KEEPING YOUR LAW FIRM GOING DURING THE CORONAVIRUS CRISIS (1) MANAGING REMOTE WORKING

April 2, 2020 · by · in Avoiding negligence claims, Coronavirus

This series is looking at guides and links to help law firms stay in business during the coronavirus crisis.  I am looking at guidance from around the world.  Here we look at guides to manage remote working.

GUIDANCE FOR LAW FIRMS ON MANAGING REMOTE WORKING 
The National Law Review’s article ‘How to Manage your Law FIrm Remotely During COVID-19’ makes 8 key points:
  1. Set clear expectations with clients and staff
  2. Make sure your staff is fully equipped for remote work
  3. Keep a pulse on staff productivity
  4. Pay attention to cybersecurity
  5. Stay in touch with your clients without being in-person
  6. Give your clients the option to pay online
  7. Look for business development opportunities
  8. Use this lull in business as a chance to get organised
Law.com’s article ‘As Remote Work Brings Isolation, How Can Firms Keep Lawyers in the Fold?’ concludes that ’employers will need to find ways to communicate more, and more consistently, in order to counter the disruptions of the COVID-19 crisis’.
Legal technology company Smokeball has produced a guide which covers the technology necessary for remote working and gives tips on how to work better when you’re not in the same office.
World Trademark Review offers guidance on ‘How to effectively make an entire law firm work remotely’ after speaking to ‘two lawyers from firms that define themselves by their flexible working set-ups’.
The Law Society Gazette also has an article on the matter, ‘Successfully managing remote legal teams’. This highlights the importance of communication, technology and boundaries.
Free Range Lawyers has produced a guide which covers remote working success for lawyers, remote working success for law firm leaders and the business perspective on remote working.
Law.com notes that for ‘virtual’ law firms in America, business has continued as usual and explains what can be learned from these firms.
In ‘Embrace remote working’, an article on LegalFutures, the long-term benefits that remote working can bring to a law firm are discussed. The article gives do’s and don’ts with regards to remote working.
Although published in 2018, Lexology offers ‘4 ways that companies can adapt to remote work’ which remain relevant during the pandemic.
 

REMOTE WORKING AND GDPR ISSUES

The ICO has published a guide on what you need to know about data protection during the COVID-19 outbreak.
The IT Governance blog usefully applies the ICO’s guidance on remote working in practical terms.
In ‘The impact of GDPR on remote working’, Caroline Smith discusses what GDPR elements should be noted when staff are working from home.
White & Case has produced an article which covers COVID-19 and Data Protection Compliance. This states that remote working policies need to be considered from a data protection compliance perspective and that ‘now would be a good time for organisations to review and (if necessary) update remote working policies, and to remind personnel fo the requirements of these policies’.
Ashurst explains the security measures employers should have in place with regards to remote working.
Herbert Smith Freehills also provides guidance on the remote working issues that arise in relation to data processing. This highlights the main security risks.
 

POSTS ON  THIS BLOG ON REMOTE WORKING

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