Legal Technology Challenges for NZ Law Firms
Common technology, print and document challenges facing modern legal practices
New Zealand law firms manage highly sensitive client information while operating under constant pressure to improve productivity, control costs and maintain secure workflows.
Technology problems can make these responsibilities harder. Confidential documents may be left unattended at shared printers, print costs can become difficult to track, multiple offices may have inconsistent technology environments, and fee-earners can lose valuable time dealing with avoidable technology issues.
Understanding the underlying problem is the first step towards finding the right solution.
This guide explores common technology, printing and document-management challenges facing NZ law firms, with practical guidance for Practice Managers, IT teams, Operations Managers and firm leadership.
Looking for the technology solutions? Explore Sharp's Legal Technology Solutions for New Zealand Law Firms.
The most common legal technology challenges
| Challenge | What it can mean for a law firm | Recommended focus |
|---|---|---|
| Confidential documents left at printers | Client or matter information may be viewed or collected by the wrong person | Secure print release and user authentication |
| Limited print cost visibility | Practice Managers may struggle to identify where print expenditure is coming from | Print tracking, reporting and fleet governance |
| Printer downtime | Fee-earners can lose time when devices fail or consumables run out | Device monitoring and proactive service |
| Unmanaged printers | Security, support and cost controls can become inconsistent | Standardised print fleet governance |
| Limited print tracking | Firms may have little visibility of who is printing and where | Print management and reporting |
| Multiple offices | Different devices and processes can make technology harder to manage | Centralised management and standardisation |
| Manual document workflows | Staff may spend unnecessary time printing, scanning and moving documents | Digital document workflows and automation |
| Increasing security requirements | More devices and information flows create additional points to manage | Integrated security and access controls |
1. Confidential documents being left at printers
Legal documents frequently contain confidential client, financial, commercial or personal information.
In a traditional print environment, a user can send a document to a shared printer and leave it sitting in the output tray until they have time to collect it. In a busy legal office, that can create an unnecessary opportunity for sensitive information to be seen or collected by someone else.
The problem
Standard printing assumes that the person who presses "Print" will be immediately available to collect the document.
That assumption does not always hold true in shared legal environments.
The potential impact
Confidential documents may remain unattended.
Sensitive client information may be visible to other employees or visitors.
Printed documents may be collected by the wrong person.
Firms may have limited visibility of print activity.
Staff may resort to less secure workarounds.
A practical approach
Secure print release can hold a document in a secure queue until the authorised user authenticates at the printer.
Authentication can be configured using methods such as a PIN, card or user credentials, depending on the technology environment.
Read more: How secure print release can reduce the risk of sensitive documents being left unattended
For broader information about how Sharp approaches secure technology environments for legal practices, explore Legal Technology Solutions for New Zealand Law Firms.
2. Difficulty controlling office printing costs
Printing expenditure can be difficult to understand when a legal practice has multiple offices, departments, users and devices.
The cost of a printed page is not simply the price of paper and toner. Device acquisition, maintenance, colour usage, consumables, service requirements and unnecessary printing can all contribute to the overall cost of the print environment.
The problem
A firm may know its total printing expenditure but not necessarily understand:
Which departments print the most
Which users generate the most output
How much printing is colour versus black and white
Which devices are under-utilised
Where duplicate or unnecessary devices exist
How much printing is generated by avoidable reprints
What the actual cost per page is
The potential impact
Without reliable usage data, it becomes difficult to establish meaningful print budgets or identify opportunities to reduce waste.
A practical approach
Print management software and reporting can provide greater visibility of printing activity by user, department, device or location.
This data can help Practice Managers and Finance teams establish a baseline before making changes to the print environment.
Read more: How to identify why office printing costs blow out in NZ firms
3. Printer downtime affecting fee-earner productivity
A printer failure may seem like a minor IT issue, but repeated interruptions can become a productivity problem for legal practices.
Court documents, contracts, client correspondence, matter files and other documents may need to be printed or scanned at short notice.
