Author Archive

Penetration Testing Keeps Law Firms in Compliance

These days it seems more and more law firms have to abide by HIPAA compliant standards due to their clientele. In working with these firms we find that third-party penetration testing services is must when it comes to meeting compliance standards. Penetration tests should always be done by a certified third-party. The tests consists of the ethical hacking of your local network, cloud network, and website in an attempt to gain access to back-end files and databases. Once the test is done, a report is offered on findings consisting of data breach locations and remedies to alleviate the issues. Overall, these tests, test the vulnerabilities within your firm network and strengthen them. These tests are often done annually or semi-annually and are required by HIPAA guidelines. If your firm is in need of third-party penetration testing services, please give us a call. Rekall has a great relationship with one of the top penetration testing companies on the East Coast.

Critical Anti-Ransomware Software for Law Firms

Ransomware has been a threat to law firms since 2013 causing downtime, frustration, and above all a ransom cost. For those of you who don’t know, ransomware is usually downloaded unknowingly by a user which is then executed on the users workstation. It may be downloaded from the internet or an email attachment. Once executed, the tiny application encrypts your firm’s data across the network rendering all data unusable. In exchange for the decryption of your data back to normal, a ransom is asked for in the form of 3 to 5 bitcoin which can be anywhere between $1,000 – $4,000 USD.

New technologies that Rekall has adopted by Sophos safeguard against crippling ransomware attacks. Rekall law firms are protected in two way against ransomware. First, Rekall’s spam filter automatically tracks and holds any attachments that are deemed suspicious. The attached files are then sent to Sophos servers automatically and opened in a “sandbox” where no damage can be done. If no viruses, spyware, malware or ransomware is detected the message is then sent to the recipient’s inbox. If the file is found to be malicious, the message is flagged in the user’s daily spam report and the attachment is automatically removed for safety.

The second way Rekall law firms are protected against ransomware has to do with localized firewall security. Rekall firewalls scan all internet traffic both in and outbound for spyware, malware, viruses and ransomware. When a malicious download is attempted, the firewall takes over by blocking the download and explaining to the user within the browser why the download was blocked.

Due to automated security measures like these Rekall law firms are among the most secure law firms in the country.

Are Server & Desktop Warranties Worth it for Law Firms?

Stick with these warranty rules and your firm will never lose on a PC or server hardware investment.

Bottom-line, all servers should be purchased with a 3yr warranty and when the warranty is up Rekall always purchases an extended warranty for 2 more years. The average life of a server is 5 – 7 years. Once your at that 5yr point you should re-evaluate your firm needs, maybe you want to go to the cloud, maybe the server is slow and it’s time for a new one. Keep in mind that maintenance performed on that server as a whole will occur mostly between year 5 and 7, do you want to deal with that downtime? This is always the clients decision with the help of IT.

Workstations on the other hand are disposable. Buy a workstation with a 3yr warranty but don’t waste your time purchasing an extended warranty. If the PC dies, just buy a new one. The money you’ll spend in hardware and labor fixing a desktop is usually a large portion of a brand new PC, cost wise. If your IT company offers unlimited support, perhaps it is worth fixing a desktop due to the fact that labor is not a cost factor. In these situations we generally give our clients all the cost information and help them make the best business / financial decision.

Office 2016 Law Firm Review

Microsoft Office 2016 has quite a few changes. We’ll take a quick review of all the major app-changes as it relates to general law firm usage.

WORD  Microsoft has renovated the old Word layout. The new layout was first introduced back in 2013. Changes include control spacing, paragraph layouts, tables, and other structures. Document generation and formatting created in Word 2016 will only be compatible with Word 2013/2016. This means that documents from older versions of Word will remain intact when opened in compatibility mode but may be a bit off in terms of spacing, paragraph layout, and structuring. For law firms, this means that templates which were created in older version of Word may have unexpected changes in their layout. Our advice is to redo your templates with the new version of Office and start using the new 2013/2016 templates firm wide.

