Remote work gives attorneys and law firms tremendous advantages: better productivity, better talent retention, and larger talent pools. But law firms need the right tools to work from home efficiently and securely. This lawyer’s working from home guide covers physical, digital, relational, and ethical considerations for attorneys working from home.
Why Remote Work Matters for Lawyers
Remote and hybrid work are here to stay: 98% of workers want to work remotely at least some of the time. While firms’ policies continue to evolve, even among large law firms—the focus of most reporting about return-to-office mandates—40% still offer hybrid or remote work. The benefits of hybrid work for attorneys are clear:
- Better work-life balance
- Increased productivity, with more billable hours
- Reductions in rates of burnout
- More geographic mobility for attorneys
Employers benefit too. They can reduce overhead spend, increase the size of their talent pools, and retain top performers who want to work remotely. Offering hybrid work also supports thoughtful succession planning, as millennials and Gen Z are more likely to prefer hybrid work.
Setting Up Your Home Office as a Lawyer
When setting aside physical space for your home office, remote work law firm tips tend to focus on four issues: creating a professional environment, meeting physical needs, getting the right hardware, and secure internet access.
- Create a professional environment. Ensure that you have a neutral, professional background for video conferencing. Choose a well-lit spot so that your face and facial expressions are visible. Putting your desk in front of a window or using an inexpensive ring light can be helpful.
- Care for your physical needs. You will need a desk and chair that support proper ergonomic alignment and duplicates of any devices like external mice, track balls, or specialized keyboards that you normally use in-office.
- Appropriate hardware. Set up your primary device, like a desktop computer, laptop, or tablet. You will also need a smartphone. Add a camera for videoconferencing, a microphone, and speakers or headphones.
- High-speed internet access. Make sure you are using secure wifi and/or a VPN.
Secure Technology & Practice Management Tools
In addition to office space and hardware, attorneys working from home need secure remote access legal software that supports:
- Time tracking
- Billing and invoicing, including pre-billing and statement approval tools for supervisors
- Managing shared dockets and calendars, with appropriate access for support staff
- Access to matter records and matter management tools
- Sending and receiving secure emails, secure portal links, and secure eSignatures
Tab3 Cloud offers secure remote access via desktop or laptop for all Tabs3 products, including Tabs3 Billing and Tabs3 Financials. Firms can include PracticeMaster, its add-on, Tabs3 CRM and LexShare, which supports secure sharing and eSignatures. Tabs3 Connect also allows secure, SSL-encrypted smartphone access to features like entering fees and costs, checking case details, and accessing calendars.
Best Practices for Productivity & Communication
When working from home, lawyers must be extra intentional about productivity, communication, and staying connected with the team. Productivity for lawyers working from home guidelines include:
- Structuring your workday and setting clear productivity targets. Some attorneys use focus tools, like the Pomodoro method, to keep work on track.
- Coordinating with peers and supervisors frequently. Regular virtual meetings can keep your team in alignment on projects and make sure your work is visible.
- Building in mentorship. Mentorship benefits individual attorneys, but also the firm itself, since developing rising attorneys is essential for succession planning.
- Taking time to disconnect from work. Regular breaks and spending time outside can help you avoid the burnout that comes with being “on” all the time.
Ethics, Compliance & Data Security When Working Remotely
In any lawyer’s working from home guide, ethics, compliance, and data security are critical. The following three remote work law firm tips can help you avoid compliance problems and security threats.
1. Avoid Unauthorized Practice of Law
Attorneys are typically subject to the rules of professional conduct not only in the states where they practice law, but the states in which they are physically present. Thus, a licensed attorney representing clients in state A, while working remotely from state B—where the attorney is not licensed—might be engaged in the unauthorized practice of law. (See ABA Rule 5.5.)
There is a clear trend towards allowing attorneys to work remotely, and many jurisdictions allow it either explicitly or implicitly. Still, make sure to check the rules of the jurisdictions in which you are living and practicing. Supervising attorneys should make sure that they are aware of remote attorneys’ physical locations and applicable ethics rules.
2. Protect Client Confidentiality In the Physical Space
If there are other people in your home who might see, hear, or have physical access to your work space, you will need to:
- Find a private place for video conferencing. Make sure your discussions cannot be seen or overheard by others. When on a video conference, verify that only authorized participants are present before discussing privileged matters.
