The firm began trialling the use of iPads in its offices in December 2010 with the pilot due to end in about one month's time.

Following the implementing of a Citrix solution, Blake Dawson's lawyers are now able to remotely dial-in and access all the work systems securely via the iPad.

"Obviously maintaining the confidentiality of client information is paramount, but that poses a bit of a dilemma," said Blake Dawson's director of IT and knowledge, Chrissy Burns.

"When iPads came out we had a lot of our lawyers coming to us saying, 'We think there are a lot of really good ways we could be using the iPad to help us get client work done on the run or when we're travelling'. The challenge for us was how to take advantage of what the iPad has to offer but to make sure that we cover off on the security considerations."

At the end of the pilot the firm will receive more detail as to the success of the trial, according to Burns.

"The other thing we'll do is look at some of the other uses of the iPad within the firm," she said.

"Where people have their personal iPads and have applications they want to use while work things are running off the same device, our lawyers can use the iPad to securely log in and do client work without having to switch between a work laptop and the iPad."

Burns said Blake Dawson's iPad trial has been very popular amongst staff, with plans to eventually develop an application that is useful for both the firm's clients and its lawyers.

"We're watching for developments in the application space to develop one application and use it across all different areas," she said.

"We still need to do an evaluation to work out [the firm's next steps]. We think the iPads will have a place but there are different devices that will be useful in different situations."