One of the most distinct updates to Word is the “Tell Me What To Do” search bar, located on the top ribbon bar. If you’re having difficulty figuring out how to do something or forget a command, simply search the description of what you are trying to do and related solutions will pop up. It’s actually very easy to use and very useful.

Word 2016 now offers “Co-Editing.” here’s how ti works. One user works on the original file while other users can edit simultaneously via an online version of Word. Users are different colors to keep track of who is changing what portion of the document and a refresh icon appears next to the text each user has edited for easy tracking. In Word, you can monitor the changes made and restrict permissions for certain users. This allows you and your colleagues to work more efficiently and collaboratively together on documents.

Along with editing, Word 2016 has introduced SmartLookup, also known as Insights. When a word or phrase is selected and right-clicked on, SmartLookup provides many useful options including translations, definitions & synonyms just to name a few. It even provides information from Wikipedia, Bing and even Bing Images.

EXCEL Excel has only added a few additional features including the “Tell Me What To Do” search bar. Excel 2016 now allows you to predict results based on data that is either entered or gathered through PowerQuery, another new feature. PowerQuery pulls data from online databases and sites. In addition, many new excel templates were added. Your firm can easily gather online data pertaining to your topic and utilize it accordingly in charts and graphs easier than ever before. Finally, the new Excel templates are actually very useful and professional looking, much better than previous years.

POWERPOINT  Just like Word, PowerPoint has collaborative editing as well. However, permissions cannot be restricted to certain users and changes cannot be tracked. All other features (like sharing via Cloud, working together on one presentation) are found in PowerPoint 2016. Other than the addition of the “Tell Me What To Do” search bar, PowerPoint has remained mostly the same, no major changes here. Your firm can now work on a presentation together and more productively. A benefit of this less updated app is that while Microsoft improved its efficiency, all the commands from past versions remain the same so you don’t have to learn anything new.

OVERALL  Sharing files has been simplified in Office 2016. Instead of attaching files which can be insecure at times, Office 2016 sends an embedded link that takes the recipient directly to the file over the internet. This way, documents that are stored on the Cloud and can be securely accessed. Rekall offers this as a form of email encryption. The difference being that the file is located on an encrypted server instead of office 365.

For Law firms, this means that your documents are being shared a lot more securely, which is a great benefit. The collaborative editing via an online browser will simplify all your tasks as well. Instead of emailing files back and forth for editing, all the changes can be done on one document together. As for all the major updates, Office 2016 is still fixing some minor issues, but overall the new Office is promising. Before adopting Office 2016, or any of the apps like Word 2016, be sure to check that your other software is compatible, such as PCLaw, document management, PDF readers, and other software. Also, check how your older documents will react with Office 2016 and how compatible they will be. Office 2016 offers a lot of great features that should definitely be considered.

Tier 3 Data Facilities Maximize Law Firm Security

Whatever the cloud service vendor, make sure you work with a vendor whose systems is supported by redundant tier 3 data centers, like Rekall.

When you sign up for a cloud service you should know where your data is stored. Rekall’s cloud client data is located in New Jersey & Ohio. Data center security varies which is why data facilities are ranked in 4 Tiers. It’s really simple, the higher the tier the less likely the facility will go down, and by “go down” we mean due to electrical, power, overheating or cooling issues. Also, the higher the tiered data facility the more fail-safes the facility has in place. What this means is that a Tier 3 facility’s power is redundant directly from the power company. The facility is offered dual power substations onsite giving them full power redundancy. On top of this they are also offered 72hr power outage protection in the form of diesel gasoline and generators. Tier 2 facilities only have a single source of power and a generator to support power for only 22hrs in case of an emergency.

Tier 3 facilities are often larger and support a massive amount of security including security personnel, cameras, manned checkpoints, biometric access systems, and 48hr call ahead guest access. Tier 2 facilities only need camera systems and electronic checkpoints. You can sometimes get lucky with your Tier 2 data facility as they may support advanced security that goes above and beyond their tier, but these facilities are few and far between.

