E-filing from the Local Coffee Shop: A Practical Look into Confidentiality, Technology, and the Practice of Law

In today’s world, technology is a big part of being a lawyer. With e-mail, texting, and other electronic tools, lawyers have to be careful to protect their clients’ privacy. The rules for how lawyers should act don’t change just because of new technology. One lawyer in Iowa got in trouble for not responding to a client’s text messages, showing how important it is to use technology responsibly. Lawyers still have to keep their clients’ information private, even when using electronic tools. It’s important for lawyers to learn about technology so they can keep their clients’ information safe. Lawyers don’t like change, but they need to embrace technology to stay relevant. E-filing and e-service are important, but they can be risky if not managed well. It’s important for lawyers to have good systems in place to avoid mistakes. Some lawyers are worried about e-filing because they’re not good with computers, but they need to learn and get help from tech-savvy people. There are resources and training available to help with e-filing, and it’s important to use them to reduce the risk of making mistakes. Law firms need to have a clear system to manage a lot of electronic documents and make sure they go to the right people. This is especially important for solo lawyers who don’t have assistants. They also need to make sure their client database is set up properly and works well with other computer programs. When it comes to using email, lawyers need to be careful not to send confidential information to the wrong person or attach the wrong file. They also need to be aware that emails can be accessed by other people, so they should be careful about what they send. A lawyer got in trouble for reading his employees’ emails to find out who was leaking information, so it’s important to think about the risks of using email. If something is really important, it might be better to talk in person or on the phone. There are ways to manage your emails better, like using folders and rules to keep everything organized. If you don’t do this, you could end up with too many emails and get overwhelmed. Using public Wi-Fi and cloud computing can be risky for lawyers. Public Wi-Fi can be easily intercepted by third parties, so it’s important to be cautious when using it. Always check the network name and use secure websites that start with “https”. Consider using a VPN for added security. When it comes to cloud computing, lawyers need to be careful about entrusting confidential information to a third-party provider. Make sure the provider has measures in place to protect your information, and consider factors like data retention, user rights, and security features. When choosing a cloud service for storing legal documents, it’s important to consider factors like security and backup options. Lawyers also need to be careful about metadata, which is hidden information in electronic files that can reveal confidential details. They should learn how to remove metadata before sending files and should not try to access metadata from documents they receive unless it’s intended for them. If they accidentally receive metadata, they should let the sender know. Technology devices can pose risks to confidentiality. Lawyers need to make sure that devices like computers, scanners, and phones don’t keep confidential information. They also have to keep track of who is using these devices to make sure confidentiality is maintained. It’s important for lawyers to understand how to use technology properly in order to create effective rules for managing electronic files and messages. Here are some helpful resources for staying safe and organized while using technology as a lawyer:
– Harvard Business School has tips for managing email overload
– Microsoft has a guide for creating email rules
– Entrepreneur has tips for using public Wi-Fi safely
– There are also some ethics opinions from the Florida Bar about cloud computing and metadata in legal documents
– And a student named Kevin Crews won an essay contest about managing risks in the legal profession We want our members to learn about doing their job well and helping the public. We also want to make sure the legal system works better and to improve the study of law.

Source: https://www.floridabar.org/the-florida-bar-journal/e-filing-from-the-local-coffee-shop-a-practical-look-into-confidentiality-technology-and-the-practice-of-law/