Issue link: https://epubs.iltanet.org/i/37773
consider. However, once an attorney requests that the IT department provide a detailed report of everyone that has accessed a set of documents within one of the extranets, it becomes apparent how important a built-in reporting tool is. A good extranet should permit the law firm to customize reports that are important to its users and, ideally, to have standard reports handled by the extranet manager instead of IT. STEP THREE: IMPLEMENT AND ENJOY Finally, you must determine the best approach for your firm to acquire extranet capabilities. There are three options here: build, buy or borrow. Each option has its advantages and disadvantages. In some cases, firms with adequate software development resources prefer to build their own extranet solutions through custom development on Microsoft SharePoint or some other platform. Custom development offers a law firm a blank slate on which the firm can design and build anything it wants. This sounds intriguing until the firm puts a pencil to the expense of the effort. Custom development requires a high level of commitment and an appetite for managing the software development process. In my opinion, the largest risks associated with custom development are that the firm has no guarantee that the software will meet its objectives once the budget is depleted. Additionally, the firm is directly responsible for all enhancements, and if the firm’s developer finds new employment, the firm must live with an unsupported application until a new developer can be hired to manage it. For many of these reasons, most law firms today prefer not to develop custom software unless they must. Extranets are a mature offering with a number of very capable products available for purchase. 10 Portal Platforms ILTA White Paper The advantages of purchasing a turnkey extranet solution is that the firm can identify the features up front and determine whether the product will meet the firm’s current and future needs. Additionally, the firm does not have to be responsible for supporting the software. This route also provides the firm with an opportunity to accommodate the enterprise requirements by selecting a product that can adapt to meet its firmwide needs as well as provide an administrative model that is friendly to the IT department’s current resources. “Borrowing” an extranet to meet the needs of one case or deal is another fairly popular option for extranets, though it tends to be more reactive than proactive. With this approach the firm would pay for a service to provide the software for the duration of the deal or the case. At the end of the project, the service is terminated and the firm ends payment for the service. This is sometimes an effective way to introduce the concept to your users because it costs less in the short run and the firm is not making a commitment to the software beyond the life of one case or matter. Regardless of the approach you pursue in developing your firm’s extranet strategy, you will want to consider the best practices utilized by law firms that have had long-term success in their extranet efforts. These best practices include: • Assign the appropriate owner to the extranet. This owner does not have to be an IT person. Rather, the best candidates for owning the extranet are often paralegals who are qualified because they understand the needs of the firm’s clients and users, have credibility, and are able to communicate how the tool can be used in a way that is meaningful to