While the coronavirus pandemic may have showed law firms the benefits of remote access technology, don't expect more tech or IT spending in the short term. COVID-19′s economic aftermath is keeping some firms from budgeting more tech or IT spend as they watch how the economy rebounds, industry observers say.

"I don't think right now anyone has an appetite to spend if they don't have to because of the uncertainty of everything," said Ann Gorr, a legal technology consultant for boutique and midsize firms.

"I think it's something [technology spend] that will have to be put into the budget, but I don't think it will be this quarter," she added. "I don't see anyone making that decision now, they're making sure they can stay afloat and not sink to the bottom of the barrel."

For now, COVID-19 may also adversely impact law firms' previously scheduled tech budgeting, Gorr said.

"There are a lot of firms that are halfway in projects that would make them whole, moving in that direction with the right cybersecurity, and they got caught right now. They're afraid to spend any money because they need to keep the lights on. But if they don't spend the money, they won't be able to meet their client's security requirements."

Unsurprisingly, firms that previously implemented mobility measures before the coronavirus say they haven't adjusted their tech spend or added new IT initiatives.

Fox Rothschild chief information officer Michael Rinehart, for instance, said the firm launched an initiative roughly six years ago to support a workforce working in the office or at home. In return, the firm was already prepared to match COVID-19′s surge in remote working and hasn't modified its IT budget.

Similarly, Tanenbaum Keale chief technologist Kenneth Jones said his firm's tech budget wasn't changed much because the firm was already largely cloud based and remote-work friendly. However, COVID-19′s mid-March landing in the U.S. likely arrived at the least opportune time as most firms' annual budgets were already finalized, Jones noted.

But Jones argued that the pandemic should allow firms to reconsider their original budgeting plans. "No one could have possibly foreseen the COVID-19 situation back in January. I think everyone has to read and react and adjust to keep people working."

Along with encouraging budget reassessments, COVID may also have another silver lining that spurs legal to adopt 21st century practices, Jones said.

"My belief is, historically speaking, it's often challenging to obtain funding for infrastructure projects like disaster recovery and business continuity. However, now that we've gone through this, it's likely firms will be increasingly receptive to projects that shift data and applications from on-prem to cloud, enabling employees to more easily remotely work."