Legal Technology

Over recent months, the legal industry has been quickly adopting iPads and discovering ways to use legal technology to enhance productivity. Because the iPad is so small and portable, the technology affords us yet another convenient way to take our documents and files with us when we leave the office. With the addition of the right iPad apps, we can do almost the same work on our tablets as we do on our desktop computers.

A popular app for accessing documents is Dropbox. Dropbox is a file-hosting service that syncs documents to the cloud. When you work on a document from Dropbox on an iPad, the changes you make automatically sync to all of your other computers that have been set up with your account. This fast, easy sync provides an amazing experience for users. Dropbox eliminates the need to copy files onto a portable drive to take with you, or email documents to yourself so you can put them on the computer you work on at home. Once you set up Dropbox on your computers and devices, the program does all the syncing for you automatically.

Security Issues

But attorneys often ask “Is Dropbox secure enough?” Because legal documents are so sensitive and confidential, security is definitely a high-priority concern. Attorneys often require more security measures than other types of users in their computer applications and technologies.

There are some concerns about recent instances of security breach with Dropbox. These incidents are a cause of concern for current Dropbox users who are unsure whether their information is safe. In August, 2012, Dropbox suffered a hacker attack. Here is what Dropbox reported, according to ZDNet.com.

“Our investigation found that user names and passwords recently stolen from other websites were used to sign in to a small number of Dropbox accounts. We’ve contacted these users and have helped them protect their accounts.”

Dropbox Adds Layer of Security

Dropbox does already use modern encryption methods to transfer and store data. And now, following these breaches of security, Dropbox has offered a further layer of security to users who wish to take advantage of it. Dropbox has added a two-step verification to all of its accounts. Two-step verification, once enabled, will require a six-digit security code in addition to your password whenever you sign in to Dropbox or link a new computer, phone, or tablet. This optional security layer is definitely recommended for professionals, especially attorneys.

But this added layer has not yet been made a default with the program. You have to enable this extra layer in your Dropbox account. Dropbox gives full instructions on how to enable this layer of security at its website.

Is This Enough Security?

Should you use Dropbox for sensitive files? Is this next layer of security enough for you to feel comfortable using this service? You need to ask yourself, how sensitive are the documents you would like to put into your Dropbox? We know from experience that technology changes so quickly, that services which are secure today might be unsecure tomorrow as hackers continue to look for ways to breach security. This is a question we ask ourselves every time we add a technology. Whether it’s attaching documents by email, or using a portable drive to carry digital documents around, or using services like Dropbox to make your work accessible, each time we have to weigh the security issue with the convenience and efficiency of using the new method.

If you like this article, you might also like to read our free report, “Five Technologies Every Attorney Must Have”.

O’Brien & Bails isn’t just another court reporting firm. We are made up of individual people who happen to be Michigan court reporters. We thought we would take some time to let you get to know our court reporters.

Dawn Houghton is the owner of O’Brien and Bails Court Reporting and Video. She is also one of our court reporters in Grand Rapids and Kalamazoo, Michigan.
How long have you been a court reporter?

29 years

How long have you been with O’Brien and Bails?

23 years

Before becoming a court reporter, have you ever worked in other jobs or fields?

I grew up on a farm so every summer I would look forward to baling hay. In 8th grade, I picked strawberries at a local farm. In high school, I worked at a snack bar in a bowling alley. My daughter’s favorite story about my growing up, though, is I used to pick rocks from the fields.

Where did you grow up?

Ravenna, Michigan, pronounced Ra-van-na by those who grew up there but Ra-ven-na by everyone else.

What changes have you seen in the industry since you became a court reporter?

We have gone from pen writers who wrote down every word in steno notebooks, to machine writers who dictated their notes and a typist would type up the transcript from the dictation, to the advent of computers where reporters could edit, correct and print their transcripts themselves, to realtime reporters who can take down the testimony while the attorneys watch the testimony on their computer, to internet streaming where reporters’ transcripts are remotely viewed by parties in the case in different parts of the country.

What is the best part of being a court reporter?

I really like writing and knowing I am preserving the record of testimony.

What is the most challenging part of being a court reporter?

Finding our voice. We are always in the background, patiently taking down every word that is spoken, sometimes working in very difficult, emotional and trying circumstances, but we must always protect the record, even if it means speaking up.

As a court reporter, what is your biggest fear?

My biggest fear is we won’t be valued for what we do. Most reporters I know are incredibly conscientious and professional, and even though we make it look easy, it is an awesome skill that we have.

What has been your most challenging deposition?

My most challenging deposition was a patent infringement case over electrochromatic mirrors where the witness was from India. It was a four-hour deposition and I did end up with a migraine after that one. I still remember writing “ax’-ler-rate-ing,” which is how the witness pronounced it, but I knew he was saying accelerating from the context. There is a lot of concentration we bring to bear in those circumstances.

Have you ever had funny things happen to you in a deposition?

I don’t know if it was funny, but I was taking a video deposition of a doctor with two attorneys from Louisiana, and part way through the deposition, they became so angry with each other, they got up and started chasing each other around the table. I had to keep moving my machine while still writing as they were running past me because the video was still going and I didn’t want to miss anything that was going to be on the video! Thank goodness the doctor finally stopped them. To this day, years later, when I walk into that doctor’s office, he says: You’re the reporter that was at that deposition.

Do you have any tips about work/life balance?

I just do the best I can. I am always juggling work and family life – I have two teenage girls and that takes a lot of work in itself. But I couldn’t imagine doing anything else. I love challenges.

If you would like to schedule a court reporter in Grand Rapids or Kalamazoo, Michigan for your next deposition, go to our online Deposition Scheduler found here.