Virtual & Remote Practice: Reach from the Beach & Manage from the Mountains demonstrates key concepts of a “Virtual” and “Remote” law practice including an overview of many of the leading technologies currently enabling lawyers to remain virtually and remotely connected to clients, their firms and the vital information and knowledge of each, irrespective of his/her physical location; explores a few of the practice models employing these tools.

1. A 60 minute Technology Presentation by
Garrett P. LaBorde, esq.
2014 LADB CLE Seminar Series
(Louisiana Attorney Disciplinary Board )
April 2014 – September 2014

2.  Remote vs. “Virtual” Practice
 Remote Access
 Cloud vs.
 Conventional
 The “Virtual Practice”
 Partial (“Clicks & Mortar”)
 Completely Virtual
 eLawyering Defined
 Technology & Issues
 Ethics & Professionalism
 More:
……….Resources
……….Products
……….Tools
(“Know This..…Read This..…Get This”)
Overview

3. Remote Access
 Basic Remote Access Principles & Terms:
 • Solo/Small Firm v. Medium v. Large Firm – it is important to
understand that what may make sense for a solo practitioner may
be absolutely useless for a medium sized firm, and vice versa.
 • Right and wrong – there really isn’t inherent right and wrong in
discussing this issue, just different. This is even truer today with
all the many options that are now available to law firms to access
their data remotely. What may be “wrong” for one firm may be
exactly “right” for another. At the end of the day, it is what
solution that works for you and your firm that matters.
 • Premise-based data v. Cloud based data – the most important
distinction to make is that between remote access to premise-based
data and resources, and the use of “cloud” solutions that are
inherently remote, but still require an evaluation of how you
access that data.

4. Remote Node Access = “Virtual Private Network (VPN)”
(Briefly)
• Defined
• Advantages
• Limitations:
• Internet bandwidth limitations
• Data integrity
• Lack of full access

5. Remote Control Access(e.g. LogMeIn; GoToMyPC; TeamViewer)
• Defined
• Advantages (basically mirror & solve VPN downsides):
• Internet bandwidth limitations…
• Data integrity….
• Lack of full access…..
• Additional Benefits:
• Cross platform and device ease.
• Cost – how about free?
• Minor Disadvantages
• Computer hardware
• Computer up time

6. Screenshot: TeamView Remote, Meetings & VPN

7. What about Remote File Access/Storage
in “The Cloud”?
Where Everything’s headed!

8. Still Don’t believe me?

9. 
http://fowlerlaw.com/white-paper-fowler-bell-laws-journey-cloud/
Law in the Cloud

10. Remote Access using “Cloud” Based Services and Resources
e.g. Box; DropBox; OneDrive; iCloud; Google Drive, et al.
Remote file access advantages:
• No matter where you are, you have access to all your firm files.
SkyDrive is cross-device compatible with apps for Smartphones and tablets
running Android, Apple and Windows 8.
• It’s simple – installing it takes less than 5 minutes, and once your folder system is
configured the way you want it you won’t even have to think about it again.
• It provides mirrored images of your file store in multiple locations. While this
isn’t a backup solution, per se, it comes close and provides another level of data
redundancy.
• While apparently not MS supported, you can run OneDrive on a network shared
folder so that it can become the file repository for the entire firm.
• It’s inexpensive. The first 7 gigabytes are free, and you can add up to 100
gigabytes for $50 per year.

11. • The Five FOUR main players
• Box (formerly “Box.net”) – One of the more Lawyer & Business friendly cloud storage
platforms; more enterprise features including Active Directory management and
integration with Microsoft Office and other popular business applications. 10 GB Plan is
free (250MB File size limit) ; 100 GB Plan is $10/month (5GB File size limit). (Box not only
competes against online file-sharing service providers such as Dropbox, but also against enterprise
collaboration and content management platforms such as Microsoft SharePoint.) Works with
Windows, Mac, iOS, Android and Windows mobile.
• Microsoft’s OneDrive (previously “SkyDrive”, “Windows Live SkyDrive“& “Windows Live Folders”)–
Microsoft’s 365 integrated cloud product which provides 7 GB of free space, with options
up to 100 gigabytes @ $50 per year. File size is limited to 2 gigabytes. Works with
Windows, Mac, iOS, Android and Windows 8 mobile.
• Dropbox – Probably the easiest us set-up and use, it provides 2 GB of free space, with
options up to 100 gigabytes for $99 per year. File size is unlimited. Works with Windows,
Mac, Linux, iOS, Android, Windows 8 and Blackberry.
• Google Drive - provides 15 gigabytes of frees space, with options up to 100 gigabytes for
$60 per year. File size is limited to 10 gigabytes. Works with Windows, Mac, iOS, and
Android.
• iCloud – Apple’s proprietary (and iOS device-dependent) cloud storage provides 5
gigabytes of frees space (*for certain file types), with options up to 100 gigabytes for $100
per year. File size is limited to 25 megabytes for free account, 250 megabytes for paid for
account. Works with Windows, Mac, iOS, Windows. (not Android!)

