UK law firm embarks on SD-WAN and SASE infrastructure upgrade

In an example of how crucial secure infrastructures have become in the world of law, network services provider Principle Networks has partnered with the international commercial law firm Hill Dickinson to upgrade its network and security infrastructure and support the business’s global expansion.  

Describing itself as “a leading commercial law firm that’s about much more than the law”, Hill Dickinson was established in 1810, originally specialising in maritime legal affairs. It currently employs over 1,000 employees, including 200 partners and legal directors, at seven UK offices, plus international offices in mainland Europe and Asia. The organisation is broadly organised into three main client groups: business services, health and marine.

The firm says it acts as a trusted adviser to organisations and individuals in multiple sectors across the globe, advising on non-contentious advisory and transactional work and all forms of litigation and arbitration. A full-service firm, it spans the lifecycle of clients’ business, from startup right through to multimillion-pound sales. Typical projects encompass bringing a product to market, raising capital, leasing premises, drawing up employment contracts, protecting assets, and incorporating businesses and mergers.

As it has expanded to become the international law firm it now is, the company recognised that its current IT infrastructure required upgrading. “We wanted a network that reduced complexity and could provide solid foundations for delivering on-premises and cloud services, now and in the future,” said Hill Dickinson chief technology officer Keith Feeny.

Principle Networks markets itself as a specialist in designing and implementing scalable, agile and future-proofed cloud-based networks for mid-sized to large enterprises, and works across all sectors, including legal, retail, logistics, social housing, automotive, financial services, IT and local government.

The agreement with Hill Dickinson will see Principle Networks undertake a phased replacement and migration of the law firm’s wide area network (WAN) and security infrastructure. It will be replaced by an internet-based software-defined wide area network (SD-WAN) and secure access service edge (SASE) zero-trust security framework. Throughout the partnership, Principle Networks has guaranteed to deliver a co-managed service offering 24-hour support services across the SD-WAN and SASE infrastructure and the firm’s local area network (LAN) and Wi-Fi estate.

Remarking on the rationale for the deployment and choice of provider, Feeny said: “Principle Networks understood our goals and, more importantly, were fully aligned with our growth, agility and innovation objectives, which made them the ideal partner. From the moment we met, we could tell they shared our vision and could support our long-term digital strategy. They’ve designed a network capable of growing and evolving with the business and delivering a consistent user experience globally.”

Russell Crowley, co-founder at Principle Networks, said: “Network accessibility and security are critical within the legal sector. Having a robust, secure infrastructure is central to gaining the trust of clients and staff.”