The COVID-19 pandemic changed many aspects of how businesses operate, remote work being one of the most significant. At the outbreak’s peak, 71% of American workers telecommuted at least part-time, 62% of whom rarely worked remotely before. This shift has impacted many industries, but the legal sector faces more disruption than most.

Legal work rarely happened over telecommunication services before the COVID-19 pandemic. Now, more than 80% of law firms have transitioned to working remotely some or all of the time. Consultations and court hearings now regularly take place over teleconferencing software, which has produced mixed results.

On the one hand, remote work has made it easier for a broader range of people to access legal services. On the other, this transition has exacerbated the industry’s privacy concerns and generated new ones.

Growing Security Concerns Amid Remote Work

Remote work in the legal industry presents some significant challenges. Attorney/client privilege is far more challenging to ensure when not meeting in person. A closed door can stop others from listening in to a private in-person conversation, but virtual meeting rooms face far more vulnerabilities, many requiring highly technical solutions.

Using remote work software can also affect a firm’s legal liability. A growing number of states are introducing data privacy legislation that could affect how organizations utilize digital communication tools. Information as sensitive as legal documentation will likely fall under higher standards under these expanding laws.

Like in other industries, remote work also makes it more difficult to ensure cybersecurity across a firm. Workers using their own devices on their networks may have insufficient anti-malware software or be more vulnerable to phishing attempts. Breaches in the industry are also costly: One firm calculated that it lost millions of dollars in business from a ransomware attack in 2017.