| A legal entity is one in which a business is | | | | focus on keeping the technology up and running! |
| permitted to legally enter into a contract with a | | | | The simple truth is that most companies will save |
| different party and be subject to lawsuits if they | | | | significantly more and more valuable time, money |
| do not keep their contractual obligations. Every | | | | and energy by seeking an external source to take |
| legal entity has IT, or information technology, | | | | care of these issues, another reason why more |
| needs. IT involves the use of computers and | | | | and more legal entities are turning to external |
| telecommunications to receive, store and transmit | | | | sources for legal IT needs. What a legal entity |
| information. An interesting fact is that recently | | | | and any other business should be focusing their |
| the question has come up as to why more and | | | | time, money and other resources on are things |
| more legal entities are turning to external sources | | | | that will increase company revenue. |
| for legal IT needs. We will explore those reasons | | | | Marketing products is an essential part of any legal |
| here. | | | | entity. Marketing is what draws leads and allows |
| After the new creation of any business, law | | | | a company to succeed. Another reason why |
| office, or otherwise, the owner will usually be able | | | | more and more legal entities are turning to |
| to maintain every part of the business at first, | | | | external sources for legal IT needs is because |
| including information technology needs. As the | | | | they want to focus on marketing and generating |
| business begins to grow, however, and more | | | | leads. Along those lines, establishing |
| employees hop on board, it becomes apparent | | | | customer-employee relationships and being able to |
| just how unmanageable everything is to one | | | | provide outstanding customer service and support |
| person or group of people. This is when it | | | | is an important focus. Obviously legal entities |
| becomes necessary to understand the benefits | | | | hope to stay out of legal baffles as much as |
| and reasons why more and more legal entities are | | | | possible, and if the main focus is on IT needs and |
| turning to external sources for legal IT and LPO | | | | not on the specific needs of the company, such |
| needs. A legal entity needs time, money and | | | | goals may not be achieved. |
| manpower to manage every money-making part | | | | It has been discussed that once a corporation |
| of the business. Wasting valuable resources on | | | | becomes large and established enough it may |
| something that can easily be outsourced is an | | | | become time to outsource the IT needs. How |
| unwise business move. | | | | do you recognize when that time has come? |
| Today, companies are struggling to make more | | | | You be the judge. When it seems to you like |
| out of less, and legal entities are no exception. | | | | the demands of the internal information |
| Money is tighter than ever, yet Legal IT costs | | | | technology department are negatively impacting |
| continue to soar. Specialized software for law | | | | the more business related activities, then that is a |
| offices consistently ranks as some of the most | | | | sign that it may be time to go to an external |
| expensive on the market (and the most difficult | | | | source for help. A legal entity should never feel |
| to learn). In an effort to save cash, legal entities | | | | crippled by its IT department. If it becomes |
| in the past attempted to complete all their legal IT | | | | apparent that progress is slowing down due to |
| needs by themselves – and Paralegals can be | | | | the need to purchase more computers and other |
| expensive. As time has gone by and more | | | | supplies for the IT workers, this is another sign. |
| experience has been had by these companies, | | | | When the resources you currently have for |
| they are coming to a realization that outsourcing | | | | completing IT tasks becomes insufficient, instead |
| can actually be less expensive. By outsourcing | | | | of spending more on supplies and expanding the |
| technology needs, a business can benefit from | | | | internal department, seriously consider the |
| having a separate full-time staff of professional IT | | | | reasons why more and more legal entities are |
| workers at a fraction of the cost of attempting | | | | turning to external sources for legal IT needs. |
| to do it all yourself. External sources that | | | | The obvious drawbacks of ignoring the need to |
| specialize in IT services can offer such benefits as | | | | outsource IT needs are many. Apart from the |
| website hosting, computer networking and overall | | | | other points already mentioned including waste of |
| IT support. This crucial part of any business | | | | time, money and resources when done internally, |
| simply cannot be overlooked, and it is becoming | | | | IT staff require benefits. When you have an |
| apparent why more and more legal entities are | | | | internal department, you will have to provide |
| turning to external sources for legal IT needs. | | | | those benefits, as well as time and resources to |
| Do today’s lawyers really have the time, | | | | get new staff trained. You also can easily end |
| money, and patience to handle things such as | | | | up overpaying an internal IT staff member |
| desktop and laptop maintenance, server | | | | because the agreed upon salary is usually not |
| installations and application management, | | | | based on the actual amount of work they will be |
| databases, network infrastructure, and | | | | completing. The disadvantages of internally hiring |
| customized software development? | | | | IT staff greatly outweigh the benefits, making it |
| Apart from saving capital, a legal entity can also | | | | obvious why more and more legal entities are |
| save valuable time by outsourcing technology | | | | turning to external sources for legal IT needs. |
| needs. This gives the partners and employees | | | | Legal entities can become severely stuck in a rut |
| alike the freedom of more time to focus their | | | | of no progression if they refuse to outsource to |
| efforts on advantageous daily procedures. The | | | | an external information technology service |
| only large, very developed companies that should | | | | provider. This is why more and more legal |
| not be outsourcing their information technology | | | | entities are turning to external sources for legal IT |
| needs to an outside service provider should be | | | | needs. They recognize the need to grow their |
| the IT service providers themselves. You | | | | company and understand that turning to the |
| created the legal entity you own to deliver | | | | option of outsourcing is a very useful way to |
| contractual services to your customers, not to | | | | attain the desired growth. |