Pittsburgh-based law firm was in search for a security-focused MSP that offered quality client services.
Background
Lovett Bookman Harmon Marks LLP (LBHM) is a Pittsburgh-based law firm committed to the delivery of high-quality estate planning, estate and trust administration, and tax-related services. Originally the firm’s founding partners had been part of Reed Smith’s Pittsburgh Trusts and Estates Group, and then LBHM spun off as a separate firm in 2003.
Lisa Pollice, Office Manager at LBHM, joined the firm when it was first founded as a startup in 2003. At its inception, the firm became an early adopter of cloud-based desktop solutions because they could get up-and-running quickly without a big investment in hardware equipment.
Looking for a New Updated Solution with a Personal Touch
Fast-forward to nearly 20 years later, and LBHM was still using the same provider for its cloud-based managed desktop solution. However, the vendor had been acquired twice, and the customer service LBHM was receiving was beginning to deteriorate. The firm also had concerns that their system was not being kept up-to-date.
Pollice says, “I like a personal relationship. I like to receive service from someone who knows me and our firm, and who understands what we do and can guide us accordingly. We had lost that connection with our solution provider. Over the years, the system had become outdated, and the company had high turnover. Also, our cyber insurance company would not write our cyber policy because we did not utilize dual factor authentication, yet our vendor did not make dual factor authentication a mandatory system/security requirement.” Based on these pain points, Pollice and the firm realized they needed to look for another solution.
Selecting Afinety
After consulting with the firm’s partners, Pollice began to evaluate other providers. She reconnected with Ed Grubb, VP of Legal Services at Afinety, with whom she had worked in the past. Grubb had assembled an excellent team at Afinety, and the support team was experienced working with law firms. The firm also considered a local Pittsburgh-based vendor, but Afinety’s experience in legal and superior customer service tipped the scales in Afinety’s favor.
A Successful Implementation
LBHM migrated to Afinety in May 2022. Once the firm decided on Afinety, Pollice was immediately assigned a project/implementation manager who gave her an onboarding workbook and initiated communication. As LBHM approached the cutover date, the firm identified several users from the firm to test the environment.
Pollice notes, “Afinety made the implementation process very easy for me. On our cutover date, there was someone here onsite at our office who was available for users to ask if they had any issues or questions. We had been using the same product for nearly 20 years, and the environment looked different, so people had to adjust. Dual factor authentication was new, too. However, our people successfully learned to navigate the changes.”
Whether the firm’s professionals work early morning, late nights, or on weekends, Afinety’s support hours accommodates their needs. This coverage was crucial because when lawyers working from home have technical problems, they can get a live person from Afinety on the phone to resolve their issue right away. Pollice notes, “Afinety’s technical team goes above and beyond to solve any issues quickly and completely.” She also liked that lawyers and staff members could open a ticket with support without having to route it through her, which is more efficient. Afinety provided a portal so she could keep track of tickets firm wide.
Strong in Security
Afinety’s strong cybersecurity capabilities instilled confidence that LBHM’s data was safe. LBHM liked that Afinety adhered to rigorous security requirements including SOC II, Type 2 certification. Dual factor authentication was the first major step, which satisfied their cyber security insurance company. Also, Afinety introduced and bundled in with their service KnowBe4, the world’s largest integrated platform for security awareness training and simulated phishing attacks. The firm’s users are now more likely to red-flag and check suspicious emails before clicking on them, a security benefit for the entire firm.
Afinety – a Great Solution with a Personal Touch
LBHM has been a great success story for Afinety. Pollice sums up the relationship: “No news is good news in my office, and I don’t hear any bad news about Afinety’s technology platform. The Afinety technical team seamlessly takes care of all our integrations. Also, I like the personal touch that Afinety has. I’m all about the relationship, and it gives me the greatest comfort to work with Ed and his team at Afinety.”