How Should a Law Firm Plan Its Technology When Opening or Expanding an Office?

Direct Answer

A law firm opening or expanding an office should plan its technology before signing leases, ordering furniture, or moving employees.

The plan should include internet service, network infrastructure, an air-conditioned technology room, computers, phones, cybersecurity, cloud systems, printers, backups, and how employees will work from the new location.

Technology decisions made too late can lead to delays, unexpected costs, and compromises that could have been avoided.

Why This Matters

Opening or expanding an office involves many vendors and deadlines.

Internet service may take time to install. Cabling may need to be completed before walls or furniture are finished. Computers and phones need to be configured before employees arrive.

Technology should be part of the office plan from the beginning, not added after the space is ready.

Editor’s Insight

Technology infrastructure should be part of the office blueprint, not added after the plans are finished. Too often, a cramped or poorly located technology room is squeezed into leftover space, creating avoidable problems from the start.

What Technology Should a Law Firm Plan Before Opening or Expanding an Office?

1. Internet, Network Infrastructure, and the Technology Room

Plan for:

  • Business-class internet service
  • Firewall and network security
  • Wired network connections
  • Wi-Fi coverage
  • Network switches and equipment
  • Cabling for offices, conference rooms, printers, and phones
  • A dedicated technology room with 24/7 air conditioning

The technology room needs enough space for the firewall, switches, internet equipment, battery backups, and related hardware.

This equipment runs continuously and generates heat. The room therefore needs cooling even when the building's regular air conditioning is shut off overnight or on weekends.

Internet service, cabling, and the technology room should all be planned before the office buildout is completed.

2. Computers and Workstations

Determine:

  • How many attorneys and staff need computers
  • Whether they need desktops, laptops, or both
  • Whether existing computers should be moved or replaced
  • Monitor requirements
  • Docking stations and accessories
  • Replacement plans for aging equipment

Moving outdated computers into a new office can create problems immediately after opening.

3. Phones and Communication

Plan for:

  • Business phone service
  • Direct numbers
  • Voicemail
  • Mobile access
  • Conference-room calling
  • Call routing between offices

If the firm is expanding, decide how calls should move between locations and whether employees should be able to use the same phone system from either office.

4. Practice Management, Cloud Applications, and Remote Access

Review the systems employees need to access, including:

  • Practice management software
  • Document management
  • Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace
  • Accounting and billing applications
  • Cloud file storage
  • Secure remote access

The goal is to avoid creating separate systems for each office. Applications, file storage, access permissions, and remote-access methods should be planned so the firm can manage them consistently across locations.

5. Cybersecurity, Backup, and Disaster Recovery

The new office should follow the firm's existing cybersecurity standards.

Plan for:

  • Multi-factor authentication
  • Endpoint protection
  • Email security
  • Firewall protection
  • Security monitoring
  • User permissions
  • Security awareness training
  • Backups
  • Disaster recovery

New computers and systems should be included in the firm's security, backup, and recovery plans from the beginning.

A second office should not become a weaker entry point into the firm's network.

6. Printers, Office Equipment, and Move-In Testing

Plan for:

  • Network printers
  • Scanners
  • Multifunction devices
  • Secure printing
  • Conference-room technology
  • Any specialized office equipment

The installation schedule should also include internet service, network equipment, computers, phones, printers, and testing.

Everything should be tested before attorneys and staff arrive.

The first day in a new office should not also be the first day the technology is tested.

When Should the IT Company Become Involved?

The IT company should be involved while the office is still being planned.

It can review the layout, internet availability, cabling, technology-room requirements, equipment needs, and move schedule before decisions become difficult or expensive to change.

Bringing IT in after construction or furniture installation can leave inadequate space to install, run, and manage the technology properly. That can lead to outages, longer remediation times, lost productivity, and lost revenue.

Two Questions We Hear

What should a law firm ask the landlord before signing a lease?

Ask whether the building can provide the internet service, cabling access, electrical capacity, and technology-room conditions the firm will need.

Pay particular attention to whether the technology room can have 24/7 air conditioning. Some buildings shut off regular air conditioning overnight and on weekends, while the firm's network equipment continues running and generating heat.

A technology room that becomes too hot can shut down the firm's network and bring business operations to a halt.

Can a law firm simply move its existing computers into the new office?

Sometimes, but the equipment should be reviewed first.

Aging computers, unsupported operating systems, or devices that no longer meet the firm's needs can create problems immediately after the move.

Three Key Takeaways

  1. Technology infrastructure should be part of the office blueprint, including a properly sized technology room with 24/7 air conditioning.
  2. Before signing a lease, confirm that the building can support the firm's internet, cabling, electrical, and 24/7 cooling requirements.
  3. The technology should be installed and tested before attorneys and staff begin working from the new location.

Related Articles

Technology should help your law firm practice law more securely, efficiently, and confidently, not become another distraction.