4 SMART REASONS TO AUGMENT YOUR TEAM WITH LEGAL DEVOPS MANAGED
SERVICES
In previous blogs, I’ve stressed the importance of building applications to satisfy the needs of law firms so its
users can work the way they want to work and not how an off-the-shelf solution pushes them to work. I’ve also
written about the importance of having a backup plan for the internal development team or outsourced
development team should the need arise. However, what happens when apps need to be written with the
internal staff and at a speedy dev cycle to handle issues such as the COVID-19 situation?
WHY LAW FIRMS NEED DEVOPS
While every law firm is unique, in my experience, all are looking for ways to save time and money. From
needing developers who understand more than programming languages and coding techniques to improving
the case management process and everything in between, a commonality is being efficient.
Internal teams encounter challenges that external teams do not. Internal teams may have capacity issues
based on competing priorities which increase development times. They may lack the skill set to create efficient
legal software, and the results may be less valuable or even unusable. And your development team needs to
understand and collaborate with your operations team to support your firm’s organizational priorities. At GDSI,
we have worked with hundreds of firms looking for ways to improve the development experience. As a result,
we have identified four reasons to consider augmenting internal development teams with DevOps support.
1. Benefit from Legal Experience
When sourcing outside developers, it may be tempting to locate off-shore developers who quote low-cost rates
for software development. To maximize your return on the development investment, it’s important to engage a
DevOps managed services provider who understands the needs of a law firm.
2. Solve Staff Constraints
Beyond cost savings, there are many instances where IT staff augmentation is the most effective solution.
DevOps managed services can keep projects moving when internal employees are unavailable or out of the
office. Here are a few additional examples of when to consider external development support:
• Unanticipated conditions – the recent impact of the Coronavirus has created staffing problems for many
offices, with potentially extended time away from the office
• Medical issues that cause extended absence
• Maternity leave
• Lack of internal skills
• Time constraints to identify, interview, and hire in-house staff
3. Enhance Service and Productivity
Custom software can improve productivity in your firm. Purchased software is designed to provide basic
functions for any office, but not every office needs the same capabilities. In my experience, there are usually
unique features that would benefit both your clients and firm. Enhancing off-the-shelf products with custom
features has been proven to be an effective way to transform the user experience.
4. Improve Efficiencies and Save Money
Sourcing, training, and maintaining an internal DevOps team can be time-consuming and costly.
Supplementing internal development teams with DevOps teams that collaborate effectively results in
development efforts that improve efficiencies and drive cost savings.
Whether you lead development for a large or mid-size firm, building an experienced and effective team
requires ongoing diligence. Through collaborating with firms across the country, I have found that the most
effective and efficient teams find success through leveraging internal teams with external DevOps support.
PARTNER WITH EXPERIENCE
GDSI has been delivering custom software solutions to law firms, legal software companies, and professional
services firms for 25 years. We are a software design studio delivering creative solutions to the business
challenges inherent in legal operations. Our frequent, relevant communications ensure clients are always
informed. From research and analysis to design and implementation, our judicious approach ensures
sustainable results. We’re about details done right.
For more insights on custom software development, follow me on LinkedIn or email me at DGeller@GDSI.com.