How Continuant Helped the World’s Largest Law Firm Get Out of Cisco Jail
Background
Founded in 2013 as the result of a merger with several large international law firms, Dentons is today the world’s largest law firm as measured by the number of lawyers working for the firm (7,700). Today, Dentons operates out of 140 locations in more than 57 countries and ranks among the top 20 Global Elite Law Firms, based on a survey of in-house counsel around the world.
The solution
Protection for Avaya investment
Avaya system lifespan extended to the point of transition
Hands on support during Cisco migration
Timeline management to keep migration on track
The challenge
Catastrophically unresponsive Avaya partner
Unresolved problems leading to a disastrous several day system shut down
Unsuccessful Cisco migration
Tight timeline to find an advisor to get their transition back on track
The story
The mega-merger created a decentralized firm that describes itself as “polycentric” and diverse in terms of geography, culture, language, and nationalities within it. And while this diversity generates vibrant energy and produces innovative solutions for clients, in 2014, one year after the merger was complete, the firm knew it had to centralize one area of its US-based business: Its Avaya telephone systems.
When it came to dealing with Avaya systems, Dentons had it rough to say the least. Its initial Avaya provider proved virtually impossible to contact. This led to a slew of unresolved issues, culminating in a total system shut down lasting several days. A change was long overdue, but unfortunately, that change came with its own host of problems.
Dentons’ initial partner failed to adequately handle its migration to a new Cisco solution. The process wound up taking far too long, and by the time Dentons began looking for a new partner, time was tight. It seemed this law firm’s communications were doomed to a life sentence.
Continuant changed all of that, helping Dentons protect its Avaya investment by keeping the system alive throughout its transition. Additionally, Continuant was able to work with Dentons to get its Cisco migration carried out in a timely manner. This time around, things went remarkably well.
When the dust settled and the project (under Continuant’s expert guidance) was complete, Dentons IT and Telecom Services Lead wrote:
“I wanted to thank you… for working with us on this project on such a tight timeline and actually pushing back on the date in the face of imminent failure. This decision really saved us from certain disaster…. I’m sure it was not a decision that was made easily but we all knew it was the correct decision….” He added, “I also wanted to pass on my sincere thanks for getting us the team you did. We would have never made it through this without your stellar team…. The [Continuant] team was fantastic and the effort that [the team] put in over the weekend was top notch…. I always expect excellence from Continuant but never want to take it for granted and to see it first hand was fantastic.”
Communication and collaboration is at the core of your organization. With Continuant’s UC and AV solutions, you’re one step closer to better business outcomes. Discover how your technology stacks up with a 30-minute assessment today.
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