Information security in the cloud is a concern for many CIOs, small business owners and even individuals who frequently deal with confidential information or sensitive data. Lawyers are constantly dealing with sensitive data and confidential client information, case information, legal documents, and much more, so information security in the cloud is of special concern to them. The cloud offers many benefits including reduced costs for storage, the ability to work remotely from various locations, increased time-efficiency, accessibility, flexibility, scalability and much more. Because of this, many lawyers are eager to continue to use cloud services to perform legal tasks. But security concerns are valid if the cloud is not properly secured, or if proper security protocols and procedures are not followed.

Many cloud services come with already loaded with security features such as secure SSL for files during transfer and high-strength encryption during storage. There are third-party cloud encryption services to allow users even more control over the security of their files and data in the cloud. Most of these services only allow the encrypted files to be read by a user that has the app or program installed on their computer or device. This means that if a hacker or other unauthorized user that finds a way to access the files will be unable to access them in any readable format. 

There are cloud services specifically designed to give users the best information security in the cloud possible. But in case of a security breach, another disaster can happen- data loss in the cloud. If a hacker or other unauthorized user is able to access your cloud account, they will unlikely be able to read any of your documents if you have them encrypted. But they could just get upset and delete the files, which could result in disaster for your law firm. Many important documents and case files could instantly vanish within seconds. Many of these files could be irreplaceable, and even if they are able to be replaced, it could take a lengthy amount of time. And, as we all know, time is money. The outcome of many cases could even be affected by a single instance of data loss.

There are cloud services specifically designed to prevent data loss in the cloud. At the top of the list you will find cloudHQ. The cloudHQ service provides automated replication in real-time from one cloud account or service to another. The secondary cloud account will not have the same authentication as any other accounts belonging to the firm. For an example, let's say you use Dropbox as your main cloud storage for your firm. You can create another Dropbox account to use as your backup account, or you can use another cloud service such as Box, Google Drive, SkyDrive or others. Using cloudHQ, you create sync between the two cloud accounts. Any new files that are created or stored in the main cloud account are instantly replicated to the secondary account. Any revisions to existing files in the main cloud account are instantly replicated to the secondary account. This way, if you experience any form of data loss in the cloud account, a complete backup of all your data will remain securely stored in the secondary account. CloudHQ is the ultimate solution to prevent data loss in the cloud.

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Evernote is a useful cloud service that allows lawyers to quickly create and store documents, checklists such as to-do lists, audio clips, photographs and much more. It's the perfect research tool as web pages can quickly be saved into Evernote, emails can be forwarded to Evernote and screen snaps can be taken of websites to be saved in Evernote. Since it is such a useful tool, it seems like it has every option you may need. But there is one missing. The option to export your notes and documents from Evernote to PDF format.

This is kind of a big deal since the vast majority of documents that a lawyer deals with are in PDF format. PDF files can be encrypted and password-protected, a necessity when you're dealing with confidential information. Now of course, you can manually export documents by downloading them from Evernote and creating a PDF file using Adobe Acrobat or by using the "Print to file" feature under Windows' printing options but those aren't very efficient options. These files must be created manually, one-at-a-time, and this can take away time that can be much better spent on other tasks. An Evernote to PDF option would be a great addition to a tool that is quickly becoming one of the most-used cloud services on the net. But until they decide to add the option for Evernote to PDF, what can you do?

Here are your options:

• You can manually create PDF files from your documents by using Adobe Acrobat.
  
• You can create PDF files from your documents by using the "Print to file" feature in Windows. 
  

This can be an extremely time-consuming task if you deal with a large number of PDF files as you must manually transform each one- document by document, file by file. Wouldn't it be much better to simply have ALL of your documents and notes AUTOMATICALLY exported from Evernote to PDF format?

This is the magic of cloudHQ. Where Evernote has a flaw, cloudHQ has a solution. And here is exactly how it works:

CloudHQ provides synchronization of files from one cloud service to another. And when it comes to Evernote, cloudHQ has additional options that allow the users to pick the format they would like their documents and notes exported in. So let's say that you want to export your Evernote notes from Evernote to Dropbox, and you want all your notes exported from Evernote to PDF format.

The first step is to sign up for cloudHQ. Once you do that, you can click on the sync wizard and you will be taken to this page.

Simply select the Evernote icon and drag it to the box on the left.

The cloudHQ wizard will ask you to sign into the Evernote account that you wish to use for this sync. Once you have signed in to Evernote, you will be able to select which files and folders you wish to sync. You can choose to sync all files and folders or specific files and folders. Everything that is uploaded, created or stored in these shared folders will be synced. Follow the instructions and as soon as you have allowed cloudHQ to access the Evernote account, you will be brought back to the sync page. 

Next, you will click on the Dropbox icon and drag it to the box on the right.

Now you will click on "Add Dropbox" and add your Dropbox account, just as you did for Evernote. Select a folder, or create a new one, for your Evernote files to be replicated to. You can name it "Evernote" or "Evernote PDFs" or something similar. Once you have added Dropbox, you will be taken to a settings page.

