COVID-19 has taken a dramatic turn in the last few days, causing every law firm and business to seriously consider remote work. 

Much of lawyers’ day-to-day work includes face-to-face interaction, like court trials, depositions, client meetings, and the like, making this crisis unchartered territory for many in the legal industry.

Above all, it’s important to keep staff and clients safe, while still doing what you can to maintain those relationships. 

In the latest episode of LitiCast, Vice President of Growth Jon Robinson spoke with Chief Revenue Officer Terry Dohrmann and Chief Information and Security Officer Travis Howe about what law firms and organizations should be thinking about right now as they move to a remote work model.

Watch their conversation below.

Remote Work Checklist 

Proper Equipment

Beyond ensuring that employees have laptops, consider other equipment that will set them up for success, including headphones, monitors, and wireless keyboards.

Internet Access

While employees may relish the opportunity to work from anywhere, the local coffee shop may not be the safest or most secure place to do so. Work with your team to ensure that every person has access to fast and secure Wi-Fi while away from the office. This means avoiding public networks as much as possible.

Cloud-Based Software

Working remotely comes with its own unique communication and productivity challenges. Having the right tools can help.

More than half of Litify’s team works remotely full time. Here are the solutions that we’ve found to be particularly helpful:

• Zoom: Video conferencing. We hold our company-wide meetings (150 employees!) on Zoom. We also use it for client meetings.
• Slack: Internal instant messaging. Easily share files and updates with colleagues in a searchable, organized manner. You can use separate channels to discuss particular cases or clients.
• Drift, Loom: Video voicemail. Send a video to a client with a quick update. Much more personal than an email.
• AssureSign, DocuSign: E-signature. Send and receive signed agreements virtually.
• LastPass: Password protection. Securely store and share login information for shared accounts.
• Concur: Expense tracking. Upload e-receipts and get expenses approved, without having to print a thing.

Educate Your Staff About Security

There will sadly always be a few bad actors that try to profit off of crises. Make sure your staff knows what to look out for.

• Phishing emails: With most companies working remotely, fake emails from executives will be on the rise. Tell your staff to confirm over the phone if they are asked to wire money or email sensitive records. And always double-check the sender's email address.
• Scam coronavirus domains: Everyone is searching for answers and resources during this unprecedented time. Make sure you visit reliable and trustworthy sources.
• Unsecure Wi-Fi: Again, ensure staff has access to secure Wi-Fi. Avoid public Wi-Fi and use a WPA (WiFi-Protected Access) network.

What Should You Do Now?

If you have some time: Do a stress test. Have employees work from home and see where your technology gaps are. 

If employees need to work from home today: Still take the time to properly set up remote access. While these are stressful times, having a breach will only exacerbate problems for your business.

Think about the future: The only better time than yesterday to move to the cloud is today. There will be other crises after COVID-19, like natural disasters. Cloud-based platforms like Litify can help you keep your business stable during any emergency.

Lean on technology experts: Companies like Litify think about virtual work every day. Feel free to ask us for recommendations on tools you can leverage and best practices we've seen from other law firms. Let's talk.