The problem
Common causes of printer-related disruption include:
Paper jams
Empty toner cartridges
Device faults
Network connectivity issues
Outdated drivers
Poorly configured devices
Lack of proactive monitoring
Slow service response
The potential impact
Repeated printer problems can result in:
Lost fee-earner time
Additional IT support requests
Delays in document workflows
Staff using alternative devices
Increased administrative workload
A practical approach
A managed print environment can provide centralised visibility of device status, usage and consumables.
Proactive monitoring and consistent device standards can also help identify potential issues before they become significant workflow interruptions.
Read more: Strategies for reducing printer downtime across multi-site legal practices
4. Unmanaged and "shadow" printers
A legal practice may have a standard fleet of multifunction printers while individual employees or departments also use small desktop printers purchased independently.
These devices can be easy to overlook.
The problem
Unmanaged printers may sit outside the firm's normal:
Security controls
Device management
Support processes
Consumables management
Print tracking
Replacement planning
Cost reporting
Why it matters
Every device that prints, scans or stores information can form part of the firm's wider technology environment.
A proliferation of unmanaged devices can make it harder for IT and Practice Managers to understand exactly where sensitive information is being processed.
A practical approach
Start by creating a complete inventory of printing devices across the practice.
This should include centrally managed multifunction devices as well as desktop and departmental printers.
The next step is to determine whether each device has a legitimate business requirement and whether it should remain part of the firm's standard environment.
5. Limited visibility of print activity
Legal practices may need to understand printing activity for cost management, operational planning or security purposes.
However, traditional print environments can provide limited information about who printed a document, how much was printed or which devices are being used.
The problem
Without centralised print tracking, firms may have difficulty answering questions such as:
Who is printing?
How much is being printed?
Which departments generate the most output?
How much colour printing is occurring?
Which devices are being used most frequently?
Are there unusual changes in printing behaviour?
The potential impact
Limited visibility makes it harder to establish evidence-based print policies and identify opportunities for improvement.
A practical approach
Print management and reporting tools can provide information about print activity across users, departments and devices.
This can help firms move from assumptions about printing to measurable data.
Read more: How to achieve audit-ready print tracking for sensitive matter files
6. Managing technology across multiple offices
As legal practices grow, technology management can become increasingly complex.
A firm operating across Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch or other locations may have different devices, suppliers, configurations and support arrangements in each office.
The problem
A decentralised technology environment can create:
Inconsistent user experiences
Different print processes
Multiple device standards
More complex support requirements
Limited central visibility
Difficulties comparing costs between locations
The potential impact
IT and Practice Managers may spend more time managing individual offices rather than improving the overall technology environment.
A practical approach
Centralised management can help firms establish common standards while retaining the flexibility required by individual offices.
Print management platforms can provide centralised administration, reporting and policy management across supported locations.
Read more: Strategies for managing print across multi-site legal practices
7. Manual document workflows
Printing is often only one part of a much larger document workflow.
A legal document may be created digitally, printed for review, scanned back into the system, emailed, stored, copied or printed again.
Every additional manual step creates another opportunity for delay, duplication or error.
The problem
Common workflow issues include:
Repeated printing and scanning
Manual document filing
Duplicate copies
Difficulty locating the latest version
Documents moving between disconnected systems
Time spent performing repetitive administrative tasks
The potential impact
Manual document processes can increase administrative workload and make it harder for staff to work consistently.
A practical approach
Law firms can assess where documents are being created, printed, scanned, stored and shared, then identify opportunities to digitise or automate repetitive steps.
Document management, workflow automation and secure scanning can form part of a broader digital workplace strategy.
Explore: Legal Technology Solutions for New Zealand Law Firms
8. Balancing security with productivity
Security controls need to protect client information without making everyday work unnecessarily difficult.
If secure processes are complicated or slow, employees may look for workarounds.
The problem
A security solution that adds excessive friction to everyday workflows can create resistance from users.
The goal
The objective should be to create security controls that are integrated into normal working practices.
For example, authentication at a multifunction printer can provide secure document release without requiring employees to manage separate manual processes for every document.
