Cloudy with a hint of GDPR

/
/
Cloudy with a hint of GDPR
Updated On: July 13, 2023

Cloudy with a hint of GDPR…

The challenges of being compliant as a law firm in today’s climate….

2017 year was a challenging time for the legal sector, as firms managed the uncertainty created by our exit from the EU. Our law clients have also grappled with the growing need to adopt new technologies such as The Cloud, to maintain legislative compliance while increasing the security of their client data.

The positive news is, that while 2018 has brought a series of new challenges, it is a relatively simple process to predict where legal firms should be targeting resources and attention now that we’ve hit the first half of the year.

Over the past twelve months, key areas of the industry have been gaining momentum, and clearly directing us to the most relevant areas requiring investment and focus. Of these areas, none has been receiving more attention than the benefits of cloud-based storage to maximise security and compliance for our clients.

It’s looking overcast…cloud concerns continue

Following on from the reported security breaches across a number of legal organisations last year, security looks set to stay as a key challenge within the industry. Many firms still find themselves in the tough position of upgrading their IT systems and software, yet maintaining security while they make the transition to enhanced platforms.

As a result, the sector is focussed upon effective project management while new systems are implemented, carefully considering the potential downtime and security of the systems which their business operations depend upon. The legal sector has been hesitant to adopt cloud storage solutions, through concerns over hacking or migration of data – even where the solution has evidenced enhanced security for operational data and client information.

With careful planning and effective IT consultancy, however, the sector will manage the transition and benefit from enhanced productivity, increased efficiency and unparalleled security and compliance through transition to improved platforms.

Unlike summer, GDPR is here to stay

The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) has gained increasing momentum for the legal industry as the compliance date of May 2018 passed. The positive news is that much of the material and principles in the revised act reflect DPA regulations, so most firms were already fully compliant. However, here at Backup Everything, we have seen firsthand the impact of the new legislation. We’d like to extend a helping hand to organisations who are still unsure of their obligations and want the reassurance of complete compliance.

The legislation made it mandatory for firms to assess their current state and then map out a plan for revising operations and processes, to ensure absolute compliance with the reform. GDPR has had a significant impact on legal systems and procedures, requiring amendments to data storage and archiving, in addition to enhanced security to maintain compliance. Issues such as revised transparency and individual rights provision are all affected, so it’s a very good idea to keep checking in with the Information Commissioner’s Office to verify your status and what further action you may need to take.

Brexit implications

While it is tempting to consider that the main impact of the EU referendum has now safely passed for our sector, the reality is (unfortunately) indicating that this may not be the case. If we are to lose our access to the European single market, commercial law for real estate, corporate banking and the financial sector may experience an impact in terms of reduced opportunities.

Similarly, the law sector will experience a number of challenges in terms of the need to adopt new technologies as legislation changes, and we adapt to a revised pro form a for business operations and compliance. A key consideration will lie in the rules regarding storing of data beyond UK boundaries. As a result, selecting a UK-based Cloud Storage solution to backup data will be a principle way of safeguarding against pending legislation around Information Security permissions.

As a UK firm, our solution is ideal to navigate some of the complexities of the legal industry and adopt best practice for data security and storage. Our team are friendly, proactive, and experienced in working with even the most reluctant organisations to make compliance straightforward and advise of potential pitfalls and the best solution to avoid each.

Get in touch with us today and speak to one of our advisors to see how we may alleviate the pressures of compliance for your industry, and establish some cost-effective, regulatory-compliant solutions for managing your data safely. If you want further reassurance that we are good guys, check out our recent IT PRO review – they think we’re pretty good!

We get it – compliance is vile. We will do all we can to make it less of a headache and bring out sunshine rather than cloud.

https://backupeverything.co.uk/cloudy-with-a-hint-of-gdpr/

Saaher Muzafer / CEO Backup Everything
Saaher Muzafer / CEO Backup Everything

We pride ourselves on having a cloud backup solution for everyone as every business has a different requirement. Whether you want to backup Servers, Virtual Machines or Microsoft 365 we will have something for you. Our alignment is not with any vendor or product but with the best fit for your backup and disaster recovery needs. Contact us anytime for a transparent chat about what we have and what is there in the market today, I am sure we will be able to help you.

Start FREE Trial Today!

Experience Backup Everything FREE for 30 days. No Credit Card Required.

+44 (0) 345 055 9207