Over the last few years, many law firms have been on the defense—and we’re not talking about the courtroom. Legal departments and law firms process many types of sensitive information, including patent disputes, employment contracts, medical records, bank information, and even government secrets. These make them an enticing target for bad actors looking to steal and monetize data. What makes this situation worse is that when firms are breached, they often aren’t aware it happened.
Now, more than ever, it’s crucial to safeguard client and business information. According to the American Bar Association’s 2022 TechReport, many firms use some form of security tools in their practice to help protect against security breaches. That said, only 40.1% of those surveyed are using encryption in their email, and 49.2% use file encryption tools, leaving plenty of room for improvement. Because safeguarding against a breach helps reduce your risk of lost billable hours, having to pay hefty consulting fees for breach recovery, and could prevent you from dealing with lost or destroyed files.
If you are wondering how legal professionals can safeguard their clients’ information while keeping up with increasing regulations, here are a few easy steps you can take to ensure your firm is up to the challenge.
1. Team Up for Success
Rally your colleagues across departments to form a strong Information Governance (IG) team. Together, you can ensure that your policies cover all types of information and the tools you and your teams use daily.
2. Know Your Risks
Determine the potential consequences should the information your organization holds be lost or exposed. Assess the risks for all information types and ensure your leadership and team members are aware of risks associated with breaches caused by internal and external sources or general negligence.
Beyond Storage – A Comprehensive Information Management Checklist
Organizations of all kinds and sizes are finding themselves faced with an array of information management challenges. Some of these challenges, like the transformation of information technologies and the growth of data sets, have remained relatively unchanged for years.
3. Craft a Custom IG Policy
Start by safeguarding your most sensitive data like HR records, client files, and crucial business documents. Then, extend your policies to cover email, social media, shared drives, and personal devices used for business purposes.
4. Streamline with Automated Retention
Define clear retention periods for different types of records to stay compliant. There should be procedures for regular destruction and what to do in case of an audit or legal hold.
Using a digital document management system, legal professionals can automate their retention schedules to save valuable time and money. A digital solution should automatically classify information as it is created, and send notifications when information is incomplete or ready for destruction.
By implementing these steps, you can fortify your data security, navigate regulations confidently, and earn and maintain your clients’ trust in the digital age. Together with your team, you’ve got this! And, if you need help developing your plan, we’re right here! Just drop us a note, and we’ll contact you.
