Lawyers are on the move, and it is time to make your office mobile. In today’s busy mobile world, it is important for attorneys to have access to case files at the office, at home, or at court. There is no reason for a busy lawyer to be restricted to their office. Managed cloud services, like TOSS C3, can expand the range, functionality, and productivity of all your legal needs.

Why Do Law Firms Need the Cloud?

According to the International Legal Technology Association ( ILTA), “Cloud computing continues to be one of the hottest topics in legal IT. Law firms of all sizes are embracing the cloud, some on an application-by-application basis, others with an ‘all-or-nothing’ approach.” The cloud has reached a new status in law firms; it is considered a ‘must have’ expenditure.

According to Law Technology Today, “Four out of five cloud adopters report significant process improvements within six months of moving to the cloud, while 82% indicate substantial cost savings.” Confidentiality is important in the attorney-client relationship. Managed cloud services are required to meet international best practices concerning rigorous enterprise security and control standards.

Cloud solutions will integrate security with business processes and workflow. If you are not sure this is the right step for your firm, then start small with a few applications, or get basic data recovery services to see how well it works. Here you can see how vBCDR can help. You can always expand later. That’s the benefit of the cloud.

That’s great! But Can Law Firms Place Data in the Cloud?

This is a great concern for many firms. Maybe it is a great idea to use the cloud from a business point of view, but is it ethical? According to the American Bar Association (ABA), the answer is mostly yes. The chart provided at the link shows that many states have already given a ‘yes’, but with a condition that the firm must use ‘reasonable care’ when deciding how to put the cloud services together.

All other states have not made a decision on the matter. There is no state in the United States that has said no to managed cloud services for legal firms. The ABA also gives some advice on what you should ask managed cloud service providers. Some questions/issues to consider with regard to ethics/security:

• How does the vendor safeguard the privacy/confidentiality of stored data?
• How often is the user’s data backed up? Does the vendor backup data in multiple data centers in different geographic locations to safeguard against natural disaster?
• What is the history of the vendor? Where do they derive their funding? How stable are they financially?
• Can I get my data “off” their servers for my own offline use/backup? If I decide to cancel my subscription to the software, will I get my data? Is data supplied in a non-proprietary format that is compatible with other software?
• Does the vendor’s Terms of Service or Service Level Agreement address confidentiality and security? If not, would the vendor be

willing to sign a confidentiality agreement in keeping with your professional responsibilities?
For more information on cloud security, get the book, ‘Easy Prey: How to Protect Your Business From Data Breach, Cybercrime and Employee Fraud’

That is all Great, but I am Still Concerned about Client Security

This is one of the biggest reasons law firms do not get on the cloud. If this is a concern your firm is experiencing then think hybrid cloud infrastructure. The hybrid allows core applications and other daily services to be connected to the cloud, while private client data remains on an internal network. Parts or all of the client data can then be removed as needed. The hybrid provides an extra layer of security at the firm, and when attorneys are accessing information from a different location.

There is no reason to not move into the cloud. Managed cloud services can help you to integrate the right cloud option for your firm. It is easy to get started and even easier to cancel. To get more information today: