For the Defense - Vol. 7, Issue 4 - 36

How to
Practice From
Anywhere
Jennifer Ellis
L
awyers need to be able to practice from anywhere. If there
was any doubt about this necessity it was undone during the
COVID pandemic. Early in the pandemic, as the incoming
Chair of the Solo and Small Firm Section of the Pennsylvania Bar
Association, I saw firsthand how many were unprepared and unable
to continue their practices when Governor Wolf announced that
lawyers, like those in many other professions, would be required to
work from home. Now, over two years later, working from home
has become the norm and some law firms have chosen to reduce
or even eliminate their office space entirely. As we have seen, it is
possible to practice from virtually anywhere, but to do so, it is critical
that you and your employees have the tools needed to access data
securely.
Under Pennsylvania Rule of Professional Conduct Rule 1.1,1
lawyers are required to be competent in practice. This obligation
includes the use of technology. As such, if a law firm decides to
implement any of the items recommended, please make certain
that all employees, lawyers and nonlawyers, have an appropriate
understanding of how to properly secure their work. This does not
mean that you need to be an expert in technology, but it does mean
that you must have access to an expert. That expert (or experts)
must be able to train you and your employees, as well as set up any
technology so that the data is protected. For a large firm this might
mean hiring an IT staff, while for a solo practitioner it most likely
means engaging an IT consultant.
36 For The Defense l Vol. 7, Issue 4
These are tools that will help you stay connected to your office,
your files, your staff, and your clients.
1. A reliable Internet connection both in and out of the office.
We are reliant on the Internet. You cannot afford to lose your
connection. If you are in a larger firm, it might be worth it to have
two providers supporting your connection. For example, if you
mainly use Verizon, you can also add a Comcast connection. Then
you can add a tool which will automatically switch over to Comcast
if your Verizon connection drops. This is especially important if you
have VOIP2
Mi-Fi or something that will serve as a mobile hot spot.3
A MI-Fi4
is a
small device that works as a secure Internet connection. You can buy
a pay-as-you go service, or you can have a monthly service.
Depending on your phone and service, you may be able to
use your phone as a hot spot. Normally a phone is only good for
connecting one device. A Mi-Fi can handle a couple of devices. As
a result, if the device needs to serve as a backup to your small law
firm, you will want a Mi-Fi instead of a phone hot spot.
Make certain you secure your mobile hotspot properly. While it is
nice to open your device to give everyone at the CLE a free Internet
connection, it is not secure to do so.
and connect to your phones through the Internet.
In a smaller firm, and for traveling purposes, it is wise to have a
For the Defense - Vol. 7, Issue 4

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