Risky clouds

The Law Society has issued advice warning of the dangers of cloud computing. In a practice note published this week, it notes the increased use by law firms of cloud storage as an alternative to traditional IT storage. While cloud storage improves backup, increases storage capacity and cuts  IT costs, it carries additional potential risks regarding security, data confidentiality, control of location, service response time, and applicable jurisdiction in the event of any contractual dispute.

Nagib Tharani, director of international expansion for Clio, suppliers of cloud based legal practice software, welcomed the guidance and its efforts to go “the extra mile to differentiate conventional remote hosting from cloud in the modern sense of the word”.