Printing might not be the first thing that springs to mind when we talk about law firm expenses, but here’s the kicker: hidden print costs can quietly eat into your margins without anyone noticing.
You’re busy billing hours, chasing deadlines, and dealing with clients – you don’t have time to faff about with toner usage stats. But ignoring it? That can cost you thousands every year.
So, how do you actually find out where the money’s going – and stop the bleed?
Grab a coffee. Let’s make this simple.
First: Where’s Your Money Actually Going?
If you’ve ever looked at your firm’s printing bill and thought, “Surely we didn’t use that much paper this month?”, you’re not alone.
The thing is, most firms have no real idea what’s being printed, how often, or why. It’s just… happening. A few case files here, a full-colour bundle there, and before you know it, someone’s printed 150 pages of internal emails in colour. Again.
That’s why the first step is always visibility.
Here’s what works:
- Run a proper print audit. This means going device by device and checking what’s being printed, how often, and by whom. Boring? Slightly. Worth it? Absolutely.
- Use print management software. These tools don’t just count pages – they give you proper insights. Like which teams are hammering the colour printer and who’s still printing single-sided (hi, Alan from Conveyancing).
- Ask your suppliers for a full cost breakdown. That means toner, maintenance, servicing, paper – all of it. You’d be surprised how many costs are buried in the small print of supply contracts.
- Bring in a Managed Print Service (MPS) provider. The good ones don’t just manage your printers – they spot inefficiencies you didn’t know existed. Like that dusty device in the back office that costs a fortune to run but only gets used twice a month.
One firm we worked with had more printers than staff. Once they saw the data, they cut their devices in half and saved over £4,000 a year. No drama, just proper visibility.
So… What Can You Actually Do About It?
Alright, you’ve got the data. Now what? This is where the real savings happen.
Here’s what we’ve seen work time and time again:
1. Get ruthless with printing habits
You don’t need to ban printing altogether (we’re not monsters). But you can get smart about it.
- Set all printers to double-sided as default.
- Restrict colour printing unless absolutely necessary.
- Show staff the cost of a single print job – sometimes just knowing it’s costing £1.12 to print a five-page document in colour is enough to change behaviour.
2. Digital-first doesn’t mean paperless overnight
Yes, the legal sector is famously paper-heavy. But with today’s document management systems, a lot of routine printing can be avoided altogether.
Case files, contracts, client correspondence – all can be securely stored, signed, and shared digitally now.
The firms we’ve seen embrace this not only save on paper and toner, they also save time. Less time digging through filing cabinets. Less chance of “accidentally” printing the wrong version of a contract.
3. Introduce print quotas or user-based rules
It’s not about micromanaging staff – it’s about keeping everyone aware of the impact.
Set reasonable monthly limits for departments. If someone needs more, they can request it. Simple. Fair. Effective.
And let’s be honest, most of us print more when we know no one’s watching.
4. Consolidate and upgrade your hardware
We’ve seen this far too often – ancient printers scattered around the office, each one with its own toner type, its own quirks, and its own maintenance needs.
Modern multifunction devices do it all – print, scan, copy, and even email documents securely. Fewer machines = less maintenance = more savings.
And don’t forget energy usage. A single old-school printer might cost you more in electricity than you think.
Why It Matters More Than Ever
Let’s zoom out for a second.
Clients are more cost-conscious than ever. And with growing pressure to stay transparent about fees, solicitors need to keep internal costs tight. You can’t afford to let hidden operational expenses snowball quietly in the background.
Cutting print costs might not seem as exciting as winning a big case or landing a new client, but here’s the thing – it directly affects your bottom line. Every page, every toner cartridge, every service call – it adds up.
One mid-size UK law firm we worked with reduced their annual print-related spend by over 30% just by switching to MPS, reducing devices, and shifting to digital-first workflows. That’s money back in the business, without cutting staff or compromising service.
What You Can Do This Week
If you want to get started without turning it into a massive project, here’s your quick-start checklist:
- ✅ Run a basic print audit – even a week’s worth of data will be eye-opening.
- ✅ Set printers to duplex and B&W by default.
- ✅ Ask your supplier for a full breakdown of print-related costs.
- ✅ Chat to a print management specialist – ideally one that understands the legal sector.
- ✅ Review who actually needs to print – and how much.
Do that, and you’ll already be ahead of the game.
Final Thought
No one went into law to think about printer settings. But if you’re serious about running a lean, efficient practice – it’s exactly the kind of thing that deserves attention.
Because once you’ve got your print costs under control, that’s one less admin headache – and one more step towards a more profitable, focused legal practice.
And frankly, you’ll never look at that colour printout of the office lunch rota the same way again.
Need help with print audits or managed print services for your firm? Work with someone who actually knows how legal practices run. Always ask for legal-sector experience, not just generic office solutions.
