These summaries were prepared by McGuireWoods LLP lawyer Thomas E. Spahn. They are based on the letter opinions issued by the Virginia State Bar. Any editorial comments reflect Mr. Spahn's current personal views, and not the opinions of the Virginia State Bar, McGuireWoods or its clients. 
 
 Back to main menu

  Print This Leo
LEO NumTopicsSummary
ABA-477

print
31-Protecting and Disclosing Confidences and Secrets

46-Confidentiality - Miscellaneous

Because communication technology, its accompanying risks and the ethics rules have changed since ABA LEO 413 (3/10/99), lawyers must take the following steps when communicating with their clients using new technology: comply with the ABA Model Rules 2012 "technology amendments"; assess what "reasonable efforts" a lawyer must make when protecting client confidentiality (which "is not susceptible to a hard and fast rule, but rather is contingent upon a set of factors"); consider using encryption for sensitive client communications, although "the use of unencrypted routine email generally remains an acceptable method of lawyer-client communication"; recognize that for "certain highly sensitive information" lawyers might have to "avoid" the use of electronic methods or any technology to communicate with the client altogether"; understand the nature of threats to client confidentiality, including how client information is transmitted, stored -- and the vulnerability of security at "[e]ach access point"; understand and use reasonable "electronic security measures"; recognize that "'deleted' data may be subject to recovery," so it may be necessary to "consider whether certain data should ever be stored in an unencrypted environment, or electronically transmitted at all"; carefully label client confidential information; train lawyers and non-lawyers in the use and risk of electronic communications and storage; undertake reasonable due diligence on communication technology vendors; inform clients about the risks of communicating sensitive information; comply with clients' requirements for special protective measures.

Copyright 2000, Thomas E. Spahn