Finally, Tier 3 data facilities offer a maximum of 1.6hrs downtime per year while Tier 2 data facilities offer 22hrs. This is due to the lack of redundancy on the part of Tier 2 data facilities. Rekall has partnered with two Tier 3 data facilities for these reasons as there are only a handful of Tier 3 data facilities in the United States.

Don’t work with lazy cloud hosts, demand the very best, demand a Tier 3 data facility.

Move to The Cloud For the Cost of 2 Billable Hours Per Month

The “cloud” is a central location where your firm is able to work and access client data, an environment with guaranteed security, redundancy, and availability. Law firms are moving to the cloud because they cannot get these guarantees in their office.

For less than the price of a billable hour per user, your firm can have a fully customized cloud setup and have zero downtime. Pricing starts at $94/user/month and is dependent on storage usage and the amount of users a firm has. With Rekall Private Cloud your firm never has to purchase and maintain data servers, you’ll never have to buy Windows licenses or Microsoft Office, all of this is included. You’ll have a secure encrypted tunnel to access your client data on a fully secure remote desktop. Your data will be backed up on a daily basis, and your servers will all be monitored. Rekall works with enterprise level security ensuring a virus free environment as well.

Is Practice Management Software Right for Your Firm?

Lawyers should ask themselves if they need practice management software. If your firm assigns more than one lawyer on a case or generally can use assistance with organization, practice management software is probably a good idea. If you work alone, you probably don’t need practice management software to do your timekeeping, billing, accounting, or keep track of your email, appointments, and deadlines. The use of calendars, documents, spreadsheets, and forms through Microsoft Office or similar programs can probably allow you to manage your data for less money than all-encompassing practice management software.

However, if you do collaborate on projects or if you just like the idea of using a single interface to keep track of everything you need to keep track of, that’s what practice management software is all about. Through the use of programs such as PCLaw, Time Matters, Abacus & Amicus Attorney, you can ensure that everyone working on a project is keeping track of information consistently. In a busy firm where everyone is juggling a lot, practice management software makes organization that much easier, as long as methodologies are established and followed.

Whether you’re unsure about whether to take the plunge and try practice management software or whether you’re sure you want it but just not sure which program is best for your firm, Rekall can help. Give us a call, we’ll help you figure out what path is the best to take.

Law Firms Who Work with Windows Server 2003 are at Risk

On July 14, 2015, Microsoft stopped developing for and supporting Windows Server 2003. If your firm is still relying on this operating system, it’s time to consider the cloud as a real option. Right now your 2003 server is being exposed to break-ins and viruses, putting your firm at risk. A recent government announcement urges companies to upgrade their servers as soon as possible.

What Can You Do?

Your in a unique situation where you can now move to a private cloud with Rekall Cloud. Depending on your firm size, Rekall is now offering free migrations to the cloud for select firms. Imagine your firm docs and applications available with guaranteed 24/7 access from anywhere at anytime and on any device, even iPads.

A cloud server means zero downtime for your firm, maximum security and compliance and secure backup. Everything your firm needs in order to operate efficiently while upholding state of the art security to protect your client data.

Rekall Cloud works for firms of 1 to 600, is perfect for multi-office firms, multi-state firms, and works great for firms with remote users. More firms are looking toward private cloud solutions to take on the burden of law firm IT management.

Avoid Unscrupulous IT Vendors: Part 2

As a continuation to our Avoid Unscrupulous IT Vendors: Part 1 article, utilize the following as a guideline and see if you notice similarities between he below information and your IT vendor. If you do, it may be time for a change.