Here you can set your options for exportation. You need to click the option "Export notes into PDF format." If you want your files to also be exported in Microsoft Word format, simply check the appropriate box. This way, you get two copies of your notes in the two most common formats. And remember- all this is automatic, you don't have to do anything extra to make it work. All notes that you create or upload to the shared folder in Evernote will be exported to Dropbox in real-time as PDF files. If you make revisions to existing files, the revisions will be synced instantly as well.

*Be sure you check the “Switch to one-way sync” option if you don’t want your changes in Dropbox to be replicated back to Evernote. 

CloudHQ is currently the easiest solution for exporting Evernote to PDF files. If you have any questions about the cloudHQ service, please visit the contact page here.

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For lawyers that use the cloud, work life has become much easier as there are now cloud services that make nearly every aspect of the practice run more efficiently. From using tablets in the courtroom, to everyday activities such as online meetings with clients or legal staff; creating, signing, sharing and storing documents; sharing large files; collaborating with multiple users over documents or files; and much more, lawyers are finding their place in the cloud. There are numerous ways the cloud is making the practice easier, reducing costs, reducing time to complete tasks and projects, and more. 

Document management has never been easier than it is in the cloud. There are several; cloud services including Google Drive and Evernote which make it easy for lawyers to create documents online, revise the documents if necessary, collaborate on the documents with other users, share the documents, and even have the documents legally signed.

Tablets have become standard tools for the majority of courtrooms in the United States. Cloud apps such as Dropbox, Google Drive, Evernote, SkyDrive and more are used to store documents for easy access in the courtroom. Accessibility is a huge benefit and it cuts down on carrying all those bulky paper files. Searching is a lot easier as well. Presentations can be created and stored in Google Drive. Evernote can be used to quickly jot down notes, take photos, or create audio clips that can be shared and saved. 

One of the biggest concerns of using the cloud is security. Sending files that contained confidential information used to be a huge no-no. But most cloud services now encrypt all files during transit, as well as during storage. There are even third-party encryption apps that give users the option to encrypt their files from their device before they send it. This offers a strong second level of protection. 

The cloud is showing up more and more in legal functions and activities. The more knowledgeable about the cloud you become, the more it will help. Some lawyers have tossed the filing cabinet and ditched the office to go paperless. The ability to perform work while being mobile is strongly appealing. Reduction in costs, time-efficiency and flexibility are all extremely good reasons to visit the cloud today.

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We are seeing an increase in the number of lawyers that are using cloud computing services in their practice. Some lawyers are sticking to services that are specifically made for the legal profession while others are using more general cloud services that can perform the same type of services. We are also seeing an increase in the number of lawyers who are working remotely or have legal aides and other workers who are using cloud services to work remotely. Lawyers must deal with a variety of tools including tools for time-tracking, billing, invoicing, electronic signatures, case management, client management, project management, document management, online data storage, data backup and more.

• Basecamp is one of the best project management tools that can be found. It is not specifically aimed at the legal profession but it contains all the tools that legal-specific services offer and more. Basecamp offers message boards, collaboration, time-tracking, task scheduling, To-Do lists, discussions, project templates, file storage and much more.
  

• Clio is a program specifically tailored to the legal profession. It has an array of useful features including time-tracking, task scheduling, calendar, billing, document management, trust accounting, online bill payment and more. It also features a "client connect" feature which allows lawyers to share documents online with their clients, as well as online invoicing and bill payment.
  

• DropBox is one of the easiest, yet most powerful, cloud storage and file-sharing services around. Dropbox installs a shared folder on your computer or device, and everything dropped into that folder is shared with whomever you have given access to. Subfolders can be created and permissions set for each specific folder so users can share certain folders with some people and other folder s with other people. As soon as a file or document is dropped into a shared folder, it instantly begins uploading and appears on the recipient's computer, wherever they may be, as long as they have internet access. If there is no internet access where they are, the folders will sync as soon as they come back in range of the internet and they will receive the file at that time. Dropbox uses encryption for secure transfer and secure storage.
  

• Box is very similar to Dropbox, and provides tools to manage security, permissions and users. It also features tools to send out documents and files to a large group of employees.
  

• DocuSign is an online service that allows users to legally sign documents using their software. It features a mobile app for iOS and Android, and also features collaboration options, templates, workflows, document management and more.
  

• Rocket Lawyer is a legal-specific program that connects lawyers with customers who are seeking online legal help. Customers can be connected to a lawyer quickly by using the online service which then connects with the lawyer through a mobile app. layers are also given access to a huge database of legal documents and online marketing tools.
  

• Rocket Matter, not to be confused with Rocket Lawyer, is a cloud-based case and project management tool. It features time-tracking, calendar, expense, task scheduling, invoicing, ledgers, batch billing, phone messages, document management, contact management and more. It also integrates with Skype and has a mobile app. 
  

