Clouds for Lawyers and Notaries

Lawyers and notaries use clouds as part of their work. However, due to their profession, they have to pay particular attention to some aspects. We show what advantages a cloud brings for lawyers and notaries and what needs to be considered when using cloud computing in the legal sector.

Cloud computing in the legal sector

Flexibility and mobility are becoming increasingly important in the working world. Remote work is also considered a quality feature in the legal sector. It is therefore important that law firms in which lawyers and notaries work invest in a digital IT infrastructure now. Cloud solutions form the basis for digital and dynamic work here. Clients and colleagues also benefit from this.

However, lawyers and notaries who use cloud services for work must ensure that the cloud meets certain requirements for confidentiality, data security and deadlines for audit-proof archiving. But how does cloud-based technology work for lawyers and notaries?

Normally, external cloud service providers such as TeamDrive provide law firms with a service and virtual file rooms in the cloud. TeamDrive hosts a cloud infrastructure based on Zero Knowledge on servers in Germany. In this process, all data is encrypted before being stored in the cloud. The keys remain in the hands of the lawyer or notary as well as the users who have been granted access authorization. Besides them, no one, not even TeamDrive as the cloud provider, has the opportunity to decrypt stored data and gain insight into it at any time. The end-to-end encrypted cloud therefore offers the greatest possible security.

It is suitable for storing, sharing and archiving pleadings, client files and other arbitrary files. Virtual servers are required in the cloud to operate law firm software, appointment management or an e-mail server via a cloud. The desired applications run on these. However, the operation of such servers also requires a secure infrastructure with encrypted access via virtual private networks (VPN). In addition, there are high requirements for the data center, the administrators and the firewall. Combining such an infrastructure with virtual servers increases security and convenience for document management.

Use cases of a cloud for lawyers and notaries public

When lawyers and notaries use a cloud, it is no longer necessary to take all files to a court hearing or other negotiations. Many law firms and attorneys are already using digital solutions. It is often sufficient to carry a tablet with you to access all important data. A search function makes it easy to find specific documents or information quickly. Of course, it is useful if there is a technical understanding for this form of document storage. For the everyday work of lawyers and notaries, a cloud solution gives the following advantages.

Advantages of a cloud in the legal sector

The advantage of a cloud solution is that the law firm can do without its own servers. This saves them the cost of hardware and the effort required to administer backups and backups. TeamDrive also offers constant security updates and further developed versions that are automatically imported. This also applies to backups and the creation of snapshots. They reduce the risk of data loss due to harmful ransomware or technical system failures.

Requirements for a cloud solution for law firms and notary offices

Law firms used to bring data security concerns with them when it came to using cloud solutions. The legal basis also left attorneys and notaries unsure whether a cloud application was actually a viable option for processing and storing information. This concern is not unjustified, because many cloud providers cannot completely rule out the possibility of data being passed on to third parties. This is especially true for cloud services such as Dropbox, Nextcloud, OneDrive or Apple’s iCloud.

A secure alternative is TeamDrive, where data is not only encrypted, but is never accessible to third parties or the provider itself. Lawyers and notaries can independently regulate access to the cloud via user rights, so that only those who are authorized can access content in the cloud.

Since 2017, it has been legally possible for lawyers to use cloud services. While there are still risks from hackers and cyber attacks, the danger can be significantly reduced by taking precautionary measures:

TeamDrive as a cloud service for notaries and lawyers

For the nearly 70,000 members of the German Bar Association (DAV), TeamDrive is a good storage solution in decentralized data centers with end-to-end encryption. The cloud infrastructure used is located in Frankfurt and is thus exclusively under the control of German operators. This means that there are no risks compared to cloud services that are subject to the US Cloud Act. In addition, there is a multi-level security concept as well as backups spatially separated from each other.

The contract between DAV and TeamDrive guarantees a legally compliant and reliable system. TeamDrive DAV is therefore a GDPR-compliant cloud solution. This means that you can assure clients that information and process details are not involuntarily leaked to third parties when storing and sharing data. Secure transmission and storage in German high-security centers guarantees that documents are well protected against cyber attacks.

As an additional benefit for all lawyers, TeamDrive’s service includes an extension for Microsoft Office Outlook. Attachments to e-mails are automatically encrypted and data can be retrieved in a protected manner. Since 2015, TeamDrive DAV has been available to law firms and their lawyers via the website of the German Bar Association.

Clouds for lawyers and notaries simplify work

The potential of cloud solutions for lawyers and notaries is enormous. In particular, there are decisive advantages over communication methods such as written mail or simple e-mails. Documents can be accessed at any time via a tablet or smartphone. This simplifies communication within the law firm. In addition, external companies can be more easily integrated into processes. However, data security should remain the top priority when selecting the right cloud for lawyers and notaries. TeamDrive provides law firms in the legal sector with an absolutely secure and innovative cloud solution.

A TeamDrive solution costs you only 4.95 € per workstation and month. The entry-level package for law firms starts at 299€ net/year for five users and 100 GB cloud storage space in Germany.