Jack of All Trades, Master of None | Does your IT vendor offer a million services from IT & Internet, to Copy Machine & VOIP phone services? Does it seem that your IT vendor offers every services known to man? This is not necessarily a good thing. Selling different services is how IT vendors make money, and offering more services is a good way to make the most out of your client base. IT companies overextending themselves with multiple services to sell, maintain, and support is a recipe for disaster. Most IT vendors focus most on the selling part and less on the maintenance and support part. There is no primary focus and there is no concentration. Often times clients are kept waiting for that one guy who knows about that one thing to call you back because no other technician can help you. When choosing an IT vendor the best analogy I can make is to go for that specialty restaurant who makes the best brick oven pizza on the East Coast. Avoid Diner IT vendors with menu’s 10 pages long. You’ll leave with a full belly but the service and experience will be inferior and uninspired at best.

Consider Unlimited Support Plans | Billing issues and bad relationships are born from pay-as-you-go plans. It’s a very hard thing for a law firm that knows nothing about technology to look at a bill and understand every billing line item. Due to this some law firms simply don’t look at their bills unless they are higher than normal, while others dispute every charge. We have found that what cultivates positive relationships is unlimited support plans. This is a support figure that does not change, a consistent number that law firms can rely on. If your IT vendor shy’s away from unlimited support plans, this means they make too much money from you on a monthly basis and they are not willing to lower the cost in order to keep you. When we introduced unlimited support plans we lost money, but we gained positive relationships that keep our clients with us longer. Avoid IT vendors with a short term vision and short term solutions. Your goal is to grow with your IT vendor, not bounce around from vendor to vendor.

Train Your IT Vendor | If your IT vendor truly wants your business, they should be willing to bend over backwards to keep it. This means detailed services on your bills showing exactly the services performed and the total cost with subtotals. Having this makes it easier to shop around when looking for new IT. You’ll know exactly what your paying for and for how much. An all too common practice it to put a generic description like “Monthly IT Service” and then a random total that is either fixed or variable on the monthly basis. Meanwhile that generic description could encompass a backup, monitoring, support, subscription services, cloud services, anything really. Stay away from hidden services with hidden pricing and have the courage to ask your IT vendor to change their bill if your in this situation. It either means they are lazy, unorganized billers or hiding something.

Continue reading below…

Avoid Unscrupulous IT Vendors: Part 1

Avoid Unscrupulous IT Vendors: Part 1

In the six years that Rekall has been in business we have heard some pretty horrible stories regarding IT vendors. We’ve heard of unfathomable support issues, unethical billing practices, and a general lack of client ethics which many law firms have started to accept as the norm. Utilize the following article as a guideline and see if you notice similarities between common crooked IT vendor practices and your IT vendor.

Understand Your Bills | Bottom line, there should never be anything you don’t understand on your bill. If you pay by the hour, then many IT vendors view this as open season for billing. Make sure everything on your bill is justified, also make sure you bills show descriptive billing descriptions. All descriptions must be in layman’s terms and if they are not, question the billing line item. Make sure that when you discuss the bill you listen with your BS detector ready and working. IT vendors have the advantage here and may use confusing technological terms during a billing dispute discussion. If your IT vendor cannot breakdown a charge without the use of tech jargon, demand that they explain the issue better.

Don’t Be Intimidated | It amazes me how many high powered law firms are actually scared of their IT vendors. They feel that they have total power over their data and are scared to question anything from bills to support in fear of retaliation. This is absolutely not normal and it’s an abusive relationship. A service vendor that you pay should be trying win you over, not the other way around. If your in this situation, any good IT company can work through the strangle hold of your corrupt IT company and do this without any data loss or downtime if it’s done in an organized manner with a good plan.

Support Availability Limitations | Often times we see IT people who are only available after 4pm or not available by phone until after normal business hours. These IT people have full time jobs and are dabbling with the idea of starting a business while putting your firm at support risk. Medium to larger sized law firms generally do not accept this as they prefer to work with real IT companies, companies with employees, insurance, an office, and real client references. Working with a solo IT person with an inconsistent support schedule almost always ends up with the firm having to race around to find an IT vendor at the last minute during a crisis. Making such a heavy decision like an IT vendor this quickly is never good.

Continue reading below…

Avoid Unscrupulous IT Vendors: Part 2