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To most people, your fifties are a time when things are winding down. Retirement is in sight, and many have reached the pinnacle of their careers. However, it was in their fifties that two tech lawyers decided to upend client legal protections and create a revolutionary legal service. Monjur is a cloud-based contracts-as-a-service program that gives managed service providers (MSPs) better protection from the increased cybersecurity and ransomware risks that have come with ever-changing technology.
Robert Scott is the “Chief Innovator” behind Monjur. He has built Monjur as a SaaS enabled legal service that provides online customer contracting solutions for IT Managed Services and Cloud solution providers. In a legal industry often reluctant to change or adapt to technology changes, Scott has helped usher in a new era of legal service.
The Story of Monjur
Scott and his partner were just two tech lawyers in their fifties when they decided the industry was ready for disruption. “We needed to create a more cost effective and efficient way to deliver comprehensive legal protections to our clients,” explains Scott. The first hurdle they had to clear on their way to creating Monjur was to reimagine their legal services as a SaaS solution. Then, the team had to invest in technology, engineering new processes that drove efficiency and value for clients. What resulted was the Monjur platform, which allows users to set up, deploy, host, and manage comprehensive customer contracts at a cost less than one billable hour per month.
Modern customers have different expectations than those of the past, and this was Scott’s focus when rolling out Monjur. “I think the biggest change for the legal industry is understanding the importance of the modern customer expectation,” says Scott. “It is not unusual for a law firm to wait several days to respond to an inbound lead or a week to prepare and send an engagement agreement.”
Customers not only have an expectation of quick and efficient service, but of cybersafety when working with an MSP. By taking into account customer expectations, Scott and his partner have been able to create a product that streamlines services and communication, outlines risk and responsibility, and allows for updates to agreements without costly and time-consuming overwrites.
Legal Tech Evolution
The legal industry has not evolved as quickly as some others in terms of technology, but advanced tech is still being integrated into law in some significant ways. “The legal tech industry has evolved recently, mostly in the areas of legal research, electronic discovery in terms of tools for lawyers, and DIY platforms for consumers,” explains Scott.
With these advancements, lawyers have changed the way they provide services to their clients. “Our theory is that the best lawyers equipped with the best tools will deliver the best customer experience and value,” says Scott.
This is not to say that technology advancements like what Monjur supplies are a replacement for talented lawyers. Quite the contrary, says Scott, “Legal tech is not a viable alternative to lawyers — it should help the best lawyers strengthen existing competitive advantage.”
Addressing Challenges
The legal industry faces challenges shared by other industries. Many firms have had to learn to do more with less, attempt to grow revenue without adding to their headcount or expenses, and adapt to an ever-changing market. “Long-term multi-year recurring revenue contracts will become more and more desirable, and law firms seek to reach the state of Nirvana that has attracted so many IT services firms to the recurring revenue model,” says Scott about the current and future state of the industry.
Monjur is based on industry leading customer contract templates, set up individually for each client, and updated periodically. Monjur’s service is offered monthly and can be integrated into current firm processes seamlessly. “In this environment, you are risking your whole business,” Scott told eChannelNews. Monjur seeks to help legal professionals and MSPs mitigate risk and better serve their clients.
Experience Counts
One thing that two tech lawyers in their fifties may have over the younger generations — who typically jump head first into startups — is years of industry experience. “As tech-lawyers with 25 years of experience, we have seen a lot,” says Scott.
The duo has experience representing some of the earliest hosting providers, helping some of the largest banks and healthcare organizations start with the cloud, and has been involved in some of the world’s largest software licensing transactions and disputes. In terms of technology, Scott and his team have always managed to stay one step ahead of the game.
This experience has informed their view of what’s important — to lawyers, clients, and MSPs. Through Monjur, they have answered this question with a solid SaaS program that rolls with the ever-changing technology and gives all parties exactly what is needed to stay protected and efficient.
