Top Security Tips for Remote Law Firms

A look at the top five security tips to run an efficient remote law firm

Between the rapid rise of virtual law firms and the amount of lawyers working from home, security tips for remote law firms is beginning to take precedence within the legal landscape. According to a legal technology survey conducted by the American Bar Association, only about half of lawyers even work in traditional office settings anymore. 20% work from home, while about 10% of solo practices labeled themselves as virtual law firms just last year. Everything in between falls into the remote category, making security tips for remote law firms even more important.

In fact, gaining exclusive remote access to client emails, files, and other operations required to provide clients with appropriate service is actually mandatory. Lawyers report spending 25% of their time working on legal affairs outside of their physical workplace. The chances of being attacked as a remote law firm increased by about 50% from 2016 to 2017, however, making the need for security an inevitability. Here are a few of zbrella’s top security tips for remote law firms.

zbrella’s Top Security Tips for Remote Law Firms

Firewalls & Infrastructure

Investing in the proper infrastructure for your firm will be the very foundation upon which all your other security will rest. Without the right firewalls and infrastructure in place, nothing else will matter. Firewalls can be supported by both hardware and software. In some cases, they can even be combined during a proper design process to fortify your firm’s resistance to attacks.

Online portals used for client and employee login should always be kept separate and secure. Some experts even suggest separate servers to avoid mix ups, such as clients having access to employee emails. Be sure not to overlook your website security, either, as this is a common oversight that could lead to a breach in even the most well protected law firms.

Password Changes

If your passwords looks like 1, 2, 3 or qwerty or any other variation of some of the most common passwords, change all of them, now. Some easy security tips for remote law firms in particular to follow include:

• Create different passwords for different needs. Don’t use the same password for everything.
• Make sure the passwords you do create are strong. They should be at least 12 characters or longer, include letters and numbers, and be case sensitive.
• Require your employees with access to your most sensitive client data to change passwords across systems every 30 days.
• Don’t store passwords in an obvious file and don’t keep it handwritten in an easily accessible location.
• Make sure your clients also change their access codes to keep their information safe.

Cloud-Everything

The Cloud is becoming increasingly popular in the legal industry. But it’s a top security tip for remote law firms especially because of its built-in remote qualities. As a remote law firm, your firm is already more susceptible to security breaches. Cloud-based solutions provide flexible coverage and are also more resistant to large outside attacks that would easily interfere with service or compromise sensitive information if stored on premises.

Remote law firms should always use a virtual private network (VPN) to access client information. Housing your VPN in the Cloud will actually minimize the need for onsite hardware and create yet another layer of protection via a secure connection for your firm to work remotely.

Backup, Backup, Backup

Out of all the top tips for remote law firms, we can’t stress this one enough. Backup all of your files, client information, and sensitive data! It seems like a no-brainer, but so many remote firms struggle with proper backups. If you’re finding it difficult to manage so much information on your own, don’t be afraid to turn to professional IT consultants who can perform this task for you.

Having proper backups is integral to your firm and retaining client loyalty and trust. Always be sure to encrypt your backup files, USBs, and any other sources of sensitive data. And set standardization for how often you choose to backup. This should typically be done nightly, but can also be done on a weekly or bi-weekly basis.

Update Software

It doesn’t matter how strong your security is. If you don’t install the latest software updates, you might as well change the banner of your website to HackMe.com. Cyber-spies and seasoned hackers will know who is unprotected. This tip is important for remote law firms because you need to secure and update all of your remote network entry points.