If you have just started a law firm, having some technical or computer skills can go a long way in terms of making your law firm a success. Lots of law firms will spend significant sums of money having a computer and internet consulting firm help them on a multiplicity of levels.  This can be problematic when a law firm is launching and funds are limited.

If a law firm can set up and remedy items themselves (especially at the beginning), they are at a significant competitive advantage over other law firms where the technical skills are limited.  Having some technical skills can help reduce overhead. It can help reduce the waiting time in terms of anticipating the arrival of a computer repair person. It can also lead to less stress and anxiety when the technology isn’t working.

The reality is there are many technological needs most law firms have when it begins, including:

• Setting up a wireless network in the office;
• Setting a shared networking drive;
• Hooking up a copier to a scanner to create PDFs;
• Setting up a phone system;
• Knowing how to install software and programs from word processing programs, practice management software, or e-mail applications;
• Knowing how to and ensure privacy and protection from viruses and spam ware; or
• Knowing how to create a backup system for electronic storage (from a cloud to a drive in the office).

Obviously, even with some technical skills, most law firms will need a computer repair firm that can assist them. There are some items where a professional has to be called in to set something up or fix a problem. This is especially true where the ability to perform legal work is being affected.

But to the extent that the law firm has the capability of fixing minor problems, and having some technical skills, this can help a law firm be successful where others might struggle.  So, if you are thinking of starting a law firm, and you do not consider yourself technologically savvy, you may want to take some computer skills classes, read some books, hang out with somebody with good technological skills who can help and/ or engage in other actions to make yourself more technologically proficient.

If you can bring your computer skills to a basic level of proficiency, the reality is that most computer issues can be researched online for free if you have some reasonable level of technological proficiency.  For example, you can find great help videos on YouTube for most computer or networking issues you may face.  From doing searches through the major search engines, you can also find lots of helpful information in terms of how to remedy most problems.

If you have any thoughts, feel free to share them below.