As Hurricane Irma barreled its way toward Florida, firms with pending, time-sensitive transactions that were due around the time of the storm's landfall scrambled to meet deadlines.

For most lawyers, that meant evacuating to areas where they would have reliable power and internet connections. Large firms leveraged a wide footprint and enlisted lawyers based in other states to help with pending work. At some firms, attorneys who did not evacuate used mobile Wi-Fi devices that allowed them to work even when cell and data services were down.

“We had three transactions that happened around the hurricane—one was a business transaction for $600,000 and the other two were real estate closings,” said Frederick O'Malley, chief operating officer at Shutts & Bowen, who reviewed documents sent to him at his home in Southwest Ranches when he was on backup power and backup internet provided by a mobile Wi-Fi device.