By Jim Calloway

When you purchase a new office computer, what happens to the outdated computer? A lawyer’s first concern is that confidential client information on that computer must be protected. While most lawyers would consider donating their old equipment to a charity, they wouldn’t be able to do that without absolute certainty there was no client information on the computer. Even if your firm is sending the old computers to a recycling operation, it still is a good practice to wipe the data before the devices leave the firm. That is where Wirecutter’s feature How to Securely Wipe Your Computer, Phone, or Tablet can be useful. I suggest adding a bookmark for this information so you can find it when you need it.

Truthfully, most institutions do not accept donations of used computers for a variety of reasons ranging from potential malware threats to the old computers being too slow for their workers and difficult to maintain. But before you trade in your phone when you purchase a new one, you might pay attention to how much credit you are receiving. You might have a family member, neighbor or acquaintance who would love to upgrade with your old phone, particularly as iPhones have become quite expensive.