Finding the right cloud service for your law office's critical applications and sensitive data is becoming an increasingly difficult and daunting process. New providers keep appearing on the scene as older services evolve, change hands and sometimes disappear as quickly as, well, a cloud.

Many law offices have already embraced cloud computing; many more are thinking about testing the waters. But whether you're just wading in or are already fully immersed, properly understanding the benefits — and drawbacks — of cloud services is essential.