Primafact Remote Access for Lawyers Working from Home and Court

Why Primafact remote access is harder than typical remote work

Most remote access setups are built around email and web applications that transfer small amounts of data. Primafact users routinely open large scanned PDFs and productions, and pulling those files across a home internet connection or mobile hotspot can be painfully slow if the remote access method was not chosen with that workload in mind.

This is one of the reasons remote performance issues are often mistaken for a Primafact problem rather than a connectivity design issue, similar to the pattern described in our guide on why Primafact runs slow.

VPN versus published desktop: choosing the right approach

There are two common ways to give remote staff access to Primafact, and the right choice depends on document volume and connection quality.

• VPN with mapped file share: workable for light use on strong connections, but document transfer happens over the remote link itself, which slows down quickly with large files
• Published desktop or remote session: the application runs on a server inside the firm's network, and only screen images travel to the remote device, which performs far better for large document sets over unpredictable connections
• Hybrid approach: VPN for staff with strong home connections and light document use, published desktop for heavy users and anyone working from court or a client site

Setting up remote access securely

• Multi-factor authentication required for every remote connection, no exceptions
• Devices used for remote access enrolled in endpoint protection and kept current on updates
• Access limited to what each user's role requires rather than blanket access to the full case file share
• Session timeouts configured so an unattended device does not stay connected indefinitely
• Remote access logs reviewed periodically as part of ongoing cybersecurity practice

Making court and mobile access practical

Lawyers working from a courthouse frequently rely on cellular data rather than reliable Wi-Fi, which makes a lightweight published-desktop connection especially valuable since it minimizes the data that needs to travel over an unreliable link. Testing this setup with real case files, not a small sample document, before a lawyer relies on it in a live courtroom situation avoids an unpleasant surprise at the worst possible moment.

Firms should also plan for what happens if a mobile connection drops mid-session. A published-desktop approach generally reconnects a user to the same session in progress, while a VPN-based file transfer that drops partway through may need to restart entirely.

Confidentiality obligations for remote access

Client confidentiality obligations do not pause because a lawyer is working from a coffee shop or a courthouse hallway. Devices used to access case files remotely should be encrypted, protected by endpoint security, and covered under the same offboarding process as in-office equipment, so access is closed immediately when a lawyer or staff member leaves the firm.

Firms running PC Law alongside Primafact should extend the same remote access design to billing staff working remotely, which is covered in our guide to PC Law remote access and in the combined approach described in running Primafact and PC Law together.

Backup considerations for remote work

Remote access should never mean local copies of case files sitting unprotected on a laptop. Documents accessed remotely should stay on the server side wherever the remote access method allows, with the firm's backup and disaster recovery plan continuing to cover the authoritative copy of the case file rather than any local downloads.

Testing before staff rely on it

1. Pick a small group of users with varying connection quality to pilot the chosen remote access method.
2. Test opening large real case files, not small sample documents, from home and from a mobile connection.
3. Confirm multi-factor authentication and session security work as expected before wider rollout.
4. Document the setup steps so new staff can be onboarded quickly.
5. Review performance again after a few weeks of real use, and adjust bandwidth or method if needed.

Frequently asked questions