A practical approach
When assessing technology for a legal practice, consider both:
Security: Does the solution reduce unnecessary access to sensitive information?
Usability: Can fee-earners and support staff use the solution efficiently as part of their normal workflow?
The strongest technology environments address both requirements.
Legal technology challenge checklist
Before reviewing your firm's technology environment, consider the following questions:
Can confidential documents be released only by the intended user?
Can your firm track print activity by user or department?
Do you know the true cost of your print environment?
Can you identify your highest-volume printers and users?
Are all printers across your offices known and accounted for?
Are there unmanaged desktop or departmental printers?
Can IT monitor printer status across multiple offices?
Are consumables monitored proactively?
Do different offices use consistent print and document workflows?
Are staff spending unnecessary time printing, scanning or filing documents?
Can your firm identify unusual or unexpected print activity?
Are security controls integrated into everyday workflows?
If several answers are "no", the issue may not be the printer itself. It may indicate a broader need for print governance, document workflow improvement or workplace technology planning.
From technology problems to practical solutions
The first step is understanding the problem.
The next step is identifying the technology, processes and controls that can address it.
Sharp works with New Zealand organisations to bring together print management, document workflows, workplace technology, communications, security and managed services into a more connected technology environment.
For legal practices, this can mean moving from individual technology purchases towards a more structured approach to confidentiality, productivity, cost control and technology governance.
Explore Legal Technology Solutions for New Zealand Law Firms
Discover how Sharp can help your legal practice address secure document workflows, print management, workplace technology, communications and broader technology requirements.
Explore Legal Technology Solutions for NZ Law Firms
Explore specific legal technology challenges
Continue exploring the issues that can affect modern legal practices:
Secure Print Release
How can law firms prevent confidential documents being left unattended at printers?
Read the Secure Print Release guide →
Office Printing Costs
Why do printing costs increase, and how can NZ firms identify their biggest print cost drivers?
Read the Office Printing Cost guide →
Multi-Site Print Management
How can legal practices reduce printer downtime and improve visibility across multiple offices?
Read the Multi-Site Print Management guide →
Print Fleet Governance
How can Practice Managers improve control over printers, users, costs and security?
Read the Print Fleet Governance guide →
Print Tracking & Auditability
How can firms improve visibility of who is printing sensitive documents?
Read the Print Tracking guide →
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the main technology challenges facing NZ law firms?
Common challenges include protecting confidential information, managing print costs, reducing printer downtime, controlling unmanaged devices, tracking print activity, managing multiple offices and improving manual document workflows.
How can a law firm improve print security?
Law firms can improve print security by using controls such as user authentication, secure print release, access controls, print tracking and reporting. These controls should form part of a broader information security strategy.
Why is secure print release important for law firms?
Secure print release can reduce the risk of confidential documents being left unattended in shared output trays by requiring the authorised user to authenticate before a document is released.
How can law firms reduce printing costs?
The first step is to establish visibility of printing activity. Tracking print volumes, colour usage, users, departments and device utilisation can help identify the main cost drivers and opportunities to reduce unnecessary output.
How can multi-office law firms manage their printers?
Centralised print management, consistent device standards, remote monitoring and consolidated reporting can help legal practices improve visibility and governance across multiple offices.
What should a Practice Manager consider when reviewing a print fleet?
Practice Managers should consider security, device utilisation, print volume, colour usage, cost per page, user requirements, device location, service requirements, print tracking, unmanaged devices and the needs of different offices or departments.
How does print management support legal document security?
Print management can provide controls such as user authentication, secure release, print policies and reporting. These measures can help reduce unauthorised access to printed information and provide greater visibility of print activity.
Need help addressing the technology challenges in your legal practice?
Explore Sharp's Legal Technology Solutions for New Zealand Law Firms
Kimberley Holden is Brand & Communications Manager at Sharp New Zealand, where she leads strategic marketing, brand development, and customer communications across Sharp’s portfolio of consumer products and workplace technology solutions, including print, visual solutions, visitor management, voice and data, and software. She brings a strong focus on clear messaging, customer engagement, and delivering consistent brand experiences across complex technology environments.