ABA Formal Opinion 477 - remote deletion is a reasonable step

Formal Opinion 477 of the American Bar Association states that attorneys can transmit data to clients over the internet so long as they take reasonable precautions to prevent inadvertent disclosure.  Sensitive data may necessitate taking special measures. 

The opinion specifically recommends the use of a virtual private network and states that, “It also may be reasonable to use commonly available methods to remotely disable lost or stolen devices, and to destroy the data contained on those devices, especially if encryption is not also being used.”