- Prevent “shoulder surfing” that might compromise client privacy by guarding your monitor screen from others in your workspace.
- If you keep any physical documents at home, make sure they are secured appropriately.
3. Protect Client Confidentiality In the Digital Space
Remote attorneys need appropriate, secure remote access legal software, as well as clear, consistently enforced security policies:
- Attend regular security training on best practices and emerging threats.
- Install the latest version and all security updates for your software, including videoconferencing software.
- Use strong passwords on devices and software, and change them regularly. Lock your computer whenever you step away, even briefly. External storage devices, like thumb drives, should be approved by your firm’s IT staff before use to avoid malware.
- Make sure you understand when your videoconferencing software and other voice-activated devices record or transcribe conversations. Get permission from clients before making any recordings or transcripts, and secure all recordings or transcripts.
- Ensure that your legal software has robust security. That includes role-based controls, encryption in transit and at rest, and secure data centers for cloud-based products.
Some states have specific requirements related to technology or technology use. For example, the Illinois and Texas bar associations have issued guidance on security requirements for cloud-based legal software. Always check local rules in the states where you live and practice.
How Tabs3 Software Powers Secure Remote Legal Work
Tabs3 has been an industry leader in practice management software for decades. With Tabs3 Cloud’s secure remote access legal software, you can securely access all the features of Tabs3 Billing and Tabs 3 Financials, including compliant trust accounting, general ledger, and accounts payable, from wherever you work. PracticeMaster and its add-on, Tabs3 CRM, can be included, putting all the tools you need to practice law remotely at your fingertips.
In addition, Tabs3 Cloud integrates with LexShare, a tool that makes sending secure messages, documents, and eSignatures as simple as sending an email. And Tabs3 Connect brings the full functionalities of Tabs3 Billing and PracticeMaster to your smartphone.
Remote access through Tabs3 Cloud and Tabs3 Connect is highly secure. It includes bank-grade security and encrypted SSL connections to move data. The software itself includes powerful role-based access that allows fine control over who can access system data, so you can be confident that your data is secure.
Real Scenarios & Checklists for Remote Lawyers
Use Case 1: Virtual Law Firm With 3 Attorneys
Some smaller firms are going fully virtual, with no dedicated office space. Needs for this type of practice might include:
- Standards for dedicated devices and other hardware, secure high-speed internet access, secure videoconferencing software, and an integrated financial and legal practice management solution like Tabs3 Cloud.
- Standards for physical and digital security practices, with regular security training on existing and emerging threats.
- Thoughtful role-based software security implementation, with clear controls and cross-checking to ensure that information is guarded appropriately.
- Regular virtual firm meetings to manage workflow, with in-person meetings at least quarterly. Periodic virtual social events can also create a sense of community.
- Consistent check-ins and spot checks to ensure adequate supervision, plus CLE in all jurisdictions where attorneys are physically present or practicing law.
Use Case 2: Hybrid Law Firm With Some Fully Remote Attorneys
In a hybrid environment, the technological needs are similar to a virtual law firm, as listed in Use Case 1 above. A few additional issues to track:
- Using a cloud-based, integrated financial and legal practice management solution like Tabs3 Cloud can level the playing field between in-office and remote work, because the tools operate the same on every desktop or laptop. That consistency allows for more efficient training and supervision practices, because everyone works in the same way.
- Being extra intentional about team collaboration and including fully remote workers can promote strong team relationships and staff retention.
- Consider allowing remote work based on performance rather than hierarchy, and creating quality in-office collaboration time. There is clear evidence that when only senior partners work from home, training and mentorship suffer. This can lead to serious problems with associate satisfaction, loyalty, and professional development.
With Tabs3 Cloud, Attorneys Can Win Wherever They Work
Tabs3 Cloud with Tabs3 Billing, Tabs3 Financials, PracticeMaster, and Tabs3 CRM is secure remote access legal software that gives you the freedom to practice law the way you want to. Attorneys can move seamlessly between in-office and remote work, offering better client service, boosting utilization, and increasing profit. Schedule a demo today.