Security concerns limit cloud computing use in law firms

Law firm technology managers are tempering their interest in cloud computing with a heightened focus on security, according to an annual survey published in The American Lawyer. Clients are helping drive the trend by asking firms to detail their security policies.

Among the 65% of survey respondents reporting use of cloud computing, non-core functions like e-discovery and human resources made up the bulk of applications.

Only 8% say they use the cloud for document management. “Security concerns” were cited as a drawback to cloud computing by 61% of respondents.

Among the technology survey’s other findings are:

• Technology capital budgets of reporting firms average $4.7 million, 7% more than last year.
• While every firm surveyed continues to support BlackBerry phones, fully 96% of respondents also have users on iOS, the operating system for the iPhone and iPad, up from 77% in 2010. Android devices are supported by 67% of firms, compared to 43% last year.
• Top technology executive compensation ranges from $200,000 to $399,999 for the majority of reporting firms, while 14% earned $500,000 or more.
• “Consumerization” of IT through wider use of personal devices in the workplace has complicated data security, but CIOs say they are coping successfully because of a new generation of mobile device management software like Good Technology, Inc.’s Good for Enterprise and MobileIron’s Virtual Smartphone Management Platform.

Respondents were all among the 200 largest U.S. law firms.