Cyber security – how to make your law firm safe

The COLPs, partners and practice managers of law firms hardly need reminding of the risks of data loss and the potential financial cost and reputational damage which can arise. Data breaches are regularly reported in the news and the SRA may well be focusing their efforts on cyber security and data protection when visiting law firms.

Here is what you should do about cyber security

There is a lot of information about what you need to do about cyber security but nobody is telling you how to do it ……… until now.

To ensure your firm takes the necessary care of all the personal and confidential data of both your practice and your clients, you need to implement a Cyber Security Management System (CSMS). A CSMS is like the other systems and processes you have in your firm which ensure that all your staff know what they have to do and how to do it so that your client data is looked after and your firm’s reputation is safeguarded.

A CSMS helps you:

• Set roles and responsibilities
• Identify and document the risks in your firm, using checklists and workbooks
• Link your risks to cyber security policies which are tailored to your business
• Train your staff on your risks and policies
• Check and document your staff’s understanding of the risks and the training

Hawsons have a proven solution

Hawsons can help with all aspects of cyber security including the provision of a CSMS used by over 70 organisations including ICAS, the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Scotland.  We also provide encryption products, policies, staff training and assessments.

Once your firm implements a CSMS and acts upon its findings you know that if your firm suffers a data breach your documented audit trail will demonstrate that you took all the reasonable steps that you could have done to prevent that breach.

More from our legal sector experts

You can find all of our latest legal articles here.

If you are looking for advice in a particular area, please get in touch with your usual Hawsons contact.

Alternatively, we offer all new clients a free initial meeting to have a discussion about their own personal circumstances – find out more or book your free initial meeting here. We have offices in Sheffield, Doncaster and Northampton.