November 6, 2026

For a 10 - 50 employee law firm, the choice between outsourced managed IT and an internal IT employee depends on five factors: cost, coverage, technical expertise, cybersecurity requirements, and how much day-to-day IT work the firm actually generates.

Outsourcing can give a smaller firm access to multiple IT skill sets without building an entire internal department. An internal employee, however, can provide dedicated attention and deeper day-to-day familiarity with the organization.

Some firms may ultimately benefit from a combination of both.

Here’s how to compare the options.

1. Compare the Full Cost, Not Just Salary vs. Monthly Fee

Start by calculating the real annual cost of each option.

For an internal employee, consider:

Salary + Benefits + Payroll Costs + Training + Tools + Vacation/Sick Coverage

For outsourced IT, consider:

Monthly Managed Services + Projects + Hardware + Software or Services Not Included

Techwel’s typical managed IT pricing ranges from approximately $125 - $200 per user per month.

For example:

Employees Approximate Monthly Range Approximate Annual Range
10 $1,250–$2,000 $15,000–$24,000
25 $3,125–$5,000 $37,500–$60,000
50 $6,250–$10,000 $75,000–$120,000

These are planning estimates rather than quotes. Actual pricing depends on the environment and services required.

The important point is to compare total costs rather than one salary number against one monthly invoice.

2. Consider How Much Expertise You Need

One IT employee can be highly capable, but no individual is an expert in every area of technology.

A modern law firm’s IT needs can involve:

  • User support
  • Microsoft 365
  • Cybersecurity
  • Networking
  • Endpoint management
  • Backups
  • Vendor management
  • Cloud services
  • Technology planning
  • Incident response

An MSP can provide access to a team with different areas of experience.

An internal IT professional has a different advantage: that person works inside the organization every day and can develop detailed knowledge of its people, workflows, and systems.

Ask whether your firm needs one dedicated generalist, access to a broader team, or some combination of the two.

3. Think About Coverage When Someone Isn’t Available

IT problems don’t necessarily occur at convenient times.

With a one-person internal IT function, firms should plan for vacation, illness, training, and periods when multiple problems happen simultaneously.

Ask:

Who handles IT when our IT employee is away?

Who responds to a cybersecurity incident outside regular business hours?

What happens if our IT person leaves the firm?

Who has documentation and administrative credentials?

An outsourced provider can reduce dependence on one individual by distributing knowledge and responsibilities across a team.

The same question should still be asked of an MSP: what coverage is actually included in the agreement?

4. Decide How You Will Manage Cybersecurity

Cybersecurity is one area where the IT decision goes beyond fixing computers.

A law firm may need capabilities involving MFA, endpoint security, advanced email protection, Microsoft 365 security, backups, monitoring, patch management, and incident response.

The Law Society of Alberta’s Code of Conduct addresses technological competence and lawyers’ obligations regarding confidential client information. The Law Society doesn’t prescribe whether a firm should employ internal IT or use an MSP. The firm still needs to understand its risks and determine appropriate safeguards.

Whichever model you choose, ask one important question:

Who is responsible for each part of our cybersecurity?

Avoid situations where the internal employee assumes a vendor is monitoring something while the vendor assumes the employee is handling it.

Clear ownership matters.

When Does Outsourced IT Make Sense?

Outsourced managed IT may be worth considering when a law firm:

  • Doesn’t have enough IT work to justify building a full department
  • Wants access to multiple technical skill sets
  • Needs both remote and on-site support
  • Wants ongoing monitoring and management
  • Needs additional Microsoft 365 or cybersecurity expertise
  • Wants to reduce dependence on one IT employee

An internal IT position may make more sense when the firm has enough continuous work to require dedicated on-site attention or has highly specialized systems requiring deep internal expertise.

The answer can change as the firm grows.

A Simple Decision Framework

Before deciding, score both approaches against these five questions:

Cost — What is the true annual cost?

Coverage — Who is available when problems happen?

Expertise — Do we have all the skills we need?

Security — Who owns each cybersecurity responsibility?

Continuity — What happens when a key IT person is unavailable or leaves?

Those answers provide a more useful comparison than simply asking which option is cheaper.

Managed IT for Edmonton Law Firms

Techwel Computers is a family-owned Edmonton IT company providing managed IT, cybersecurity, Microsoft 365 management, and remote and on-site support.

Our typical managed IT range is approximately $125–$200 per user per month, depending on the client’s environment and services required.

When our clients need support, a person answers the phone—there’s no phone tree.

For a 10–50 employee law firm, the right IT model is the one that provides the appropriate combination of support, expertise, cybersecurity, continuity, and cost for how the firm actually operates.

Book a Discovery Call with us: https://www.techwelcomputers.com/discoverycall/