As the American Bar Association reports, cybersecurity and cyber awareness are more important than ever due to the increasing prevalence of threats to law firms. One step to accomplish this is to hire IT support for a Personal Injury law firm. Law firms routinely handle sensitive client data, so finding the right fit for your law firm is essential.
CloudLex raises the bar in personal injury case management software by providing a comprehensive suite to solve most problems PI firms face. From our robust personal injury settlement calculator to our 24×7 active monitoring by the best cyber security experts in the world, we support personal injury attorneys, paralegals, and staff members.
Do your research looking for law firm IT support
Before hiring law firm IT Support, research your options. Your firm handles sensitive data and is subject to rigorous ethical obligations that some IT professionals may not be familiar with or understand. Finding a professional with experience with personal injury law is a big plus and can streamline the onboarding process and help set your firm up for success.
Identify several potential candidates and compare the pros and cons of each with members of the firm. Each person in your firm has a different perspective on and experience with the firm’s technology and can help in the decision-making process.
Ask questions
Another important facet of hiring IT support for legal firm is to ask yourself, your staff, and potential IT candidates questions. Asking your team to contribute questions can help everyone understand the team’s priorities and preferences regarding the office’s tech solutions. Further, since whomever you choose to work within your firm will work with everyone, it can help smooth things over if everyone participates in some part of the process.
Asking questions is also beneficial to learn more about the IT candidates background and what they bring to the table. During or after this exchange, it can be helpful to take notes and identify answers that surprised you.
Understand your law firm’s IT needs
Understanding your law firm’s tech needs is likewise beneficial. Take inventory of your current technology, areas you want to streamline, and frequent problem areas. Identifying and being able to articulate your firm’s needs to potential IT support can significantly help the process of picking the right candidate for your team.
For example, personal injury law firms have an enormous amount of expenses and records to track throughout the lifecycle of the case. They must keep an accurate log of these expenses to help efficiently and effectively calculate the settlement for the lawsuit. A qualified IT support candidate can help you locate and implement a solution that saves you time and money.
Identify important cybersecurity security features
Personal injury lawyers are subject to strict and ever-changing ethical obligations regarding safeguarding client information and implementing cybersecurity methods. In the American Bar Association’s (ABA) Formal Opinion 498, the ABA explains how the Model Rules (such as Rules 1.1, 1.3, 1.4, and 1.6) come into play when lawyers practice virtually. Many of the implications, such as how to ethically communicate with clients electronically or via teleconferencing, apply regardless of where the lawyer is at the time.
Identifying the data security features your firm implements, possible areas of concern, and your goals can help you and your team when you seek IT support for assistance. You can also increase your cybersecurity by upgrading your case management software to CloudLex. This software includes disaster recovery, geo-redundancy, and HIPAA-compliant, cloud-based storage to safeguard your clients’ and firm’s data.
Take inventory of your firm’s processes
Another tip for hiring IT support for your Personal Injury firm is to document your firm’s processes. For example, you might write down every step in your firm’s onboarding process, from when the client views your website to when (and how) they sign the retainer agreement. You can communicate this to IT support, who can help you identify and streamline the intake management process to reduce errors and increase the likelihood that potential clients become paying clients.
Ensure they have experience helping law firms
Finally, looking for law firm IT support with experience helping law firms in your practice areas is in your best interest. Law firms have unique technology needs and ethical rules that they must follow. If an IT candidate has extensive experience working with law firms in the past, it can save you both time and money, and it limits the liability associated with the hire.
CloudLex case management software
CloudLex was explicitly designed for personal injury law firms and the unique pain points that these businesses experience. Our case management software boasts many features missing in other platforms, such as the powerful Settlement Calculator, robust intake management software, and expense management for law firms
To find out what else CloudLex has to offer today’s personal injury law firms, contact us today.
