The year is ending, your firm is growing and suddenly you find yourself in need of additional support for 2020—whether via case management software, intake specialists, media companies, case specific solutions, or otherwise.
Researching potential vendors to provide your firm with services can be a daunting task, however.
So, who can you turn to for a sound recommendation?
- Your Trial Lawyer Association(s)
It’s likely you belong or have access to, a local, state or national trial lawyer association. This can be a great place to start in terms of obtaining advice on choosing a reputable company for the services you’re seeking.
Begin by checking your TLA’s website for a listing of “partners” or “resources” that work with law firms like yours. Many times you’ll find a repository of vendors with which the TLA or its members have first-hand experience. This can assist you in narrowing down the field of third-party solutions.
Additionally, your TLA may endorse certain companies and the services they provide. If an endorsement of a particular vendor is made, it’s probable that the TLA has thoroughly vetted its product and determined that the company is a trustworthy choice for its members.
- Other Attorneys
Word of mouth can be one of the best ways to learn of dependable vendors for your law firm needs. Reach out to your peers to find out who they’ve done business with in the past and who they’d recommend based on their own experiences.
Another option is to utilize listservs or ask other online professional communities to provide feedback on vendors. Usually, people are more than willing to share their thoughts, especially when they’ve had either an excellent experience or negative dealings with a company. Sending out a message asking for suggestions on whom to choose can be a quick and easy way to get quality responses from your fellow attorneys.
- Tradeshows
You probably already attend live seminars or conferences to get CLE credits or keep up with the latest developments in your practice area. Events of that nature are a great chance to check out many vendors at one time and speak with company representatives at their exhibit booths or during networking receptions.
Take the opportunity to compare several different services while you have access to multiple vendors in the same venue. By doing this, you can learn about pricing, supplementary solutions and benefits that each may offer, plus gain insight into how they’d be to work with. Make sure to ask if the companies can provide references, such as attendees at the conference who have used their services.
All in all, when you’re about to embark on hiring a new vendor to help further your firm or your client’s needs, it’s important to adequately vet the company’s services because you’re about to make an investment in them. With assurances from your TLA or attorney peers, you’ll make the right choice for a successful venture which in turn will help advance your cases and your firm.
