Magnifying glass over Microsoft 365 apps and plans, for Microsoft 365 and Copilot consulting for law firms
Magnifying glass over Microsoft 365 apps and plans, for Microsoft 365 and Copilot consulting for law firms

Microsoft 365 and Copilot for Law Firms



Get more from Microsoft 365, Copilot included

We help law firms get the full value from Microsoft 365 (formerly Office 365): the right licences, documents organised in SharePoint and Teams around clients and matters, Copilot set up to help with real legal work and client data protected throughout. In our experience, many firms pay for more of Microsoft 365 than they use. We start with how the firm works and what it needs, then set Microsoft 365 up to support both.


📅 Talk to us


Frank Manning leads our Microsoft 365 work, with Allan Carton on how lawyers and support teams adopt it day to day.


Where law firms get stuck


  • Licences that do not match the work. Some people are on plans without the security the firm needs, while others pay for unused features.
  • Documents in too many places. Personal OneDrive folders, Teams chats, shared drives and the case management system, with no agreed home for each kind of document.
  • Teams and SharePoint sprawl. Sites and channels set up as needed, with no naming, ownership or retention.
  • Copilot pilots that stall. Copilot switched on for a few people before permissions, labels and use cases are in place, so it surfaces the wrong documents or nobody finds it useful.
  • Protection set up once and left. Sensitivity labels, data loss prevention and retention policies that were never configured or no longer fit the firm's ways of working.


How we help


  • Licensing review. We review what each person has, what they use and what the firm needs, then recommend the right mix of Business Premium, enterprise plans and Copilot licences. The firm gets the protection and tools it needs, with nothing paid for and left unused. Frank's guide to Microsoft 365 plans, Copilot and document management sets out the current plans and prices.
  • SharePoint and Teams set up around matters. A clear home for every kind of document: matter files in SharePoint or your case management system, team working in Teams, personal drafts in OneDrive. We design the structure, naming, permissions and retention with your people and connect it to your practice and case management system where the two integrate.
  • Copilot ready for real work. Copilot draws on everything a person can open, so permissions and labels come first. We then work with lawyers and support teams to choose the tasks where Copilot helps (summarising long email chains, first drafts, meeting notes and actions) and write prompt guides for them. Copilot is often the first step in a wider AI adoption programme. Microsoft 365 business plans include Copilot Chat, which answers from the web with enterprise data protection. The Microsoft 365 Copilot licence adds Copilot inside Word, Outlook, Excel, PowerPoint and Teams, working from the firm's own emails, documents and meetings, along with agents such as Researcher and Analyst. We help decide who needs the licence and who is well served by Copilot Chat.
  • Client data protected with Microsoft Purview. Microsoft 365 Business Premium includes Purview tools that many firms have never switched on: sensitivity labels, data loss prevention, retention and auditing, along with visibility of how AI tools use firm data. We help you set policies that fit your regulatory obligations and your clients' requirements and that your people understand.
  • Adoption and training. Short, practical sessions by role, champions in each team and simple guides, so people make full use of the firm's licences.


Working with your IT provider


Most firms have a managed service provider or an in-house IT team. We work alongside them. We set direction and priorities from the firm's point of view. They carry out or support the technical work. Where the provider also sells the licences, an independent view on licensing helps the firm buy the right licences.


How an engagement works


  • Review. A short review of licences, settings, storage and how people work, with findings and priorities.
  • Plan. An agreed plan and order of work, with costs and responsibilities.
  • Set up. Configuration with your IT provider or in-house team, tested before rollout.
  • Adopt. Training, guides and support while people change how they work.


Who you will work with


Frank Manning leads our Microsoft 365 work: technology strategy, licensing, SharePoint and Teams design, Copilot set-up and project delivery.


Allan Carton, a qualified solicitor, leads on adoption: how lawyers will use Microsoft 365 and Copilot day to day, the policies that govern it, data protection with Microsoft Purview and the link to the firm's wider AI plans.


Frequently asked questions


Which Microsoft 365 plan should a law firm use?

For most firms, Microsoft 365 Business Premium, because it adds the security, device management and Purview protection that client data needs. Business Premium is limited to 300 users, so larger firms or those with particular compliance demands may need enterprise plans. We review what each person needs before recommending a mix.


Do we need Microsoft 365 Copilot?

Not necessarily and not for everyone at once. Copilot suits work that runs through Word, Outlook and Teams. Start with a small group and agreed tasks once permissions and labels are in place. Extend it where it proves its value. Specialist legal AI tools may suit other work.


What is the difference between Copilot Chat and Microsoft 365 Copilot?

Copilot Chat comes with Microsoft 365 business plans. It answers from the web, with enterprise data protection, and can work with a document a person opens or uploads. The Microsoft 365 Copilot licence works across the firm's own data (the emails, files, chats and meetings each person can access) inside Word, Outlook, Excel, PowerPoint and Teams, and includes agents such as Researcher and Analyst. A sensible start is Copilot Chat for everyone and licences for a pilot group.


Can SharePoint replace our document management system?

For some firms, yes, especially where the case management system integrates with SharePoint. Others are better served by a legal document management system. It depends on your case management system, your volumes and how matters are filed. We look at it as part of any system selection.


Is Microsoft 365 secure enough for client data?

It can be, when it is configured properly. Multi-factor authentication, device management, sensitivity labels and data loss prevention all need setting up and keeping up to date. We check what is in place and what is missing.


Will Copilot show people documents they should not see?

Copilot only shows a person what they already have permission to open. Where permissions are too open, Copilot makes that visible quickly, which is why we review permissions and labels before rollout.


Do you work with our IT provider?

Yes. We set direction from the firm's side and work alongside your managed service provider or IT team, who carry out or support the technical changes.


Talk to us about Microsoft 365


Whether you are reviewing licences, organising documents in SharePoint and Teams or planning Copilot, a short conversation will show the quickest gains.


Contact: Frank Manning


Email: fmanning@cartonconsultants.com


Phone: 07778 572420



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