The Benefits of UCaaS for Law Firms of Any Size

No matter how big or small the practice, today's law firms often struggle to find the best communication solutions. There are countless ways to stay in contact with clients and associates, from email and chat apps to practice management systems and traditional phone calls. Managing each of these separate channels is often just another stressor in an already fast-paced industry.

This is where unified communications-as-a-service (UCaaS) can help. UCaaS for law firms can solve problems faced by practices of various sizes. While small firms might need more time and resources for recruiting new talent, large firms might require the ability to communicate between offices on a global scale. With its ability to provide flexible and scalable communications to small and large businesses alike, a UCaaS platform can be the right problem-solving technology for a firm of any size.

Here's what UCaaS can offer everyone from international law firms to small family practices.

Small Law Firms: Managing Time and Resources

Running a small law firm, or even a solo practice, has its benefits. You're more in control of your time, the cases you take, and who to hire. But small law firms aren't immune to communication challenges. Having more ways to communicate means taking time to learn and manage new tools — time that could be otherwise spent servicing clients — and with only a few hands on deck, associates can easily get overloaded trying to facilitate collaboration.

With a UCaaS platform, however, associates don't need to spend time maintaining tools, managing multiple communications channels, or learning interfaces. Team members can handle their communications from a single platform that looks and feels the same across devices. You can take a client call on your smartphone while commuting to the office, then seamlessly transition to your desktop to share documents with clients and associates. You can also integrate existing cloud-based applications like G Suite and Office 365 into the platform, so lawyers can communicate with their clients and colleagues through their preferred channels via one centralized system.

UCaaS also makes training new hires or temporary staff easier. According to Law Firm Suites, finding and managing staff is the fourth biggest challenge for small law firms, partly because associates at these firms have to balance case management with billing, accounting, and marketing. Instead of having to take time away from clients to onboard new hires to several different systems, associates can train them via one platform, saving time and ensuring smooth, uninterrupted client communication along the way.

Because they save small law firms money on tech upkeep and IT management, and scale as the firm grows without requiring additional equipment, unified communications solutions can be a game-changing technology for small law firms.

In the high-stakes legal industry, communication is key. Every law firm — big or small — has unique pain points that can be mitigated with a UCaaS platform.

Mid-Sized Law Firms: Cultivating Growth

Cost-effective scaling is essential for mid-sized law firms, and communication is a vital part of that process. As a firm expands into other regions, states, or offices, it can rely on a UCaaS platform to keep all associates and partners in constant contact no matter their location.

UCaaS is cloud-based, so firms don't need to install expensive equipment in every office. Funneling communications through one centralized platform enables lawyers and staff to work from anywhere and from any device with an internet connection.

For example, a partner in New York City can use her tablet to video conference with an associate in a new office in Boston, who joins the conference via her smartphone. As they discuss the recent expansion, they can use a chat app connected to the same platform to bring a third associate into the conversation, all while sharing case documentation through an integrated business application. This type of seamless communication can help a mid-sized law firm grow while staying on top of the competition.

For mid-sized law firms that often have to compete with large firms for talent, UCaaS not only functions as an integrated communications tool but a recruiting tool as well. Young lawyers expect to be able to work from anywhere, not just the office, and UCaaS helps make that possible by providing mobile capabilities and strong networks to connect lawyers remotely on the device of their choice. With UCaaS, mid-sized law firms look more attractive to new law graduates and seasoned lawyers alike, helping them compete with even the biggest firms.

Large Law Firms: Communicating Globally

While large law firms often have the resources that small law firms lack and the growth that mid-sized firms aspire to, they sometimes face the unique challenge of having to communicate globally with clients and colleagues around the world. From time zone differences to the dreaded dropped internet connection to legacy systems that don't play nice with sophisticated technology, communication can threaten the efficiency of a large firm's operations.

Enter UCaaS and its adaptability. With SIP trunking that connects an analog phone system to a voice-over-internet protocol (VoIP) or a cloud-based phone system, a large firm can easily update their communications systems and streamline collaboration within a strong network. By integrating APIs into a UCaaS system, these firms can send SMS, chat, or voice messages with guaranteed speed and delivery. Video conference in HD with offices in London, Dubai, and New York; finalize a new contract via a VoIP-hosted voice call with clients in Taipei or Shanghai; or send trial documents to colleagues down the hall in Miami through an integrated application. UCaaS for law firms lets large law firms like yours deliver exceptional client service without eating into firm profits.

In the high-stakes legal industry, communication is key. Every law firm — big or small — has unique pain points that can be mitigated with a UCaaS platform. With unified communications for law firms, lawyers can collaborate easily and get the seamless connection they need to succeed.