January 22, 2020
Here at Law 365 we are unashamedly proud to consider ourselves Microsoft Partner experts.
Yes – of course – we are legal experts first and foremost. We love all things contract and commercial-oriented, the fast pace of Intellectual Property (IP) law, negotiations and specialist IT provisions. The joy we take in our work is great (I mean, who wants a boring day job?) but it’s the results that matter: after working with us, six of our clients have been recognised as Microsoft Partner of the Year Award Winners.
Our successful relationships with all our clients show that we understand more than just contractual agreements and third-party flow-down terms. It means we understand how Microsoft products really work, how they work with businesses, and how they work with you. Understanding your business is the cornerstone of how we can best partner with you.
It’s a tricky balance between managing client expectations during the various testing phases and negotiating a mutually agreeable deployment date. We can provide you with a meticulously detailed Master Services Agreement that will ensure the support expectations are realistic, cost-effective and resource orientated.
Our agile and intuitive approach gives us the freedom to collaborate with you throughout every step of your project’s Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC), no matter the preferred development model.
We are not nervous to get down to the nitty gritty of Service Level Agreements, building in clauses for managing change requests, or creating Non-Disclosure Agreements to make everyone confident that an endpoint device security issue will never arise.
Every project that you design, implement and test will be bespoke. So, it takes an agile legal team to collaborate with you and provide a legal framework for success. Cue our blog post about you, or rather for you – showcasing the concept of agile software development!
How an agile legal team approaches software development
An agile approach to SDLC is essentially a project management approach promoting regular inspection and adaptation. It combines engineering best practices and a client-focused approach, ensuring everything is tailored to their objectives and requirements.
Although all projects are essentially unique there is a clear process to be followed in software development. As either an IT services provider or a legal services provider, a well-defined methodology (such as the SDLC one set out below) undertaken with care and insight, can result in a stellar outcome for all concerned. At Law 365, we use an extensive methodology that we’ve perfected through experience:
Phase 1 – Planning
When was the last time you had a legal meeting that was fun? Challenge the old stuffy stereotypes and chat with us about your aspirations. We are tech-savvy and business-oriented and can provide you with a Statement of Works Review that defines exactly what you will provide to the client to quickly get you ahead of the game. To keep any agreements bulletproof, As-A-Service Agreements will bring protection for you and happy clients regarding any SAAS, IAAS or PAAS work. We can also throw in a Non-Disclosure Agreement if you need your ideas protected. No misunderstandings, no future issues.
Phase 2 – Implementation
Now the project is out of the gate, it’s time to get the development team and the client collaborating. What better way to do that than with either a Master Services Agreement? Don’t forget – if you are a Cloud Service Provider (CPS) we have a special agreement just for you that incorporates the new Oct 19 terms. If you’ve got any subcontractors, drawing up a Back to Back Agreement will protect you and ensure you don’t pick up the bill for somebody else’s mistake. A Flow Down Agreement prevents your exposure to gaps in the terms you have with clients or any third parties involved.
Phase 3 – Testing
Here at Law 365, we understand that this is a truly business-critical time, where anything can and does happen. Whatever is going on at this stage should be clearly in line with your Managed Services Contract. Nevertheless, if process or product review is required, we are ideally placed to provide you with a Customer Agreement Review.
Phase 4 – Documentation
Knowing that the development of a product and its related design documentation is as important as the finalised work itself – you need to make sure that any IP is duly covered with Intellectual Property Assignment Agreements. Protecting your potential market-revolutionising discovery is key!
Phase 5 – Deployment
Deployment means go-live dates and support service and this time introduces a host of questions:
- Has the interface been comprehensively tested?
- Do the business owners agree with workaround times for issues?
- Are the users ready, aware, trained, and have they got the helpdesk number?
No, we don’t know for sure. Law 365 doesn’t get directly involved at this point – however, we can ensure that all the important things such as fix times, downtimes, uptimes and all other expectations are beautifully elucidated in a sparkling Service Level Agreement that’s got you covered.
Phase 6 – Maintenance with Law 365
Praise Gates! We are so happy you made it! Not only to have completed a meaningful project but to have built a client relationship that will bring in future opportunities. All that is required here are a few tidy End User Licence Agreements and some Maintenance Agreements covering the product usage scope and ownership, then everyone will be happy, protected and efficiently getting the job done. At Law365 we believe this is priceless.
Grow your business with Law 365’s agile legal team
Report Linker releases a report that included an incredible statistic – the global cloud computing market size is expected to grow 18% per year to reach $623.3 billion by 2023. As large as this figure is, the value of trusted collaboration and market agility to achieve that figure will be the most sought-after tool businesses can possess.
Our agile legal team can help you achieve your goals and support you on your road to success. Law 365 will be there with you through every bump in the road, staying by your side no matter what you throw at us.