which your solution becomes the IDEAL fit, and thus you can focus on on that type/size as a niche? In
legal marketing I believe they call that the "client avatar" - who is your client avatar for your I.T. solution?
What's the one killer feature that your solution does better than anyone other product offering?
I don't have the answers, but I think these are (some of) the right questions to ask.
Fri, 11 Jul 2025 06:12:50 -0700
Andy from private IP
Reply #19105620
@2tierrealityTest The system works best for firms of 2-10 attorneys. The
client avatar is a firm like mine. The problem is that most firms I know who fit this mold are adversaries, so I cannot do their I.T. because I might see
privileged matter. I have to extend this net beyond my local legal community.
The killer feature I have is a fully integrated file, time, task, billing, email, and calendar portal for the firm. For example, it integrates email with the
law firm portal, so folks can send/read emails within the law firm portal without even leaving the browser. I call it Lattice, see demo here (does not include
email feature, since that is on the actual portal): https://slash.law/lattice.php
Thanks for asking the right questions, those are helpful.
@12714102 Andy 👍 @10029077 Andy 👍
Replies require login.