12. Cloud Storage Comparison Chart
(As of 04/01/14
One Drive

13. Hosted Exchange Email Server (“Exchange in the Cloud”)
“Microsoft Exchange Server/Outlook” is an email and
calendaring server and application that is the de facto
corporate standard for handling corporate email,
calendaring, contacts and tasks. (Lawyers want to be able to
see their calendars in court, add appointments when in
meetings and at depositions, have access to their important
contact information, and process the never ending email they
receive wherever they are.)
' Hosted Exchange Server connects via the Internet to
your premise-based versions of Outlook, enabling you
to handle your email, calendar and contacts with the
full power of Exchange Server behind it – including its
syncing capabilities.
Used to be out of reach for small firms, but NOW, Microsoft and other companies
have started to offer “Hosted Exchange Server services” (meaning that they host the
software at their sites) that provide access to an Exchange Server for a relatively low
monthly per user subscription rate (as low as $4 per user per month up to $8 per month
depending on the level of service that you want).

14. Microsoft Office 365:
(“Rent” Your Microsoft Office Licenses only as needed)

15. Now Alll Office 365 Plans include 1 TB (1,000GB) of
One Drive Storage PER USER!
(eff. Summer 2014)

16. Conventional Remote/Mobile
Access & Storage
 A “More Secure” External Hard Drive:
Examples:
 Lenovo ThinkPad 750 GB External hard drive ( portable )
 USB 3.0 5400 rpm USB 3.0 Secure ($186 online)
 Optimized for safeguarding essential data while on-the-go,
 Secure access simply and easily with your own unique PIN
 High-level 256-bit Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) security
 Slim, lightweight, self-powered, easy-to-use design.

17. 
The “Virtual” Practice
 eLawyering Defined
 Partially Virtual (“Clicks & Mortar”)
 Completely Virtual
 Examples

19. What is eLawyering?
 Marc Lauritsen, co-chair of the eLawyering Task Force of the
Law Practice Management Section of the American Bar
Association has succinctly defined eLawyering as:
 “[E- Lawyering is] all the ways in which lawyers can do their
work using the Web and associated technologies. These include
new ways to communicate and collaborate with clients, prospective
clients and other lawyers, produce documents, settle disputes and
manage legal knowledge. Think of a lawyering verb—interview,
investigate, counsel, draft, advocate, analyze, negotiate, manage
and so forth—and there are corresponding electronic tools and
techniques.”
 eLawyering or virtual lawyering requires that a client be able to
log in to a secure web space with a user name and password where
they can access the firm’s legal services.

20. What is a Virtual Law
Firm?
 A “virtual law firm” is characterized by access by the
firm’s clients to a password protected and secure
web space where both the attorney and client may
interact and legal services consumed by the client.
 More specifically it can be defined as having a
secure client portal that is accessible from the law
firm’s web site.
Username:
Password:
LOGIN

21. On-Line Legal Services
A “virtual law firm” may enable clients to:
 Assemble legal documents over the web;
 Purchase legal advice online by telephone or email;
 Store their legal documents online;
 Collaborate with their attorneys online through
threaded discussions which are archived.
 Access legal information, web advisors, and intelligent
calculators.

22. Example: Virtual Law Firm (Using Direct Law)

23. Example: Multijurisdictional Virtual Law Firm
(Remember: Bona Fide Office rule)

24. Benefits of a Virtual Law Firm
 Capture new clients who are part of the “latent
market for legal services” who don’t use lawyers;
 Deliver “limited legal services” on-line.
 Capture web-savvy clients who are members of the
“connected generation” who expect to relate to their
lawyers “on-line.”

26. 
Technology & Issues

28. Online Practice Management Tools

29. Online Practice Management Tools

30. 
Ethics & Professionalism

31. Ethics & Professionalism
 Comments to Rule 1.1 and Rule 1.6 Model Rules of Professional Conduct:
 Amended Rule 1.1: Ethical duty to seek and demonstrate competence in the
use of the tools that they use in practice
 New Comments 16 & 17 to Rule 1.6: Ethical duty to protect sensitive client
data and to ensure that confidential data is preserved.
Because……
At the ABA’s 2012 Annual Meeting in Chicago, the House of Delegates gave final approval to an
important update to Rule 1.1 of the ABA Model Rules of Professional Conduct. The Model Rules now
make it clear that lawyers have a duty to keep abreast of the benefits and risks associated with
technology.
Text of Comments [16] and [17] to Model Rule 1.6 state:
[16] A lawyer must act competently to safeguard information relating to the representation of a client against
inadvertent or unauthorized disclosure by the lawyer or other persons who are participating in the representation
of the client or who are subject to the lawyer’s supervision. See Rules 1.1, 5.1 and 5.3.
[17] When transmitting a communication that includes information relating to the representation of a client, the
lawyer must take reasonable precautions to prevent the information from coming into the hands of unintended
recipients. This duty, however, does not require that the lawyer use special security measures if the method of
communication affords a reasonable expectation of privacy. Special circumstances, however, may warrant special
precautions. Factors to be considered in determining the reasonableness of the lawyer’s expectation of
confidentiality include the sensitivity of the information and the extent to which the privacy of the communication
is protected by law or by a confidentiality agreement. A client may require the lawyer to implement special security
measures not required by this Rule or may give informed consent to the use of a means of communication that
would otherwise be prohibited by this Rule.

