Practicing law has become more complex than ever in the digital age. On top of the complications of actual cases, law, and precedent, lawyers must deal with technology that often makes life harder rather than easier.
This is why many companies turn to IT consulting and managed services for law firms.
But what exactly can IT consultants do for lawyers?
How do you find the right partner?
We’ve got all the answers below.
Key takeaways:
- IT consultancies help law firms stay focused on legal practice rather than getting bogged down in IT challenges.
- The best IT consultancies have deep experience with legal software, workflows, and industry requirements for compliance and security.
- IT consultancies can help law firms integrate their systems, eliminating duplicate effort and data entry errors.
What types of services can law firms get from IT consultants?
The best IT consultancies offer comprehensive services for IT and cybersecurity—and they adapt their offerings to the unique needs of legal firms. At a high level, here are the most popular services that Corsica Technologies’ clients request in the legal field.
- IT and cybersecurity consulting
- Managed IT services
- Managed cybersecurity services
- SOCaaS (SOC, i.e. security operations center, as a service)
- Compliance services (ABA, state laws, NIST, HIPAA, FTC Safeguards Rule, and others)
- Data integration solutions and services
- EDI solutions and services
- AI and business transformation services
- IT procurement services
- HaaS (hardware as a service)
- Business growth consulting
- M&A consulting
As a comprehensive MSP (managed service provider) and IT consultancy, Corsica Technologies offers all these services. Law firms typically bundle several services to achieve cost savings and reduce vendor count.
Why do law firms choose IT consulting?
It’s challenging for law firms to tackle their IT challenges with internal resources. Many firms don’t have internal IT teams, as they need to control costs and maximize profits. Even larger companies with internal IT teams may lack specialized skill or bandwidth. Whether a law firm has IT staff or not, they typically choose IT consulting as the most cost-effective way to get specialized help with technology strategy, challenges, and systems.
Will an IT consultancy understand our specific legal tech stack?
If an IT consultancy has experience in the legal industry, they should be familiar with your tech stack. That includes systems like:
- Clio
- iManage
- NetDocuments
- MyCase
- LEDES EDI systems and integrations
The right IT consultancy can help you maximize your practice management software and streamline your EDI workflows. Look for a consultancy that has experience in the legal industry and deep EDI expertise.
How do IT consultancies align their offerings with a law firm’s unique practice areas and growth plans?
The right IT consultancy will take a detailed approach to understanding your practice areas and growth plans. Here’s the process that we recommend at Corsica Technologies.
1. Understand practice‑area workflows
Consultants analyze how each specialty operates—litigation, corporate, IP, real estate, etc.—and map the tech needs tied to their unique workflows and risk levels.
2. Connect technology to firm growth goals
Top consultancies align their solutions with the firm’s strategic plans, such as office expansion, new practice areas, attorney headcount growth, or improved client experience.
3. Address legal risk, ethics, and compliance
Cybersecurity, confidentiality, conflict management, and regulatory requirements guide system design, ensuring the tech stack meets the ethical demands of legal practice.
4. Improve core legal workflows
Consultants streamline end‑to‑end processes (intake, document drafting, e‑discovery, billing) with tools like DMS, automation, AI research, and practice management platforms.
5. Partner with firm leadership
IT consultants collaborate with managing partners, practice chairs, internal IT, and legal ops to uncover pain points, understand client expectations, and ensure alignment with firm culture.
6. Build a three‑year technology roadmap
IT consultancies like Corsica Technologies deliver three-year plans covering cloud adoption, DMS modernization, cybersecurity maturity, AI strategy, and budget forecasting to support firm‑wide growth.
7. Drive lawyer‑focused change management
Training and adoption programs are customized for busy, risk‑averse attorneys—using practice‑specific examples, super‑users, partner briefings, and white‑glove support.
How do IT consultancies ensure compliance with ABA and FTC safeguards?
Top IT consultancies take process-driven, detail-oriented approach to compliance. Here’s what that typically looks like.
1. Build and maintain a written information security program (WISP)
Consultancies create or refine a law firm’s WISP to align with ABA cybersecurity expectations and the FTC Safeguards Rule, documenting security policies, risk management processes, and compliance measures. Regular reviews and automated compliance tracking keep the program current.
2. Implement safeguards required under the FTC rule
The FTC Safeguards Rule was expanded in 2023 to apply to law firms handling financial‑related personal data. It now requires administrative, technical, and physical protections. IT consultancies help firms:
- Conduct risk assessments
- Implement technical controls
- Maintain security around sensitive and financial information
3. Align technology controls with ABA model rules
Consultancies map compliance to relevant ABA Model Rules, including:
- Rule 1.1 (Competence): Staying informed on technology risks
- Rule 1.6 (Confidentiality): Implementing reasonable measures to prevent unauthorized access
- Rule 5.3: Ensuring third‑party technology vendors meet ethical duties
4. Strengthen access controls and authentication
IT consultancies can establish security controls such as:
- Multi‑factor authentication (MFA)
- Role‑based access
- Session monitoring and anomaly detection
These controls are core to both ABA confidentiality expectations and FTC‑mandated safeguards.
5. Encrypt and protect client and case data
IT providers secure data in transit and at rest. They also audit storage systems and restrict document access to authorized personnel, helping clients meet ABA confidentiality rules and FTC data protection requirements.
6. Provide ongoing cybersecurity training and phishing defense
Consultancies help firms meet “reasonable efforts” obligations by delivering:
- Regular employee security training
- Phishing simulations
- Social‑engineering awareness
These services support ABA duties around competence, supervision, and safeguarding client property.
7. Establish incident response and continuous monitoring
IT consultancies develop incident‑response plans that preserve attorney‑client privilege and comply with FTC expectations for breach readiness. Continuous monitoring and annual penetration testing ensure ongoing compliance and risk mitigation.
How can IT consultancies integrate document management, timekeeping, billing, and CRM so attorneys don’t enter the same data multiple times?
IT consultancies integrate document management, timekeeping, billing, and CRM by building a unified data architecture where all systems share a single source of truth. This is typically done through API‑based integrations, workflow automation platforms (like Microsoft Power Automate), and synchronized matter‑centric data models.
When a new client or matter is created in the CRM or intake system, that information automatically populates the document management system, timekeeping tools, and billing platform. This eliminates the need for attorneys to re‑enter details across multiple applications.
IT consultancies also streamline end‑to‑end legal workflows by connecting these systems through standardized fields, automated provisioning, and smart validation rules. For example, once a matter is opened, the system can auto‑create workspace folders in the DMS, set up timekeeping codes, and generate billing profiles in the accounting system. With everything linked, updates in one system cascade across the others, ensuring consistency and freeing attorneys to focus on billable work instead of administrative tasks.
These streamlined workflows help reduce data entry errors and optimize lawyers’ time—so they can focus on their clients and their cases.
How can we securely enable remote/hybrid work while keeping access to case files fast and reliable?
You can support secure remote work by combining strong identity controls with a cloud‑based, matter‑centric file system that keeps client data protected while ensuring fast access. The foundation is a zero‑trust security model using multi‑factor authentication, conditional access policies, device compliance checks, and encrypted connections (e.g., VPN or secure virtual desktops).
When implemented together, these controls ensure that only verified users on trusted devices can reach sensitive case materials. Layering in a modern cloud DMS—such as iManage Cloud, NetDocuments, or Microsoft SharePoint with legal‑grade controls—provides encrypted storage, geographic redundancy, and role‑based permissions that mirror ethical‑wall requirements.
To keep workflows fast and reliable, IT consultancies deploy optimized cloud infrastructure, including local file caching, content delivery networks, and intelligent synchronization. These features allow attorneys to open large pleadings, exhibits, or discovery sets without lag, even over home internet.
IT consultancies typically pair these technologies with modern collaboration tools (Microsoft Teams, secure portals, digital binders) and monitor performance to ensure smooth, real‑time access. Combined, this approach gives attorneys firm‑grade security everywhere they work—without slowing them down.
Can an IT consultancy serve as our “vendor liaison” so we can focus on our practice?
Absolutely. Look for an IT consultancy that provides ongoing managed services, as Corsica Technologies does. Under the managed services umbrella, “vendor liaison” is usually called “IT procurement services.” The IT consultancy takes full ownership of your relationship with different vendors, including procuring new hardware and software as needed—with the client maintaining final approval control.
Learn more here: IT Procurement Services.
What should we look for in an IT consultancy?
Law firms encounter unique challenges in the world of IT and cybersecurity. Not every IT consultancy has experience in the legal industry, which means law firms must engage in a comprehensive discovery process as they vet potential partners.
Here’s everything you should look for in an IT consultancy.
1. Deep expertise in the legal industry
Choose an IT consultancy that knows how law firms actually work. The consultancy should have knowledge of matter‑centric workflows, DMS platforms, intake and conflict‑check processes, e‑discovery, ethical walls, and client confidentiality rules. Law firms also benefit from partners who understand ABA Model Rules, state bar expectations, and the security standards of the legal industry.
2. Strong capabilities in cybersecurity and compliance
The IT consultancy should be capable of building and maintaining zero‑trust architectures, implementing MFA and conditional access, encrypting data, and providing incident‑response planning. They should also be fluent in requirements like the FTC Safeguards Rule, data‑residency concerns, and the law firm’s own ethical obligations to protect client information.
3. Proven experience with legal technology systems
Look for a consultancy that has hands‑on experience with tools like iManage, NetDocuments, Intapp, Aderant, Clio, Litify, Relativity, and Microsoft 365. A knowledgeable consultancy can integrate these systems so attorneys avoid duplicate data entry, keeping workflows efficient.
4. Ability to support remote and hybrid work securely
A strong IT partner should deliver cloud‑based DMS access, secure virtual desktops, optimized network performance, and collaborative tools that preserve attorney‑client privilege while enabling flexibility.
5. Strategic planning, not just technical support
The best IT consultancies help firms build long‑term technology roadmaps—covering cloud adoption, AI, cybersecurity maturity, automation, and digital transformation—aligned with the firm’s practice areas and growth plans.
6. Reliable, responsive support
Law firms need fast, knowledgeable support, especially for litigation deadlines and time‑sensitive matters. A consultancy should offer 24/7 monitoring, proactive maintenance, and legal‑focused helpdesk expertise.
7. Strong change management and training capabilities
Attorneys are busy and risk‑averse. This means an IT consultancy should provide tailored training, rollout planning, partner‑level communication, and user‑adoption strategies that fit the culture of a legal environment.
The takeaway: Get the IT consulting perspective you need
Practicing law is more complex than ever in today’s digital ecosystem. The right IT consultancy can help you navigate the waters of technology, making crucial decisions to secure information and reduce waste. Here at Corsica Technologies, we’ve helped 1,000+ companies achieve their goals through technology. Contact us today, and let’s take your next step.
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