It has always been the case that when traveling to the United States (be it personal or business), prior to entry, you can be subject to questions and a search. In today’s world, a search may involve a U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Officer examining electronic devices that a traveler may be carrying. For lawyers, crossing borders can be particularly problematic because of issues of privilege (see Section 3.3: Confidentiality of the NSBS Code of Professional Conduct), so it is important to stay current with updates from both the Canadian and U.S government.
As it is unlikely that a lawyer conducting business in the U.S. would be able to simply leave their devices in Canada, you may choose to consult with an information technology security expert and/or seek legal advice as to your options when crossing the border with devices such as a smartphone and laptop.
If you are a Canadian traveling to the United States, the following page from the Government of Canada provides up-to-date travel warnings, advice, and precautions: “United States Travel Advice“.
The Federation of Law Societies Canada also offers the following resource “Crossing the Border with Electronic Devices: What Canadian Legal Professionals Should Know” to consider before making the trip.
You may also want to review the information provided by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Office itself on their “Border Search of Electronic Devices at Ports of Entry” page.