As a law firm operating in the EU, GDPR compliance should be a top priority. The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is the primary legislation governing how companies secure their client’s personal data. The regulation requires firms to be more responsible with their client information and privacy, just like all other businesses.
obtaining client consent for information processing, ensuring data safety, notifying clients of data breaches, and setting up structures dedicated to GDPR compliance. Cloud-based legal software can help your firm meet these GDPR compliance requirements. Here’s how:
Some key compliance aspects of the GDPR include gaining consent from clients for information processing, ensuring data safety, notifying clients of data breaches, and setting up structures dedicated to GDPR compliance. Cloud-based legal software can help your firm meet these GDPR compliance requirements.
3 Advantages Of The Cloud For Lawyers: GDPR Compliance
Managing GDPR compliance for your law firm can be a daunting and overwhelming task. You need to keep evidence of why you need to collect data and the client’s consent to share their data. You also need to keep records indicating what and how you use the data and create systems that allow you to recover data securely when needed.
Fortunately, cloud-based legal software can help streamline your compliance efforts and provide you with peace of mind. Here are three key benefits of using such software for your law firm’s GDPR compliance.
1. Data Storage
Data storage is a crucial aspect of GDPR compliance for legal organizations. The GDPR requires firms to establish viable backup systems that protect data in case of incidents such as fires, theft, or technical malfunctions.
An on-premise data storage system is susceptible to physical incidents and makes the firm sensitive to data loss. Centralized data storage on a single device puts the firm at risk of losing all client data in case of damage or hacking.
In contrast, cloud-based software provides a more secure solution for data storage. With no fixed or physical database, data can be kept in several places or servers for convenient recovery. This provides better security for sensitive client information.
Cloud-based software solutions also offer scalability for data storage as the firm grows. As the firm develops, more documents and client details will be needed to monitor and safeguard, requiring more storage capacity. With cloud-based software, there’s no need to worry about increased spending on storage as the business expands. The software evolves with the firm, ensuring all client data remains safe and secure even as the numbers grow.
2. Security
Part of your firm’s data management and storage involves making sure that you maintain your client’s privacy. Under the GDPR, businesses must take appropriate measures to safeguard personal data. However, on-premise and cloud solutions have different approaches to data security, and it’s essential to understand the differences before deciding which one to use.
On-premise legal technology solutions require more work from the company and employees, and it’s necessary to have extensive on-site resources. It may also require a dedicated IT team to manage and run the physical solution. On-premise servers can restrict access to authorized personnel only, which may improve data security. However, they are vulnerable to physical threats such as theft, fire, and natural disasters. Moreover, it becomes the firm’s responsibility to document security updates and keep security tight.
In contrast, cloud-based solutions use servers located in data centres and operated by cloud providers. Cloud providers use a range of security measures such as encryption, access controls, and firewalls to protect data in transit and at rest. Encryption ensures data protection from unauthorized access, even in the case of a data breach.
Disaster recovery is another critical aspect of data security. Cloud providers have disaster recovery plans that ensure data can be quickly restored in the event of a disaster. This means that law firms can quickly resume work after an unexpected event without losing critical data.
In summary, cloud-based software provides high data security that can help law firms meet the GDPR’s requirements. With encryption, access controls, disaster recovery, and expert security monitoring, law firms can be confident that their client’s data is safe and secure.
Amberlo, for instance, is ISO/IEC 27017 certified, meeting international standards for cloud security. And, ISO/IEC 27001 certification adds to the assurance of Amberlo’s security since it provides a framework for managing and protecting sensitive information using a risk-based approach and focusing on data security.
3. Compliance Support
Your cloud-based legal software provider can also play an active role in GDPR compliance. This is particularly important when it comes to time-sensitive access to case files where any system issues could potentially hold up critical case information and disrupt the firm’s workflow.
Having a dedicated support system can provide peace of mind to law firms, knowing that help is just a phone call or email away. This can significantly reduce downtime and ensure the firm’s operations run smoothly.
At Amberlo, we understand the significance of timely access to client and case information. That’s why we offer dedicated software support to all our customers. Our experienced support team is always available to help with any issues or questions you may have, ensuring that you can work with minimal disruptions and provide the best service to your clients.
Moreover, our support helps you meet GDPR requirements for data handling, including reliable backups and security. As a result, compliance becomes less of a burden on your shoulders.
To learn more about GDPR compliance for law firms, check out our in-depth guide “How Law Firms Can Comply with GDPR”.
Conclusion
As a business operating in the field of law, GDPR compliance is an essential part of your operations. The legal profession involves handling sensitive and personal data from clients, which requires careful protection and storage. Law firms must be diligent in ensuring that client data is handled securely and confidentially to maintain their reputation and trust.
Cloud-based legal software can help law firms ensure GDPR compliance while reducing the resources, labour, and time invested in it. With such solutions, data can be stored, managed, and accessed from a centralized location, making it easier to maintain records of the legal basis for collecting data and how it’s being used. Additionally, cloud providers use advanced security features such as encryption and access controls to protect data in transit and at rest.
By using cloud-based legal software such as Amberlo, law firms can save time, reduce costs, and focus on their core business of practising law. Amberlo offers a 7-day free trial to allow firms to try out the cloud legal solution and experience its benefits firsthand. If you have any questions about Amberlo or its features, email us at info@amberlo.io, and a member of the team will be happy to assist you.
