There have been numerous challenges faced by the legal sector and many other office-based industries throughout 2020. The primary one that can’t be ignored is the sudden adjustment to working remotely due to social distancing measures. Entire workforces have had to learn how to:
- Deal with connectivity issues
- Collaborate on shared work remotely
- Store data securely
- Access files remotely
- Secure all devices and networks from cyber attacks
- Maintain team wellbeing & culture
- Deliver for clients on time
And the list could go on!
Many law firms have found solutions to some of these challenges, but not all. Some perhaps are still ‘making do’ with temporary measures that aren’t ideal. However, remote working doesn’t look like it’s going anywhere, even for the legal sector. With over 86% of employees wanting to continue working from home at least partially, it’s essential to equip employees to thrive remotely now and in the future.
Here’s what we’ve learnt so far about the effects on the legal sector of remote working:
Being more cybersecurity-aware
To be honest, we’ve all had to be! Cyber-attacks have increased astronomically since COVID-19. Phishing emails have increased by over 600% since the start of the pandemic, and many are specifically targeting remote workforces.
Legal sectors are one of the key industries where data protection is vital. You cannot do your job without accessing sensitive information, financial details or personal data of clients. That’s why many law companies in the past year have had no choice but to implement comprehensive cybersecurity protection across:
- Networks
- Cloud
- Endpoints
- Access Management
If you’re not sure whether your cybersecurity is up to scratch or not, don’t risk it.
Collaborating effectively on shared work
A critical effect on the legal sector due to the shift to remote working has been learning how to collaborate and share files safely. It has been a challenge for many, but thankfully 77% of legal employees said that they can work effectively from home now despite lockdown.
It’s clear that with the right support and IT solutions as a foundation, office-based businesses can thrive remotely. Primarily, this success has come from the adoption of cloud-based applications and storage in the legal sector. When all information is accessible via the internet, employees can access what they need at home, in the courtroom or on the go.
Financial implications for the legal sector
All these new remote working solutions don’t come free but are a wise investment. For many in primarily office-based industries like the legal sector, it’s taken a big adjustment to make that investment and feel as though it is worthwhile. Especially, if we’re all just going to be back in offices again. But as we’ve learnt over the past year – unexpected crises do occur.
This means that this investment is one worth making. Migrating to the Cloud and setting up robust cybersecurity solutions may seem like an overwhelming financial decision that companies would rather do without. But in the long-term, these are decisions that will end up saving you money and time.
Do you still have work to do?
Traditionally office-based companies like those in the legal sector can get set up for productive and efficient remote working. It doesn’t have to be complicated. But there may still be work to do to ensure that you future-proof your company.
Discover whether you are equipping your remote workforce effectively or not. Try out our remote working tool to get a quick assessment and actionable steps.
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