Your clients trust you with their most sensitive information. Is your technology helping you protect that trust?
Every law firm depends on technology, whether it’s managing case files, communicating with clients, researching case law, or meeting court deadlines. Yet many firms don’t think about their technology until something stops working.
The real purpose of technology isn’t to have the newest computers or the latest software. It’s to help your attorneys serve clients efficiently, protect confidential information, and keep the practice running without interruption.
A single hardware failure, ransomware attack, or missed backup can disrupt operations for days and damage a reputation that took years to build.
The good news is that most technology risks are preventable.
Here are five questions every law firm should be asking.
1. If your primary server failed today, how quickly could your firm be back in business?
Downtime isn’t just an inconvenience. Every hour without access to client files can mean missed deadlines, delayed communication, lost billable time, and frustrated clients.
Ask your IT provider:
- What is our expected recovery time?
- When was our disaster recovery plan last tested?
- Can attorneys continue working remotely during an outage?
2. Are your backups actually being tested?
Many firms have backups.
Far fewer know whether those backups can actually be restored.
A backup that has never been tested is simply an assumption.
Ask:
- How often are backups verified?
- Are both local and off-site copies maintained?
- When was the last successful test restore?
3. How well is your Microsoft 365 account protected?
Email has become the primary target for cybercriminals.
Compromised email accounts can expose confidential client communications, financial information, and sensitive legal documents.
Every attorney and staff member should have:
- Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)
- Strong password policies
- Ongoing security awareness training
4. Who actually owns your firm’s technology?
Many firms are surprised to learn they don’t have direct access to critical systems.
Make sure your firm controls:
- Microsoft 365 tenant
- Domain registration
- Email accounts
- Administrative passwords
- Cloud storage
- Backup systems
Ownership should always remain with the law firm—not the IT provider.
5. Could your attorneys work tomorrow if the office were inaccessible?
Whether caused by a power outage, fire, internet failure, or another unexpected event, your attorneys should be able to continue serving clients.
Consider:
- Secure remote access
- Cloud-based file access
- Remote phones
- Mobile communication
- Business continuity planning
Protecting Your Practice
Technology should never become another source of stress.
Its purpose is simple:
- Protect your clients’ information.
- Keep your attorneys productive.
- Reduce business risk.
- Support the continued growth of your firm.
When technology is managed proactively, attorneys spend less time worrying about systems and more time serving clients.
Questions to Ask Your IT Provider
Before your next technology review, ask these five questions:
☐ How quickly can we recover from a major outage?
☐ When were our backups last tested?
☐ Is Multi-Factor Authentication enabled for every user?
☐ Does our firm own every critical technology account?
☐ Can every attorney continue working if the office is unavailable?
About Computers, Inc.
For more than 20 years, Computers, Inc. has helped Las Vegas businesses use technology to improve productivity, reduce risk, and support long-term growth.
We believe technology should make your business stronger—not become another problem to manage.
