Choosing a Copier for a Law Firm: Security, Scanning and Cost Tracking
November 2, 2026
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Choosing a law firm copier? Learn what matters: fast searchable PDF scanning, secure release printing, client cost tracking, legal size paper and finishing.
A law office runs on paper, even when most of the files are digital. Pleadings, discovery sets, contracts, exhibits and client letters all pass through the copier at some point. That makes the copier one of the most important machines in the building, and one of the easiest to choose poorly.
A basic office copier may handle everyday copying, but a law firm has extra needs. You scan large stacks into files you can search. You track copy and print costs by client. You handle confidential material all day. You also need legal size paper and finishing that keeps big sets in order.
We are an authorized Sharp business partner in Warminster, and we have helped businesses across Philadelphia and the Delaware Valley since 1999. Here is what we suggest law firms look at before they pick a copier.
Start With How Your Firm Really Uses Paper
Before you compare machines, spend a few minutes on how your people work. A solo attorney and a 40 person firm will need very different equipment.
Ask a few simple questions:
- How many pages does your office print, copy and scan in a typical month?
- Do paralegals scan large document sets, or do most scans come from one or two pages at a time?
- Do you need to bill copy and print costs back to clients?
- How many people share one machine, and how many floors or offices need one?
- Do you print court filings and trial binders in house?
Your answers decide the size of the machine, the speed, the paper trays and the software you will want. Your past billing records or the counters on your current machine can help you answer the volume question. If you are not sure, we can help you work it out.
Fast, High Volume Scanning to Searchable PDF
For most firms, scanning matters more than copying. A good scan workflow saves hours of retyping and searching through paper.
What to look for in the scanner
Look for a document feeder that can scan both sides of a page in a single pass. This is the feature that makes a big stack of pages go quickly. It also helps to have a feeder that handles mixed page sizes, since legal files often mix letter, legal and smaller pages.
Searchable PDF
A plain scan is just a picture of a page. A searchable PDF uses text recognition so you can search the file for a name, a date or a phrase. That is a big help when you are hunting for one clause in a long contract or one exhibit in a large production.
Many Sharp multifunction devices can scan to searchable PDF, either at the machine or through software. Ask us to confirm what is available on the specific model you are considering.
Where the scans go
Think about where scanned files need to land. Common choices include:
- A shared network folder
- A specific email address
- A matter folder in your document management system
The easier it is to send a scan to the right place, the more likely your team is to use it. We can help set up scan destinations so staff are not typing in addresses all day.
Bates Numbering and Document Workflows
Bates numbering stamps a unique number on each page of a document set. It is a routine part of discovery and production. Many firms do it with software rather than at the copier itself.
In general, Bates numbering and similar workflow tools come through software. That software might run on the copier, on a computer, or inside a document management system. Features and options vary, so it helps to describe your process to us before you buy. Tell us how your team labels pages, how it names files, and where finished sets are stored.
A good workflow connects the scanner to the way you already manage files. If you want to go deeper on that side of the question, our guide to document management for law firms walks through how scanning, filing and retrieval fit together.
User Codes and Client Cost Recovery
Many firms pass copy, print and scan costs to clients, depending on the engagement and the firm’s policy. To do that cleanly, you need a way to know who printed what, and for which matter.
That is where user codes come in. With user codes, each person, or each client or matter, enters a code at the copier before using it. The machine keeps counts tied to that code. At the end of the month, you can pull a report and match it to your billing.
A few tips for making this work:
- Decide whether codes will be tied to people, to client matters, or both.
- Keep the code format simple so staff do not skip it or guess.
- Review reports on a regular schedule so mistakes are caught early.
- Talk with your accountant or billing staff about how your firm records and bills these costs.
Rules about what a firm may charge clients can vary by firm and by engagement. Please confirm your approach with your own firm’s billing and ethics contacts.
Secure Release Printing
In a busy office, printed pages can sit in an output tray where anyone walking by can see them. For a law firm, that is a real concern.
Secure release printing, sometimes called follow me or pull printing, holds a print job until the person who sent it is at the machine. The user then releases the job with a PIN, a code or a card. If someone forgets to pick up a job, it is not sitting in a tray for others to see.
