Within this article, we will cover:
- The foundational IT decisions to make at the very start
- The business activities you need to organise
- What you need to do to complete your IT, either by yourself or with an IT professional
Starting a new firm is a big endeavour, and one that requires serious thought to get up and running. There are a lot of details that need to be considered but these can also become time-consuming rabbit holes and detract from the most important aspects of building your new profile and getting good work from good clients.
To help you get started we’ve put together a checklist for IT and the issues new practices most often ask us.
Before you do anything else, make these 5 decisions:
And then make these business decisions:
And then there is IT…
As a lawyer starting up a new firm, you can be your own secretary, accountant, and sales team, one thing you shouldn’t do is your IT.
Many people underestimate the inter-dependencies of IT systems, software and hardware and what’s involved in getting it set up. What might seem like a straightforward task can quickly become overwhelming. And what might seem like a short term fix can prevent you from scaling up quickly when the time comes.
If you’d like someone to take the IT hassle off your hands then contact us. We only work with law firms and we look after more than 800 practitioners in Australia. We can purchase equipment and set you up in a secure environment with system backups and provide online access from any device in three days. As a bonus, we’ll throw in a subscription to Office 365.
We also have a number of practitioners who have been in your shoes and would be happy to share their experience and tips for getting started. Reach out via the form below for a list of relevant firms.
Don’t underestimate what you’ll need from IT
Your new firm will need to make the following decisions in line with your long term planning:
- Time and billing software
- Document creation
- Website
- Email addresses
- Document management
- Multi-user accessibility
- Phone number
- Stable internet connection
- Security and backup
- Shared storage
- Domain name and website hosting
- Printer choice and setup
- Multimedia storage
- Ongoing IT support
But it doesn’t stop there. It’s also important to consider the future needs of the firm, in order to make smart long-term decisions that set you up for growth. As the firm grows and technology changes, will your IT continue to support you?
Failing to put the right amount of thought into IT setup can cause problems later on. More than likely, it will mean wearing the cost and downtime of repurchasing and reconfiguring your systems.
IT is complex, but vital for your firm to function
Any delay to your firm’s IT set up will mean loss of revenue from delayed practice. But while you need it done quickly, you also need it done right.
Law firms have different IT needs to other business – your applications, document security requirements and work practices are completely unique, so you need your IT to be set up with this in mind.
That means your set up and ongoing support provider needs more than just technical skills. They need the know-how and industry experience to help you make the right decisions from the start, and overcome any issues along the way.
Set your firm up for success with Innessco
Innessco have been providing IT set-up and support services to boutique law firms across Australia for over 20 years. We work exclusively in the law industry, support over 35 firms and 800 practitioners in Australia, and have an expert understanding of what IT is needed to support your specific firm.
Fast & Efficient set-up
Industry expertise
Supports firm growth
All services, one provider
Here’s why you should consider Innessco:
- Our systems, without any major change, can help you grow from 1 to 40 users.
- Tried & tested formula
- We’ll work with your current PC
- Tier 1 file security and document management
- Reliable IT
- Ability to get out of the contract within 1 month if unsatisfied
Don’t just take our word for it!

Pricing
Users | Cost (per month) |
---|---|
1 | $200 |
2 | $400 |
3 | $600 |
4 | $800 |
5 | $1,000 |
5+ | Lets have a chat |