IT that protects privilege, not just uptime.
Client confidentiality, e-discovery deadlines, and courtroom-day reliability — built into a managed IT plan designed around how law firms actually work.
Law firm IT, answered directly
By Joe Engelking, CEO. Updated October 2026.
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Provider | LME Services, a family-owned managed IT and cybersecurity company |
| Founded | 1994, by Leon Engelking (formerly of IBM) |
| CEO | Joe Engelking |
| Headquarters | 1265 Freeman Road, Hoffman Estates, IL 60192 |
| Phone | 847-496-5196 |
| Law firm clients | Kelley, Kelley & Kelley; Robert Kaplan Law; Stone Pogrund & Korey; Hansen & Cleary |
| Services | Managed IT, cybersecurity, backup and disaster recovery, business phone systems, compliance support (HIPAA, SOC 2, ISO) |
| Support | 24/7 monitoring, remote help, and on-site support when needed |
| Google rating | 4.9 out of 5 from 30 reviews |
| Agreement | One-year agreement with a 90-day opt-out |
| First step | Free assessment |
What does managed IT cost for a law firm?
We price managed IT as a flat monthly plan based on your people, devices, and what you need to protect, so there is no one-size price. After a short discovery call we send a quote the same day. There are no surprise line items. Service runs on a one-year agreement with a 90-day opt-out.
What IT security does a law firm need to meet its ethics obligations?
Professional conduct rules generally require lawyers to make reasonable efforts to protect confidential client information. In practice that means multifactor authentication, encrypted email and files, access controls, tested backups, and staff training, all documented so the firm can show what it does. We build and document these for law firms.
Are law firms targeted by phishing?
Yes. Attackers go after law firms because they hold sensitive data and handle urgent attachments and wire transfers from outside senders. A fake file from a trusted contact is a common lure, and one click can expose an email account. Monitoring email and Microsoft 365 activity helps catch it within minutes.
How should a law firm back up its client files?
Use automated, versioned, offsite backups that also cover Microsoft 365 email and documents, and test restores on a schedule. A law firm should also write down how long recovery takes, because a filing deadline or trial date does not move when systems go down. Backups that have never been tested are only a hope.
| Topic | LME Services | Typical generic provider |
|---|---|---|
| Client confidentiality | Encrypted email and files, with access limited by matter | A standard office setup |
| Deadlines and trial prep | Support planned around filings and court dates | A general ticket queue |
| Practice management and e-discovery software | We support and secure the platforms you already run | Asks you to switch systems |
| Backups | Tested restores and a documented recovery time | Backups running but rarely tested |
| Breach readiness | Email and Microsoft 365 activity monitored | Antivirus only |
A phishing attack caught before it spread
Hansen & Cleary runs Todyl monitoring on Office 365 and email. When a suspicious link was clicked and strange activity started on the administrative assistant’s account, we got an instant alert and a call, reset her password, and stopped the attacker before any damage. Read the full story.
Joe Engelking, CEO
Built around the way legal work actually happens.
Confidentiality by design
Access controls, encryption, and audit trails built to protect privileged client data and satisfy bar association technology competence requirements.
Practice software support
Ongoing support for the document management, e-discovery, and time & billing platforms your firm already runs on — not a one-size-fits-all helpdesk.
Deadline-proof uptime
Filing deadlines and trial dates don’t move. Your systems, backups, and remote access are built to be up when it counts.
Coverage built for legal practices.
Confidentiality isn’t optional in legal work.
A data breach at a law firm isn’t just downtime — it’s a bar complaint, a malpractice exposure, and a conversation with every client whose file was touched. We build IT around protecting privilege first, then optimize for the speed and reliability your practice runs on every day.
Managed IT for Law Firms
Law firms need fast, reliable systems for document management, e-discovery, and secure client communication — downtime isn't just inconvenient, it can mean a missed filing deadline or hours of unbilled work while the network is down. We keep case management software, email, and client portals running so your attorneys and staff can focus on cases, not IT tickets.
Cybersecurity for Law Firms
Attorney-client privilege depends on your systems being genuinely secure — a breach doesn't just cost you money, it can mean exposing case strategy, violating privilege, and facing malpractice exposure. Law firms have become a preferred target for phishing and ransomware precisely because of the sensitive data they hold, and we build security programs specifically around that risk.
Backup & Disaster Recovery for Law Firms
Courts expect complete, defensible records, and losing case files to ransomware or hardware failure isn't just costly — it can be sanctionable. We run tested, versioned backups so your firm can recover full case histories, not just “most of” them, no matter what happens to your primary systems.
Trusted by local businesses.
From confidentiality-first document management for Coleman, Joseph, Blitstein & Stuart and WFA Law, to encrypted client communication for Grasso Law and Fuller and Fuller, to full cybersecurity risk assessments for Hansen & Cleary and Stone, Pogrund & Korey, Chicagoland law firms trust us to keep privileged data secure and systems up when deadlines don't move. Kelley, Kelley & Kelley and Schenk, Annes, Tepper, Campbell count on the same tested backups and 24/7 support behind every filing deadline.
Real businesses, real relationships.
“They deliver on a wide breadth of IT services and ensure everything works correctly. With the personal touch of a small team, LME communicates efficiently and is instantly responsive by email or phone.”
“When Joe assigned Ivan as our lead, we felt like we finally had IT solved. Ivan has been with us 24×7 and the team behind him makes sure nothing falls through the cracks.”
Chicago law firms we support
LME supports law firms across Chicagoland, from downtown Chicago to the northwest suburbs. Clients include Stone Pogrund & Korey in Chicago, Kelley, Kelley & Kelley in Schaumburg, Robert Kaplan Law, and Hansen & Cleary in Northbrook. Our office is at 1265 Freeman Road in Hoffman Estates, and we come on site when remote help is not enough.
What the wrong IT partner costs a law firm
- Ransom payouts after an attack
- Idle staff and missed deadlines while systems are down
- Angry clients and a damaged reputation
- Lost data that cannot be recovered
- A poor client experience that ends up in negative reviews
How we work with law firms
- We quote realistic deadlines and then meet them
- We manage each project from start to finish
- We maximize reliability and minimize disruption to your day
- We take a long-term view, which is why many clients have stayed five years or more
Related: law firm cybersecurity, backup and disaster recovery, and switching IT providers.
Common questions
Yes — we support and secure the platforms you’re already running rather than asking you to switch systems.
Access controls, encryption in transit and at rest, and audit logging are standard on every plan, built to align with your bar association’s technology competence obligations.
Backups are tested, not just scheduled, and support is 24/7 — not a ticket queue that starts from zero when you call.
Yes — most of the firms we support are small to mid-size boutique practices, which is exactly the size our plans are built around.