I run around town sporting a MacBook Air along with my Samsung Galaxy Note 3. Some members of my team carry a laptop, a mobile phone, plus a tablet. We’re a mobile bunch, and we like the gear.

Most lawyers are toting around these amazing arsenals of technological prowess.

You’re doing it too. You’re well equipped and untethered.

Unfortunately, you’re taking huge risks. You’re risking the loss of your valuable equipment, plus you’re risking the loss of the data stored on the devices. Of course, that data often contains confidential client material, and losing it could have horribly complex repercussions.

Your 11-Step Data-Protection Plan

How do you protect your devices and the data they store? Follow these tips, and you’ll be much safer:

1. Sit further from the door. Most thefts of portable devices take place in public places. It happens in coffee shops all the time. A thief walks in, spots your device, grabs it, and runs. It happens so fast there’s little you can do. Your best defense is to sit further from the door with obstacles between you and the exit. Picking the right seat is a shockingly effective approach to theft prevention.
2. Don’t use public Wi-Fi. Public Wi-Fi is often insecure. It could even be a fake network set up for the purpose of capturing your data. Be suspicious of generically named hotspots. The safest course of action is to use your personal hotspot. Most mobile phone providers allow for a hotspot option. You’ll simply click on an application and create your own hotspot. Then you connect your laptop to your instant network. That’s far more secure than using a network provided by a coffee shop, hotel, or even another law firm.
3. Put a PIN or password on your mobile phone. Use the security built into your phone and set a PIN or password. Some recent phones are using fingerprint technology to restrict access to the phone. Take advantage of the technology you already have. It takes about 10 seconds to password-protect your phone. Do it before you read number 4.
4. Do the same for your laptop and tablet. Again, a PIN or password is an essential, basic security precaution. If you’re confused as to how to implement these security features, go to YouTube and search for a video demonstrating the process on your device.
5. Encrypt your device. Encryption is now built into most devices (laptops, mobile phones, and tablets). You simply need to turn it on and set a password. Encryption makes it very difficult for a thief to compromise your data if your device is stolen. Be aware, however, that encryption is illegal in some countries and constitutes grounds for seizing the device: China and Russia, for instance. Unless you’re on your way to one of these countries, then you should encrypt your device.
6. Use the hotel safe. If you’re planning to leave your device behind in your hotel room, then lock it up in the hotel safe. There’s no downside to locking up your gear, and hotel thefts are more common than you might imagine.
7. Disable Bluetooth for pairing. If you’re not using Bluetooth, then turn it off on all of your devices. Leaving it open raises the possibility of a data theft by remote access. Just turn it off, and you’ll be protected.
8. If you don’t need it, don’t bring it. Leave the iPad at home today if you’re not planning to use it. The same goes for your laptop. Many of us can get through some days with nothing other than our phones. Only carry the gear necessary for your current activities. The less you have with you, the less you can lose in the event of a theft.
9. Use a virtual private network (VPN). If you’re using public Wi-Fi and you’re not visiting secure sites, then you should use a VPN to encrypt the data you’re sending. I’m pleased with prosy.sh. It’s worth paying the small fee for the VPN account to be sure your data isn’t public. Better safe than sorry.
10. Don’t use public computers. Stay away from the public computers in hotel business centers and other public places. If you’re going to use them, don’t enter any passwords, don’t use them to access financial accounts, and don’t log in to your office network. Limit your use to searching for a place for lunch or checking the weather.
11. Back up your data on all devices. It’s quick and easy to back up a laptop, tablet, or phone to the cloud. When the device disappears, you need to be able to restore your data so you can get back to work. Set up a backup system for all of your devices, and be sure it’s working.

These 11 precautions are well worth implementing. The loss of client data is a nightmare. In most states, the loss of client data requires a formal report to a government agency. The reports often require an explanation of the actions taken to protect the information. All lawyers want to be able to report their diligence in protecting the data. Take action now.