How to Select a Printer for the Law Firm
Law Firm Printer Buyer’s Guide
Part of creating and maintaining a lean law practice is buying the equipment that meets your needs. As technology advances, new equipment needs crop up. Choosing the right equipment can feel overwhelming – the choices are endless.
When LeanLaw provides advice to its lawyer members, we take into account their needs, the facility with which they can incorporate our suggestions as well as the economics of the solution. LeanLaw Chief Service Officer, Jonathon Fishman, was advising a client via email about buying a new printer for her solo law practice.
Following are the questions Jonathon asked the client and her answers – in red. These are considerations that you may want to take into account when you purchase a new printer:
A few questions:
- What volume of printing will you be needing? How many sheets a week? An estimate is fine. This printer will have half-time use during the year, I probably print 100 to 150 pages per week – but this would only be for 2 weeks of every month.
- Do you need the device to scan, fax and copy?No fax. For scanning I will probably buy another Fujitsu Scan Snap because they are fast scanning workhorses and most multifunction printers don’t scan fast enough.
- How often will you be scanning? I need the scan to be fast because usually when I meet with clients they bring docs and I need to scan then and there and hand their docs right back to them.
- Do you have a preference between inkjet and laser? No – would prefer not to have crazy expensive cartridges – I generally print to read a doc while working on the matter.
- What budget amount would feel like too much money? Over $500 I would like a printer that does not have a huge footprint…
Jonathon created a list of features for this client:
- Laser (lower ink expenditure)
- 250+ sheet capacity
- Small footprint
- Wireless
- B/W and Color
- Standard and Legal print size
- Printer-only
- Under $500 budget
If you want this kind of thoughtful, curated-for-you advice not just on purchase assistance but also for software and workflows and other questions about how to lower your law firm overhead, give us a call / email / IM at LeanLaw. Our mission is to help you have a lean law practice: efficient and cost effective.
