When conveyancing solicitors open a new office, the IT they need is connectivity ordered early, secure access to the same systems as every other site, a properly set-up network and Wi-Fi, devices and phones ready for day one, and consistent security and backups. Planned ahead and delivered as part of managed IT, this usually costs about £45 to £100 per user per month, and it means the new office works from the first morning rather than playing catch-up.
Opening an office is exciting and busy, and IT is the part most often left too late. For a growing Bishop’s Stortford practice, a little planning turns the move into a non-event. Here is what to line up.
Order connectivity early
Business broadband or a leased line can take weeks to install, so this is the first thing to arrange, not the last. Getting the order in early, with a resilient or backup connection where it matters, avoids the all-too-common situation of a finished office that cannot actually get online on opening day.
One system across every office
The new office should feel like part of the same practice, not a separate island. Staff need secure access to the same LEAP, files and Microsoft 365 as everyone else, so a matter can move between offices and people can cover for each other. Consistency here is what keeps the practice joined up as it grows.
Network, Wi-Fi and security
A new site needs a properly designed network and secure Wi-Fi, not a consumer router from a high-street shop. Doing it right from the start, with a business firewall, segregated guest access and the same security standards as your other offices, avoids weak spots that are expensive to fix later.
Devices and phones ready to go
Laptops or PCs should arrive set up, secured and ready to use, and a cloud phone system makes adding the new office quick, with staff on the same numbers and features as everywhere else. Having everything configured before opening day means people can simply sit down and work.
Consistent security and backups
The new office must come under the same protection as the rest of the practice from day one: multi-factor authentication, endpoint security, application allowlisting and backups that include the new site. Bolting security on afterwards leaves a window of risk, so it should be part of the build, not a follow-up.
What to ask a provider
A specialist for conveyancing solicitors should be able to answer:
- How early do we need to order connectivity, and will you manage it?
- Will the new office have the same secure access to LEAP and Microsoft 365?
- Who designs the network, Wi-Fi and firewall?
- Will devices and phones arrive set up and secured?
- Is it all covered by a clear, per-user price?
A real example: routine office openings
We supported a conveyancing practice as it grew from one office to six in two years, with standardised systems, consistent security and reliable backups across every site. Opening each new office became routine rather than a project, because the IT was planned and consistent every time.
Getting an office opening right
The practices that open a new office smoothly are the ones that treat IT as part of the project from the start, not a job for the final week. Connectivity is ordered as soon as the lease is signed, the network and security are designed before anyone moves in, devices and phones arrive configured and tested, and access to LEAP, files and Microsoft 365 is ready so staff can sit down and work on the first morning. The opening becomes a non-event, which is exactly what you want when there is already plenty else to think about.
Get it wrong and the pattern is painfully familiar: a finished office with no working internet for weeks, staff on personal devices and home broadband, security bolted on late, and a stressed team trying to serve clients on half-built systems. The cost of doing it properly is modest and predictable per user; the cost of doing it badly is lost productivity, unhappy staff and avoidable risk right when you are trying to make a good impression in a new location.
Why conveyancing solicitors choose First Stop IT
First Stop IT has supported businesses since 2002, including conveyancing solicitors and high-street practices, and we know the software you run every day: LEAP, Oyez forms, eSigner, BigHand, Sage Payroll, PTP and Xero, alongside Microsoft 365. We support conveyancing solicitors in Harlow, Bishop’s Stortford, Sawbridgeworth, London and across Essex and Hertfordshire. Our credentials include:
- Cyber Essentials Certified
- IASME Cyber Assurance (Gold)
- NCSC Assured Service Provider (Cyber Advisor for Cyber Essentials)
- Microsoft Partner
- Crown Commercial Service Supplier (G-Cloud)
- Quality Principles Certified
We look after more than 2,000 endpoints across 50 companies, we have been named a Top 50 UK MSP for three years running, and we support organisations with 10 to 100 employees across Essex, Hertfordshire and London, including Harlow and Bishop’s Stortford.
Book a free IT and cyber security review
Want this set up properly for your practice? Book a free IT and cyber security review with First Stop IT.