In the modern practice of law, arguably nothing is more important to an attorney than her laptop. With the rise of electronic document management systems, the laptop can act as the equivalent of an entire office building of documents and allow the attorney to work from virtually anywhere.

However, with this new technology comes new challenges. Specifically, when confidential information can be accessed from anywhere and from so many sources, law firms have greater challenges in assuring compliance with ethical and professional rules, including the duty to maintain a client's confidential information as set forth in Rule 3-100 of the California Rules of Professional Conduct.

This issue is especially significant when attorneys depart for another law firm. Gone are the days of late-night raids of the file room; departing attorneys can typically get all the files they need with a single click. Thus, protecting client information is not as simple as making sure that the physical doors to the law firm are locked.