Your Firm Needs a [Legal] Technology Audit.
A technology audit from LawTech Partners examines your firm’s Information Technology (IT) infrastructure; and involves the collection and evaluation of the firm’s information systems, practices, business processes and operations.
Value to the Firm
- Verifies that systems and applications are appropriate, efficient, and secure.
- Provides decision-makers with the information they need to make the technology decisions that will affect the operational efficiency and bottom-line of the business.
- Identifies disparate systems that no longer serve the organization and pose a risk of business interruption.
The Technology Audit Covers
- Network & servers
- Desktops
- Applications
- Integration of technology with business processes & workflow
The Process
Information is normally gathered through an initial questionnaire and on-site visit(s) to examine computers, printers, servers, and software/applications used to share information or data across your firm. We can perform a remote technology under the right circumstances and with the proper support at the law firm’s end.
We’ll provide you with a questionnaire prior to our visit. The questionnaire should be returned in advance of scheduled on-site interviews. That way, the time we spend on-site will be as productive as possible – we’ll be able to accomplish more in less time, helping to keep the cost of the audit to a minimum. The questionnaire also serves the purpose of getting everyone involved thinking about how technology is affecting their work day, their performance and productivity, and the balance of workflow throughout the firm.
The most critical aspect of the discovery process is meeting with stakeholders – attorneys and staff to gain a clear understanding of the firm’s goals, objectives and overall technology strategic plan. By meeting with stakeholders, we can help identify whether or not existing technology is meeting the needs of various departments within the firm and can further recommend technology solutions which are cost effective. We promise to keep our attorney interviews limited in scope and as short as possible.
On a day/s convenient to all, we’ll meet and interview selected attorneys and staff. We’ll discuss in further detail the answers provided to the questions on the pre-visit questionnaire. Technical and network information not gathered prior to our on-site visit will be collected. The steps are for the purpose of creating a technical benchmark documenting the current status of your technology.
How can you contribute to the success of the audit?
We really just need information, time and cooperation. It’s great to have…
- Preparation and return of the pre-visit questionnaire
- Access to attorneys and staff the day of the on-site visit
- Access to all hardware (computer room, servers, desktops, laptops, etc.)
- Access to software including passwords
Project Deliverables
Once the information is gathered, we go to work analyzing the data and preparing a report for your review. We then meet at your convenience (in person or via conference) to discuss the results of the audit and our recommendations. You can expect to receive your report within 2-3 weeks of completion of our on-site visit.
Technology Audit Fees and Costs
The final cost of a technology audit will depend n the size of your Firm and is based on an hourly rate of $300. We have found that the average cost for a Firm with 15-20 total employees and standard infrastructure is about $8,500. In addition to on-site discovery, we estimate 6 hours off-site, administration and report preparation and a conference call to your office post-visit to discuss in detail, the results. Any further work (consulting, training, optional services) can be discussed and negotiated.
Technology Contract/s Review
Review of service provider contracts such as Internet service and telephone [contracts/billing including long distance agreements], software and hardware maintenance & support agreements. Review of existing contracts while recommended is optional and will result in an increase to the cost of the audit.