• Google+ Hangouts is perfect for video meetings with clients, legal aides, remote workers or other lawyers. Hangouts supports up to 10 users chatting at once and allows users to snag snapshots during the meeting and share them with others. The video meeting can also be streamed to social media, recorded to YouTube or streamed to a company website.
  

• cloudHQ is a cloud service that provides backup and synchronization between multiple cloud services including Evernote, Dropbox, Google Drive, Gmail, Box, SkyDrive, SugarSync and more. This allows users to “tie” cloud services together for more efficient usage. It also allows users to store the files from multiple cloud services on a single cloud account for easy searching and organization.

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As attorneys, we deal with confidential data and other information on a daily basis that must be protected and secured at all times. Sending emails is a fast and easy way to send small files but it is certainly not secure. There are many third party services that offer various methods to encrypt files and share them with other users. However, many of these services do not offer the ability for the user to maintain control over the encryption, and the encryption password is held by the third party service. This raises areas of concern with lawyers as it does not satisfy many confidentiality and ethics requirements.

A new cloud-based service, docTrackr, has recently been released, and it has attracted the attention of a number of law firms. DocTrackr allows users to encrypt their files with strong encryption before the files ever leave their computer or device. Users can also set permissions for other users to access, view, print, edit and forward the file. Users can also check the option to receive a return receipt once the recipient receives and opens the file. The simple interface makes it extremely user-friendly and the entire process is simplified.

DocTrackr offers a free plan for users that don't require a large number of documents. This free plan allows users to send up to 10 documents per month. If more document transfers are required, users can upgrade to a premium plan which costs $15 per user per month. As vulnerabilities are appearing more frequently, which threaten confidentiality and information security, the more lawyers will need to take advantage of services such as docTrackr, which allow them to use a solid encryption method to transfer and store files.

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Using cloud technology to reduce office space is nothing new, but it is becoming more widespread in recent years as the benefits are becoming more well-known. Cloud storage has become easier to use and more readily available as well. When the first explosion of popularity hit for cloud computing, lawyers shied away from it, and very few were willing to take the plunge. There were still many unanswered questions about the cloud technology. However, with the increase in cloud security, many lawyers are starting to see that the benefits of cloud computing are far too large to ignore.

Jim Calloway explains it best in his article “Future Proofing Your Law Firm,” where he points out how technology is saving lawyers time and money:

“Information technology is becoming more interwoven into our lives and business operations every day. A few years ago it might have been appropriate to have a simple feature phone and not a smartphone. But today, not being able to set an appointment on your smartphone does not inspire confidence about your legal ability. Technology purchases and training are and will remain a critical part of law firm operations for long into the future. Out-of-date technology slows down business. It is increasingly dangerous to use an antiquated billing system or to not have a good document management system.

“Simply put, you cannot take 10 or 15 minutes to do something that other lawyers can do in a minute, whether you bill that time or not.”

With the high popularity of apps, it is essential for cloud services to develop their own app. As mobile trends are expected to push mobile device purchases ahead of desktop computers within the next year, mobile apps are a necessity for cloud storage providers. Now you can carry your filing cabinet with you. If you use a cloud storage provider such as Dropbox, your entire filing cabinet can be accessed from any mobile device such as your smartphone or tablet. Want to gain some more space in your office? Toss the filing cabinet. Scan your documents and keep them online. When you need them on paper, you can print them out. This will save you time and money. And I don't care how organized you are, an electronic search is way faster than rustling through numerous folders of pages trying to find the right document.

The main reason many lawyers were slow about adopting the cloud is because of security and ethics concerns. But things have changed, and now any competent cloud storage provider has additional security measures implemented to ensure the safety and security of their customers' data. And by using cloudHQ to create a complete backup of all your cloud data, you don't have to worry about loss of data- how cool is that? No matter if you accidentally delete files or if a hacker deletes your files, with cloudHQ backup, a complete secondary copy of all your data will remain safely stored in a backup account, where it can be accessed quickly and any deleted files can be instantly restored.

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Keeping up to date on the latest technology isn't always the easiest thing to do, especially when you must keep your entire law firm up to date as well. Your secretary, legal aides, other lawyers- if you use technology to help you win cases, you are going to need everyone on the same page. If you plan on using Evernote for research capabilities, you need everyone you are working with to be familiar with how Evernote works.

The Evernote Web Clipper allows users to clip entire articles or excerpts of articles from the web, which makes snagging information for research purposes a breeze. Skitch for Evernote allows users to take a screenshot of only the part of the screen that is needed.

Google Scholar offers access to thousands of legal cases and pleadings, which can be accessed from any browser. This gives access to legal research to users who may not have proper access to other legal research archives. It also makes it simple to be able to quickly snag excerpts or snapshots from cases by using the Evernote features described above.

If you need to research in a hurry, most cloud services have mobile apps that can be accessed from a smartphone or tablet. If you find yourself in a position to need quick research, simply pull out your tablet or phone and start researching.

Research files stored in Evernote and Google Drive can be organized by specific cases so that all the information is easily searchable and organized in a structural format. Files can be easily revised, and can be shared quickly with other users.

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