This also cuts down on wasted pages, because jobs that are no longer needed can be deleted without printing. If you want more background on this topic, read our post on print security.
Protecting Data on the Copier's Hard Drive
Many modern copiers and multifunction devices store data on an internal drive. That can include scanned images, job histories and address books. Law firms should treat that drive the way they treat a computer that holds client information.
Ask about these points:
- Whether the drive data can be encrypted
- Whether stored job data can be overwritten or erased on a schedule
- What happens to the drive when a machine is returned, replaced or retired
- Who in your office controls administrator settings and passwords
Also ask your IT provider to review the network settings. No piece of equipment can make an office compliant on its own. Good practice depends on how you set up the machine, how your staff use it and what your policies say.
Legal Size Paper and Finishing
It sounds basic, but paper handling matters in a legal office. Confirm that the machine has a tray that holds legal size paper, which is 8.5 by 14 inches, and that the document feeder can handle it. You may also want a bypass tray for letterhead, pleading paper or other specialty stock.
Finishing options can save your staff a lot of hand work. Depending on the model, you may be able to add:
- Stapling for large sets
- Hole punching for binders
- Offset stacking, which separates one set from the next
- Booklet making for briefs and handbooks
If your firm prepares trial binders or large production sets, finishing can turn a long afternoon of manual work into a simple job at the machine. Tell us what your most demanding print jobs look like and we will match the options to them.
Think About Lease, Service and Support
Most firms choose a lease because it spreads the cost of the equipment and makes it easier to upgrade later. It helps to read the terms closely, including the length, the service coverage and what happens at the end. Our post on understanding your copier lease agreement explains the main points in plain English.
Support matters too. A copier that goes down in the middle of a filing is a problem. Ask who services the machine, how you request help, and how supplies are handled. Our Warminster team supports businesses throughout Bucks, Montgomery, Chester and Delaware counties and the Philadelphia area.
Questions to Ask Before You Choose
Bring this short list to any conversation about a law firm copier:
- Does the scanner handle double sided, mixed size pages in one pass?
- Can it create searchable PDF files, and where do those files go?
- How does the firm handle Bates numbering and other document workflows?
- Can we track usage by client or matter with user codes?
- Is secure release printing available?
- What protections exist for data stored on the machine?
- Does it handle legal size paper and the finishing we need?
- What does the service plan include?
Confirm Your Confidentiality Obligations
Every firm has its own duties to clients, and those duties depend on your practice, your clients and the rules that apply to you. This post is general information only. Please confirm your confidentiality obligations with your own firm, your ethics counsel or your compliance officer before you decide how to set up and use any copier.
Talk With Associated Imaging Solutions
Choosing a copier for a law firm comes down to how your people scan, print, track costs and protect client information. We can walk through your workflow and recommend Sharp equipment that fits it. Pricing is by quote, so we will build one around your needs.
Call Associated Imaging Solutions at (215) 999-8445, or contact us to get started. Our office hours are Monday to Friday, 8:30 AM to 5 PM.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
What features should a law firm look for in a copier?
Look for fast double sided scanning to searchable PDF, user codes for tracking costs by client, secure release printing, and protection for data stored on the machine. Also check for legal size paper trays and finishing such as stapling or hole punching. Your own workflow should guide the final choice.
Can a copier add Bates numbers to scanned documents?
Bates numbering is generally handled through software rather than the copier alone. That software may run on the device, on a computer or in a document management system. Options vary by model and setup, so describe your process to us first and we can confirm what is available for the equipment you are considering.
How can a law firm track copy costs by client?
Most firms use user codes. Each person or matter has a code that is entered at the copier, and the machine records usage for that code. You can then pull a report and match it to billing. Check with your accountant and your firm’s ethics contacts on how to bill those costs.
Does a copier store confidential client documents?
Many modern copiers keep scanned images and job data on an internal drive. Ask about encryption, scheduled data erasing and what happens to the drive when equipment is returned or replaced. Confirm your confidentiality duties with your own firm, attorney or compliance officer, since no machine can make an office compliant by itself.
Get a Quote From Associated Imaging Solutions
Providing solutions to make businesses run more productively, more reliably, and more efficiently.
Or call (215) 999-8445. You can also contact us online.
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