Mobile Device Management: A Much-Needed Solution For Law Firms in Denver
When it comes to mobile devices in the law firm, it’s all about balancing productivity with risk. Ultimately, mobile device management is never a one-size-fits-all type of situation. In the 21st-century law firm, phones, laptops, and tablets have replaced the typical briefcase filled with documents and information.
Nowadays, attorneys are accessing all of their information via cloud-based software – from document management solutions to email systems and everything in between. So how can law firms allow for attorney mobility while maintaining client confidentiality at all times? The right mobile device management solution is key to minimizing the risk of unauthorized access and/or loss of sensitive data.
What Happens When Mobile Devices Are Lost?
Naturally, the biggest risk with attorney mobility in the form of accessing case and client information from mobile devices is what happens when those mobile devices are lost. All it takes is one simple incident, such as forgetting a laptop in a hotel room or leaving a mobile device on the bus, to put case and client information at risk for unauthorized access and/or loss. According to ILTA, 68% of law firms have a BYOD policy that covers smartphones – but over 30% of law firms have NO mobile device policy.
When it comes to keeping case and client information secure, a mobile device policy should be your first step before implementing a mobile device management solution. A mobile device policy should cover the following:
- All mobile devices should be approved prior to accessing case and client information, which means only mobile devices with high levels of hardware-level security should be allowed.
- All employees should sign off on a policy regarding cloud storage systems, which means the firm should decide on which cloud storage systems may be used and maintain administrative controls for all accounts.
- All mobile devices must be required to have password protection set up as a basic security measure – and all employees should agree to use strong passwords containing letters, numbers, and characters.
- All employees should sign off on a policy regarding applications – meaning they can only download applications that are agreed upon ahead of time to avoid downloading something that contains vulnerabilities.
Once your law firm has decided upon an acceptable mobile device policy, it’s time to implement a mobile device management solution that enforces the policy – giving you the ability to:
- Enforce password and/or application requirements that have been decided upon.
- Remotely track device locations when misplaced via GPS.
- Lock or wipe devices in the event that misplaced devices can’t be retrieved.
- Impose two-factor authentication on the access to approved cloud-based solutions.
- View health and usage statistics on mobile devices used in the workplace.
Any mobile device policy should be included in employment agreements as an extension of your intellectual property agreement. But remember, it’s important to ensure a properly designed and executed mobile device policy as you want to avoid any sort of employee privacy implications.
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