Womble Carlyle Sandridge & Rice Raises the Bar With Verizon Business IP Networking

BASKING RIDGE, N.J. - Womble Carlyle Sandridge & Rice, PLLC, one of the largest and most technologically advanced business law firms in the mid-Atlantic and Southeast, will be able to better communicate and collaborate both internally and with clients, using advanced Internet protocol (IP) networking and collaboration services provided by Verizon Business.

Under terms of a new three-year contract, Verizon Business is providing Winston-Salem, N.C.-based Womble Carlyle with an MPLS-based Private IP network, effectively linking the law firm's 11 offices and more than 1,300 employees, including 530 attorneys. 

The new Womble Carlyle network is based on Verizon Business' Private IP service, one of the company's fastest-growing offerings.  It replaces several regional networks previously used by Womble Carlyle and, for the first time, provides the firm with a standardized wide area infrastructure.

The converged network architecture delivers improved quality and ease of management, and supports office-to-office and office-to-client collaboration via audio and video conferencing. By eliminating Womble Carlyle's need to manage and maintain multiple voice, video and data networks, the new network enables the firm to operate more efficiently and better serve clients. 

Additionally, the collaborative tools enable Womble Carlyle to reduce travel and share legal documents electronically, thereby trimming costs and helping to preserve the environment.

"Our network, spanning five states and the District of Columbia, serves as the foundation for our growing law firm," said Sean Scott, chief information officer, Womble Carlyle.  "We understand the potential of technology and how it can support our business-critical applications.  Verizon Business has delivered a scalable, flexible and highly reliable IP-based infrastructure that enables our attorneys and staff to focus on meeting the requirements of our customers and protecting their interests."

In addition to supporting high-quality voice communications, as well as conferencing and instant messaging applications, the new IP network provides the foundation for Womble Carlyle's proprietary case- and document-management service, as well as WombleNet, the firm's intranet.  These critical business tools enable attorneys from any of the firm's offices to easily share information and seamlessly collaborate.

"The Private IP network deployed for Womble Carlyle highlights the dynamic flexibility and quality this platform offers," said Stephen P. Young, senior vice president, corporate and government market sales, Verizon Business.  "The service can easily meet the requirements of a wide range of customers, from a multinational corporation with hundreds of global sites to a regional company with sites in the U.S.  Womble Carlyle has chosen a secure, reliable and scalable platform to support its current and future technology and business objectives."

Verizon Business offers a broad portfolio of IP-based services that enable companies to meet business objectives and manage complex networks and critical applications.  Verizon Business' comprehensive offerings, available on a managed or do-it-yourself basis, can be combined to create effective solutions to fulfill the requirements of enterprises of any size, in any industry.

About Womble Carlyle Sandridge & Rice, PLLC
Established in Winston-Salem in 1876, Womble Carlyle Sandridge & Rice PLLC, is a full-service business law firm serving a wide range of regional, national and international clients in industries that include financial services, commercial real estate, information technology, health care, manufacturing and telecommunications, as well as educational institutions and governmental bodies and agencies.  The firm consists of 530 lawyers in 11 offices in Winston-Salem, Charlotte, Greensboro, Research Triangle Park, Raleigh, N.C.; Atlanta, Ga.; Greenville, S.C.; Tysons Corner, Va.; Washington, D.C.; Baltimore, Md. and Wilmington, Del.

About Verizon Business
Verizon Business, a unit of Verizon Communications (NYSE: VZ), is a leading provider of advanced communications and information technology (IT) solutions to large-business and government customers worldwide.  Combining unsurpassed global network reach with advanced communications, security and other professional service capabilities, Verizon Business delivers innovative and seamless business solutions to customers around the world.  For more information, visit www.verizonbusiness.com.

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