Practice Management

The Virtual Office and Remote Access Technology

One of the things I have found out over the years is that I can work from anywhere and at any time using reliable, proven technology.   I have been on a soapbox about this for many years, as the ability to work on a ?virtual office? basis is one of the few ways law firms can

• Assist its lawyers to achieve a work/life balance
• Hold onto a segment of the talent pool ? those who can?t work traditional hours at the office
• Build a talent pool of workers who never come into the office ? lowering overhead requirements significantly
• Improve client service
• Increase profits by turning down-time into billable time

If you?d like further detailed information, you?ll need to attend one of my seminars entitled, ?The Virtual Office and Remote Access Technology?.  They?re offered through various county bars and through the PBI.  If I?m not scheduled to present this in your county, ask your Executive Director to bring me in for a CLE.

I personally like to use GoToMyPC, because it?s reliable and has good security.  That fact that it?s also ?idiot-proof? makes it a great application in my book.  Plus it?s built on Citrix, which pretty much invented secure, reliable remote access.  LogMeIn is also another favorite, especially because they have a scaled-down version which is free.  Although to be fair, their free version enables remote sound, which I have not yet figured out how to work on GoToMyPC.  This solution is ideal for attorneys who want to dip a toe into the remote access waters to see if they like it before taking the plunge.  Although GoToMyPC offers a free 30-day trial, it?s still a commitment which must be undone if you don?t like it.

There are other choices as well, including the built-in remote access capability of Microsoft Small Business Server.  Of course, these solutions are not as robust as having a Virtual Private Network (VPN) with a Secure Socket Layer  (SSL) Router installed at the firm.  If your firm routinely has three or more people working remotely, I recommend an investment in this solution.  It will be less expensive in the long run, and provide a faster computing experience.

By the way, this post was created to demonstrate at a seminar just what can be accomplished using remote access technology.  Hopefully it has peaked your curiosity to learn more.

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Full post as published by Law Practice Management on February 10, 2009 (boomark / email).