To use an extranet you need a computer, access to the Internet and an Internet browser. To set up a system you need a server and specialized hardware and software. In the practice of law, applications include private conferencing, document exchange and collaboration, calendar and bulletin board functions, according to Chris Santella, senior marketing manager for Niku Corp., a Redwood City, Calif.-based software vendor. Niku recently acquired Legal Anywhere, a leading legal computer company. Whether an extranet is constructed on the Internet or an intranet, its main features include security and selectivity.
Some firms use a separate extranet for each case while others manage several cases on one system.
Security concerns are one reason cited for attorneys lagging behind business and finance in using extranets. Security can be actualized in the intranet environment by creating extranets inside the firm's firewall, or outside the firewall but accessed by secure passwords. Encryption can protect data stored on servers but has been known to slow access so that some users only apply it to their most sensitive data and documents. Savings, to both clients and law firms, are realized on several levels, though measurement in terms of dollars or hours is still anecdotal. Online document drafting and revision can augment or replace conference calls or meetings.