Kirkland & Ellis – Executive Conversations with Elite

Many firms migrate to 3E in the cloud in just six to nine months from kickoff to go-live. That timeline includes data validation, user testing, and training. The difference from a traditional upgrade is that we’re moving your system, not recreating it. No new hardware.  

Every project follows a structured, repeatable sequence: 

1. Assessment and planning – We review your current environment, versions, and integrations, and produce a scoped plan and timeline. 
2. Data migration – Data is transferred and validated. 
3. Customization review – Together, we determine which customizations should be carried forward, simplified, or replaced by newer, built-in functionality. 
4. Integration re-patterning – Integrations are mapped to modern, SaaS-native interfaces. Common partner integrations typically now follow established patterns. 
5. Cutover and go-live – The final data sync occurs, users test, and we transition operations to the live environment. 
6. Optimization phase – Post-go-live, we fine-tune performance and reporting and ensure users are confident in the new workflows. 

Most firms bring across: 

• Their data, fully validated 
• Their configurations and rules 
• The customizations that still add value 

What usually changes are integrations (modernized for cloud standards) and outdated customizations that now have stronger native equivalents. The result is a cleaner system with less technical debt. 

Firm's IT team remains involved in: 

• Providing access to the legacy environment for data extraction 
• Participating in testing and validation 
• Coordinating integration endpoints 

Firm's IT team no longer needs to: 

• Maintain or patch servers 
• Manage OS, SQL, or hardware upgrades 
• Handle system backups or disaster recovery routines 
• Monitoring or maintenance of 3E 

The workload shifts from infrastructure management to oversight and data quality. 

After 100+ completed migrations, we’ve documented patterns for nearly every major integration used across our customer base. Most integrations are rebuilt using modern APIs or connectors that provide the same data flow without direct database access. Exceptions are handled through a design review early in the process, so there are no surprises late in the timeline. While it can’t be guaranteed, it’s worth noting that to date, we haven’t encountered an integration that couldn’t be transitioned. 

There are a number of ways to access your data in our SaaS offering through a full suite of platform capabilities: 

• Data can be accessed programmatically via our REST and oData APIs. 
• We can create data feeds for targeted real-time integrations using our Webhook infrastructure. 
• For deeper analytics and enterprise reporting, data can be accessed via Elite’s data platform on Microsoft Fabric. 

Downtime is limited to the final data synchronization window. Most firms experience a weekend-length cutover. Parallel testing or a structured Dress Rehearsal ensures all business-critical functions are operational before final sign-off. 

After go-live, many firms enter a “hyper care” period with our Delivery and Support teams, with a focus on performance tuning and enabling your users to take advantage of new capabilities — reporting, automation, and AI features. Upgrades, patches, and maintenance are handled automatically. Your internal team moves from maintaining infrastructure to improving workflows and analytics. Our teams offer hands-on support from go-live through at least your first month end processing to ensure a smooth transition. 

An on-prem upgrade now typically requires: 

• Server and OS refresh 
• SQL upgrades 
• Application testing and redeployment 
• Ongoing hardware and licensing costs 

Migration to cloud replaces those costs with a single, planned transition — eliminating the on-prem upgrade cycles entirely. The result is a modernized environment, continuous product innovation, and predictable operating costs. 

The first wave of projects helped refine every step of the process. Today’s migrations benefit from: 

• New streamlined documentation, cut over check lists, and methodology enhancements after 100+ successful migrations 
• Established integration blueprints 
• A deeper understanding of customizations 
• Specialized partners who know the workflows and challenges 
• Proven timelines and reference firms with similar profiles 

In short, migration is a standardized process.