34. Other Ethical Considerations:

36. 
More Resources
……Products
……….& Tools
“Know This…”
“Read This…”
“Get This…”

37. 
Hacking aimed at you?
“In November of 2011, the FBI met with major law
firms to deal with the rising number of law firm
computer intrusions, warning them that hackers see
attorneys as a back door to the valuable data of their
corporate clients. In an age where lawyers frequently
conduct business across wireless networks using
smartphones and laptops, how can attorneys safeguard
client data and confidential information?”
Source: “Locked Down: Information Security for Lawyers”, ABA, Law Practice
Management Section Publications

38. Data Breach Notification Duties in LA?

39. Insurance?
“Cyber Liability Coverage”

40. Gilsbar’s Cyber Liability Coverage Highlights:

41. Locked Down: Information
Security for Lawyers
By Sharon D. Nelson, Esq., John W.
Simek, and Michael C. Maschke
Locked Down explains the wide variety
of information security risks facing law
firms and how lawyers can best protect
their data from these threats—with
any budget. Written in clear, nontechnical
language that any lawyer
can understand, this book will help
you create a secure password, assess
your security risks, work securely from
a laptop and smartphone, maintain
e-mail integrity, and much more.
1 2012 | 7 x 10 | 319 pages
Paperback | Product Code: 5110741
LPM Member Price: $47.95
Regular Price: $79.95
http://apps.americanbar.org/abastore/index.cfm?pid=5110741&section=main&fm=Product.AddToCart

42. Applications, Internet &
Browser Tips
 Mandatory SSL
(ie, “https” secure, encrypted connection)
 Chrome, Firefox, Internet Explorer & Add-ons
 Secure (encrypted) Google Search:
 https://encrypted.google.com/ vs. https://www.google.com/
 More Secure Webmail…… (Outlook.com?)
 Two Factor Authentication (Google; Exchange; Social Media, etc..)

43. Browser Tips & Favorites
 SSL Search:
 Searching over SSL provides you with a more secure and
private search experience. As we make SSL available, SSL
search will be the default when you're signed in.
 How can I identify SSL?
 When SSL search is in use, the URL will contain https (note
the extra "s") followed by the Google domain, e.g.
https://www.google.com. Your browser may also provide
a visual indication that you are using SSL, such as a lock
icon in the URL bar. You can also navigate directly to
https://www.google.com or to
https://encrypted.google.com if you are signed out or if
you don’t have a Google Account.)

44. Via Browser Add-on’s (Extensions)

45. Browser Tips & Favorites
 Major Sea Change in Web based Email (“WEBMAIL”)
 Officially released in February 2013, Microsoft new
approach and user interface of Outlook.com is probably
the most significant development (improvement) in Web-
based email Google launched Gmail, 9 years ago in April
of 2004.

46. Browser Tips & Favorites
 If you use a “Webmail Client” (e.g. Gmail)…..
…..Should you Convert/Upgrade to Outlook.com?
Take a look:
 Overview Video:
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/outlook/auto-upgrade-outlook-faq

47. Browser Tips & Favorites
Compare Outlook.com Security Features to
Gmail & Yahoo! Mail:
http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/outlook-com/compare/

48. Mobile Device Best Practices & Tips
• Use Passwords & Pins (Immediately… Everytime)
Strong Passwords & Pins! (Never “0000” or “1234”)
• Register iPhone/iPad at iCloud.com
(Find It Ping It Lock It or Wipe It!)
• Install Mobile Security App
Android Examples:
“Lookout” or “Cerberus” Apps 
(Locate, Lock, Scream, Wipe!)

49. Attend ABA Techshow 2015!
• April 16-18, 2015
@ The Chicago Hilton
• The Best Conference/EXPO
to bring lawyers and
technology together.
• Learn about the most useful
and necessary technologies
available to lawyers.

50. More Resources:
ABA Journal & Mobile App on: iTunes & Google Play
Law Practice Magazine & Mobile App on: iTunes & Google Play
L.S.B.A.’s Law Office Management Assistance Program
http://www.abajournal.com/gallery/mobilelawyerapps

51. • garrett@LabordeLegal.com
• garrett.laborde@gmail.com
• Office: (866) 263-2376
• Cell: (ask me in person) 
www.linkedin.com/in/garrettlaborde
https://twitter.com/garrettlaborde
www.facebook.com/garrett.laborde
Getting in Touch & For More In-Depth Advice: