When I landed my first law firm client, I didn’t have a formal business plan or a slick pitch deck. What I had was trust, which I had earned over years in the trenches.
My first law firm client came from a group of attorneys I’d worked with at a previous firm, where I was the IT manager. When they decided to start their own practice, they needed someone they could trust to handle their IT. They had worked with me in the past and felt confident in my abilities to help them.
I had 10-plus years of working in-house at law firms. It was the perfect opportunity to branch out on my own. BASE Solutions LLC was born out of that opportunity.
Why I Focused on Law Firms
After that first project, it made sense to lean deeper into the legal vertical. I had an innate knowledge of law firm tech as well as how to effectively communicate with lawyers.
Being able to speak their language and move at their pace made me a more effective partner. That’s something many generalist MSPs struggle with when they try to enter the legal space cold.
Understanding the Legal IT Landscape
The biggest challenge with law firms is how unique each firm operates as well as how different practice areas are structured and run.
This isn’t a one-size-fits-all vertical. A boutique litigation firm will have different IT needs than a large estate planning group. The tools they rely on, the way they handle documents, and even how they communicate internally all vary.
Atul Bhagat
In addition, legal compliance, security, and uptime are mission-critical. If something goes wrong with their systems, it could cost them thousands in lost time — or worse, risk client trust.
Refining the Sales Pitch
To win legal clients, we had to adjust how we talked about our services. Most attorneys don’t care about technical jargon. They want to know how IT impacts their business.
So, we adjusted our sales pitch to truly highlight the benefits of outsourced IT, and how it reduces internal time waste and improves profitability. Law firms are always looking to improve the bottom line. This resonates with them better than anything else.
Lessons from the Early Days
Like a lot of new business owners, I initially made the mistake of over-promising. Starting out as an MSP, it’s easy to want to give your clients everything, but it’s important not to over-promise.
If you promise more than you can deliver, you risk disappointing the client. You don’t want a situation where you have to go back and renegotiate because of something you promised but couldn’t deliver. That damages trust, and in the legal space, credibility is everything.
Are Law Firms ‘Difficult?’
Law firms can be demanding, but surprisingly, they are loyal clients. If you do right by them, they’ll do right by you as well. And their referrals go a long way.
At the end of the day, clients value communication over everything. As long as we are doing that, the client will be happy. With the right tech solutions in place, law firms can be in a strategic position to continue their growth and, thus, grow with us.
For MSPs considering vertical specialization, law firms are a smart play — if you’re willing to invest in understanding the field.
Advice for Getting Started
If you’re thinking about serving law firms, here’s my advice: Know the lingo and the tech. Without that, you will be lost and not be able to service the client, which will lead to a truly unhappy client.
Law firms, while complex, have a true sense of loyalty toward those they work with. If you’re willing to learn and willing to be the partner they can count on, you’ll do well.
ATUL BHAGAT
President/CEO, BASE Solutions LLC
- Founded: 2009
- Headquarters: Tysons Corner, VA
- No. of Employees: 7
- Website: basesolutionsllc.com
- Company Focus/service: Providing a truly bespoke managed services offering
- Professional Memberships: The Tech Degenerates/Channel Co. Advisory Board member
- Recommended Book: How to Win at the Sport of Business by Mark Cuban
- Favorite Part of Your Job: Strategizing with clients on how to use technology to further their business goals
- Least Favorite Part: Unhappy clients. When a client is upset, I take it personally and make it my mission to fix things.
- What People Are Surprised to Learn about Me: I love music (hip-hop and EDM).
Images: Atul Bhagat
