Microsoft Teams has become a key part of communications for many organizations. The ease of messaging, video conferencing, and collaborating increases productivity and workplace flexibility. Although Teams is simple to use, it is a powerful tool with a variety of useful features. Here are some helpful tips to boost your productivity when using Microsoft Teams.

Reliable, efficient, and secure technology is necessary for law firms to provide their clients with excellent service. But it is not necessary – or even advisable – for small and midsized law firms to manage their IT themselves. Unlike their larger counterparts, small and midsized law firms simply do not have the resources to properly build, optimize, support, and defend an enterprise-level IT system.

By partnering with a good managed IT service provider (MSP), you gain the expertise and capability of an entire in-house IT department, which frees your firm up to focus on what you do best: providing your clients with trusted legal counsel and representation.

Over the past few years, “The Cloud” has become a household name, with many people trusting cloud services to keep their photos, videos, and documents safe. However, saving a family photo seems trivial in comparison to storing sensitive business data through a third-party cloud provider.

While some firms are still skeptical about moving their servers, applications, and files to the cloud, many firms have embraced the transition. Regardless of your position, it is important to understand the pros and cons of cloud and whether a cloud service is right for your firm.

Cloud-based solutions can benefit law firms in many ways, from streamlining workflows to facilitating remote access to enhancing security. Simple scalability is another hallmark of cloud computing. By migrating to the cloud, your law firm will gain the ability to scale your operations up or down seamlessly and efficiently as your business evolves.

In today’s increasingly competitive legal environment, it is more important than ever for law firms to approach their IT as a strategic investment rather than a cost of doing business. By teaming up with a solutions-driven IT partner and involving the IT professionals in your law firm’s strategic planning process, you can develop IT infrastructure and applications that support your firm’s long-term operational needs and business goals. Law firms who invest strategically in IT can gain a competitive advantage over other firms when vying for both clients and top talent.

Many law firms think of IT as a cost of doing business rather than a strategic investment. As a result, their approach to IT tends to be reactive in nature. When problems occur, such as when the system repeatedly crashes or attorneys cannot access files remotely, the IT team troubleshoots and makes necessary adjustments – until the next issue arises.

Desktop as a Service (DaaS) is growing in popularity, a trend accelerated by the pandemic. Research firm Gartner projected that the global DaaS market will expand by 253% from 2021 to 2024. While many companies understand that switching to DaaS can provide benefits like enhanced flexibility, efficiency, and cybersecurity, some are unsure of how exactly it works and apprehensive about leaping into new territory. Below is a primer on how DaaS works and what’s involved in transitioning to a DaaS solution. 

Clients expect high-value service from their law firm. They want their attorney to be accessible, to understand their needs and to solve their problems, expertly and quickly. In today’s fast-paced world, law firms must be highly productive and efficient to meet these demands if they are to retain clients and gain word-of-mouth referrals. 

Cybersecurity attacks continue to rise, and law firms of all sizes have become a prime target. According to Coveware, 24.9% of all ransomware attacks in Q1 2021 targeted professional services firms, especially small and midsize law firms. With the surge in cyberattacks, firms have begun to shift how their IT is managed, with an increase in the use of managed IT services versus in-house IT professionals.