Law firms were among the many businesses affected by a global IT outage on Friday, causing temporary disruptions to website and email access.
Impact on Major Law Firms
Ashurst Struggles with Accessibility
The British law firm Ashurst experienced significant issues, with their website profiles remaining inaccessible for much of the day. One lawyer reported difficulties accessing internal documents.
Kirkland & Ellis Faces Email Disruption
Kirkland & Ellis, another major firm, faced a two-hour internal email system outage, according to sources familiar with the situation.
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Reed Smith’s Quick Recovery
Reed Smith’s US operations were alerted early Friday morning by their teams in Asia, Europe, and the Middle East. Despite some initial impacts, the firm quickly recovered. “We were back fully operational before the start of business on the East Coast,” said Ryan McEnroe, the firm’s Chief Information Officer.
Causes and Wider Impact
CrowdStrike Update Triggers Outage
The disruption was caused by a security update from CrowdStrike’s cybersecurity program, which brought down Microsoft Corp. systems worldwide. The outage led to thousands of flight cancellations and affected various sectors, including healthcare, finance, airlines, and retail.
Court Systems Affected
Court systems were not spared. The Superior Court of California, County of Los Angeles, posted a notice about website errors. Maryland courts closed all public offices but remained open for emergency matters, citing the global Microsoft outage.
Importance of System Availability
Law Firm Operations Depend on IT
Maintaining system availability is crucial for law firms, which rely on cloud-based systems for client collaboration. Reed Smith had a contingency plan in place and activated it immediately. “We simulate events like this, so we are prepared when they happen,” said McEnroe, who was recently appointed as the firm’s CIO.
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McEnroe’s Role and Vision
In his new role, McEnroe will oversee network services and security across more than 30 offices globally. With a 25-year tenure at Reed Smith, he has guided the firm through various technological changes, from adopting internet services and cloud computing to integrating AI technology.
Future of AI in Legal Practices
Current Use and Caution
Reed Smith is increasing its integration of AI into its workflow, using it for tasks such as summarizing meetings and conducting legal research, which has boosted productivity. However, McEnroe remains cautious. He believes AI is not yet ready to revolutionize legal practices due to its tendency to make errors, including misrepresenting case law. “The firm is proceeding cautiously but not conservatively,” he said.
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