With more than 30 attorneys across two North Texas offices and others frequently working from home or the courtroom, Fort Worth-based law firm Harris, Finley & Bogle faced a significant challenge.
For attorneys working remotely, accessing the firm’s network and essential trial materials had become increasingly difficult. The VPN was unreliable, often slowing or blocking access at critical moments. Meanwhile, the firm’s managed service provider struggled to effectively manage the rights and privileges necessary to support secure remote work.
On top of the technical issues, the MSP’s customer service left the firm feeling overlooked and lost in the shuffle.
Jacob Nissen, the IT Coordinator for Harris, Finley & Bogle, said the root of the problem was a general lack of attention.
“We were looking for someone who was attentive to the needs of the firm and respectful of our constraints and our budgets and things like that,” he said.
It was time for the law firm to find a more responsive IT partner. It needed Sagiss.
Harris, Finley & Bogle had previously worked with Sagiss but ended the relationship in 2021. When the firm returned four years later, they were able to leverage the team’s prior knowledge of their systems and processes, resulting in a streamlined onboarding experience.
“Basically, I came to the conclusion that the grass isn't always greener on the other side," says Nissen. "I was happy to get back to familiar people, a local company that we knew could be on-site when needed.”
In addition to customized on-site support and replacing outdated equipment with new infrastructure to meet the law firm's growing needs, Sagiss’ biggest initial task was implementing a new VPN tunneled directly to Microsoft Azure. This reduced the rights and privileges issues that Harris, Finley & Bogle had experienced, and getting this right was a top priority for Sagiss.
"Travis and Winston [from Sagiss] stayed up here with me until after midnight, making sure everything was working, and everything was buttoned up," says Nissen. "They went above and beyond."
With the remote access issues solved, the partnership settled into familiar rhythms. Nissen would handle the proprietary technology himself, and the Sagiss team would manage any of the tasks that didn't require that level of security as well as any tasks Nissen couldn’t get to. That included ensuring all systems remain up to date and operational. This approach balances internal controls with expert oversight from an external provider that truly understands the operational challenges in the legal sector.
Because Harris, Finley & Bogle had worked with Sagiss in the past, Nissen described the return engagement as “a seamless transition.” Sagiss focuses on making onboarding smooth and efficient, helping them adopt new technologies while keeping their critical data secure.
As for the new VPN, its performance has significantly improved. Attorneys and other staff can now access information remotely without interruptions or complicated access controls.
“People were having a lot of issues getting kicked off, and they weren't able to connect to the shared drive,” Nissen said. “We have had none of those issues since Sagiss took over.”
Overall, the relationship continues to be a positive one. Harris, Finley & Bogle has experienced a reduction in service tickets since the partnership began, indicating more stable and secure systems and fewer IT issues for staff.
Sagiss provides Harris, Finley & Bogle with the hands-on local attention they require, delivering on-site solutions that promptly handle tasks such as patching and server management. While many MSPs offer remote assistance only, Sagiss believes that relationships are built and problems are sometimes better prevented in person. This approach ensures Harris, Finley & Bogle’s attorneys can do what they do best: serve their clients without interruption.