Choosing an intranet platform is one of the more consequential technology decisions a law firm makes. You are not just picking a tool. You are choosing the structure your firm will use to manage knowledge, collaborate on matters, and protect client confidentiality for years to come.
There are genuinely good options in several different categories. This page gives you an honest look at the trade-offs between them so you can make a well-informed decision for your firm.
The Three Main Options Law Firms Consider
Option 1: SaaS Intranet Platforms
SaaS (Software as a Service) intranet platforms are subscription products that law firms configure to their needs within the vendor’s existing system. Examples in the legal space include Infodash, ThoughtFarmer, Claromentis, and similar products.
These platforms are built for multiple industries, including law firms. The vendor maintains the infrastructure, updates the software, and provides customer support. Your firm configures the platform within the options the vendor provides.
- Strengths: faster initial setup for firms that fit the standard template, predictable monthly cost, vendor handles infrastructure maintenance.
- Limitations: customization is bounded by what the vendor’s platform supports, your data lives in the vendor’s infrastructure, you pay a recurring subscription indefinitely, and if you need something the platform does not offer, you are either stuck or paying for custom add-ons on top of the subscription.
Option 2: Semi-Custom SharePoint-Based Solutions (Standard Configuration)
Microsoft SharePoint is the platform most law firms already have access to through Microsoft 365 licensing, and its out-of-the-box features are more capable than many firms realize. A semi-custom SharePoint intranet takes those built-in tools and configures them thoughtfully around your firm’s specific needs, without requiring ground-up custom development.
This is one of the two approaches Esquire Interactive offers, and for many firms it is the right fit. We design the information architecture, configure the access controls, build out matter workspaces and communications hubs, and apply your firm’s branding, all using SharePoint’s native feature set. The result looks and works like a purpose-built law firm intranet because it was designed by a team that understands legal practice, even if it is not built from scratch.
- Strengths: typically no additional platform licensing cost, integrates naturally with Teams and Outlook, familiar Microsoft interface that reduces training friction, faster implementation timeline than a fully custom build, and a lower upfront investment while still delivering a professional, organized intranet designed specifically for law firms.
- Best fit for: firms that want a well-designed, attorney-informed intranet without the scope and investment of fully custom development. This is a strong option for small to mid-size firms with relatively standard workflows and an existing Microsoft 365 environment.
Option 3: Custom SharePoint Development
Custom SharePoint development takes the Microsoft 365 platform your firm likely already has and builds a purpose-designed law firm intranet on top of it. Every element is designed for your firm’s specific structure, practice areas, compliance requirements, and workflows.
- Strengths: built exactly to your needs, not a template. You use the platform you already pay for. All data stays within your firm’s Microsoft 365 environment. Legal-specific features can be designed from the ground up.
- Considerations: higher upfront investment than a basic SaaS subscription. Requires a development partner with genuine legal expertise. The right partner makes a significant difference in the quality and compliance reliability of what is built.
At Esquire Interactive, we have built law firm intranets that use out-of-the-box features and SharePoint intranets that are fully custom. We are able to work in either capacity, depending on a client’s budget, timeline, and needs.