Quiss Technology: Is Microsoft Teams the only collaboration platform law firms need?
Microsoft estimates around 13 million people use Teams every day, so it’s perhaps no coincidence it is becoming the default platform for workplace collaboration, internally with colleagues and externally with clients, amongst technology-focused UK law firms.
However, providing a secure hub for collaboration through routine communications, conferencing and information sharing, related to projects, matters and clients, does not come without risks, from a document management and information control perspective.
In today’s increasingly fast-paced legal environment, with clients demanding more for less, it is critical that legal professionals can find the correct version of the documents they need to work with to progress client matters efficiently, wherever they are working.
Robust security is also crucial to ensure sensitive materials and related communications can only be shared or accessed by authorized individuals, whether or not they are part of the business or not.
No time for a free-for-all
Teams consolidates multiple applications to make it possible in one place to view work, discuss it live and collaborate effectively, to speed up the progress on legal matters and deliver a competitive edge for their clients.
In addition, to the meetings, calling and chat, it brings planning and task management tools into a single hub. And above all everyone knows how to use it and it connects with the Microsoft Office 365 tools users recognize, from spreadsheets to email.
It’s easy to understand the appeal of having all the solutions in one place, which saves time and improves efficiency. Teams makes meetings effective, removing confusion from collaboration and communication to help user make better informed decisions.
However, this surge in popularity of Teams is not without its problems. Given the significant effort law firms have expended to comply with Data Protection demands, now is not the time to allow users to create any Team they see fit and cause a free-for-all with sensitive content.
Needing to keep track of information and the status of every matter makes it advisable to not allow anyone the freedom to create Teams how they want, without adhering to naming conventions and controls relating to managing the life of the Team and it’s closure.
Seeking external specialist support to harness the power of Teams will provide the control law firms need to ensure their people are comfortable collaborating through the platform, within necessary boundaries, to create a service their clients will value.
