Three Key Consideration to Building your Law Firm Merger?s Technology Dream Team

by Helm 360 Team in Data Services, Digital Eye

Three Key Consideration to Building your Law Firm Merger?s Technology Dream Team

Law firm merger and acquisition (M&A) events are usually accompanied by big, complex system merger projects with a lot riding on them, namely the new entity?s entire foundation.  

Ironically, the secretive nature of M&As prevents?or seriously limits?the ability to plan, which ups the stakes: Will the newly merged data system function properly at go-live?  

One of the most difficult aspects of an M&A systems merger is sourcing a great tech team without spilling the beans about your big move. How do you find qualified professionals? How can you tell they?re a good fit for your project?  

We?re frequently called in to mitigate damage after an unsuccessful data merger. It?s a time consuming, expensive process that hinders the M&A?s forward momentum. We don?t want this to happen to you. 

If you?re planning a merger, use these three key considerations to guide your research, frame your thinking, and vet potential tech pros without an overt inquiry.  

  1. Responsiveness and agility 

Time is of the essence in an M&A. The clock?s ticking and there?s no wiggle room. Legally, the new data environment has to be up and operating by the established go-live date.  

Given the parameters for these projects, success hinges on the tech team?s responsiveness and agility:  

  • Can they spin up quickly?  
  • Are they capable of scaling to meet the project?s needs?  
  • Do they have a delivery model capable of maximizing working hours?  

You need a team that can activate on Day 1, not a week from Day 1. Investigating staffing protocols, team structures, and delivery capabilities helps you weed out the no-go options before the clock starts ticking.  

And if you?re considering handing this project to your in-house tech team, we strongly recommend NOT doing so. Although skilled, their regular responsibilities will conflict with the merger?s need for speed and unwavering focus. Using a legal tech provider ensures the data merger has a designated team while your in-house team continues to support daily workflow during the change.