Blogs

Please enjoy this blog authored by Kara Portwood, Director of Innovation, Armstrong Teasdale LLP.

On May 2, 2025, PACER released an announcement stating that on May 11, 2025, the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts would begin implementation of multifactor authentication to enhance system security for CM/ECF and PACER.  They also informed everyone that users with CM/ECF-level access who do not voluntarily enroll will be randomly selected to do so beginning in August and by the end of 2025, everyone with CM/ECF-level access will be required to use MFA when logging in.  To read the complete announcement, click here.  

For years, many law firms (names withheld) have stored attorneys’ court passwords in Excel files to simplify access and sharing among legal assistants.  Pacer’s announcement left several firms rushing to adjust their processes and still some are not ready.

A significant challenge in leveraging MFA with Pacer lies in the requirement for multiple legal assistants, frequently exceeding the five-user limit for authentication apps, to file on behalf of attorneys as needed.

In a recent post on the ILTA e-groups, the following tools were identified as being used:

Given the numerous tools our teams rely on, adapting to change can be challenging, particularly during the filing process, one of the most demanding moments for both attorneys and staff.  Embracing this transition will be vital to our collective success.

Please know that PacerPro support lines are backed up and wait times can approach 8 hours.  As the December 31, 2025 deadline/mandate approaches, all firms must be ready and have their desired solution in place, users trained and ready for the MFA mandate.

As we plan for the future, this requirement must be incorporated into onboarding for all new and lateral hires. 

I wish everyone success in whatever tool you plan to deploy!

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