Technology Concerns Facing Vancouver Law Firms In 2020
Law firms tend to a specific need, but technology concerns are a big part of the modern law firm. Find out the top tech concerns law firms in Vancouver have.
Handling client needs and requests, researching the law, collecting evidence—all of this can be part of the day-to-day operation of a Canadian law firm. However, technology has etched its way into daily processes in legal businesses just the same as it has every other type of business in the country.
Unfortunately, many law firms have technical and technology concerns, and some fail to keep up with ever-changing demands because of lacking time and resources. Take a look at three of the biggest technology concerns facing law firms in Vancouver in 2020.
Navigating the complex security regulations set forth by governing agencies.
Certain governing agencies, such as the British Columbia Securities Commission (BCSC), sets forth regulations where technology security is concerned, and it is important that these regulations are minded in every law firm. The only problem is, some of the guidelines can be difficult to understand, let alone implement if the manager of the firm has little internet technology experience.
When new regulations are established, it is critical that legal firms in Canada make the necessary changes to their network to comply. However, these tasks can be arduous and time-consuming, so it is not uncommon for them to be neglected. Neglected changes when regulations are established can mean a law firm is more at risk, but it can also lead to hefty penalties as well.
Maintaining client privacy in spite of growing risks.
Clients are more concerned about their privacy now than ever, and it is for good reason. At the end of 2019, a class-action lawsuit was brought up against LifeLabs BC Inc. after it was claimed the company did not implement proper safeguards and it led to the exposure of 15 million personal records among Canadians. This may be only one example in a list of pending lawsuits, but it is one of the largest. LifeLabs apparently made several mistakes, such as not having a system in place to monitor threats. It was stated:
“…the lab allegedly did not delete or destroy the personal information that was no longer needed in a timely manner, which unnecessarily exposed that information in the data breach.”
Unfortunately, law firms commonly make similar mistakes with private data. They may overlook getting rid of personal data when it’s no longer needed, not have monitoring systems, and not have a proactive plan in place in the event of an attack.
Complying with regulations when it comes to cloud computing.
Cloud computing is easily one of the most modern things to affect Canadian businesses, including law firms. Numerous companies offer cloud hosting for data so law firms can be relieved of having to store all of their data on site, and this really can simplify a lot of processes. However, even this can create issues.
For example, if your firm is utilizing a cloud service provider for financial aspects of the business, it can make the data hard to audit properly because it is not held at the firm. Even though there are simple strategies that can be implemented with cloud-hosted data so auditing processes are simple to achieve, many law firms fail to use these strategies and some do not know they exist.
Reach Out to Compunet Infotech in Vancouver, BC for Help
Staying in line with modern technology and remaining compliant does not have to be a difficult feat. Companies like Compunet Infotech can help. Compunet has been in business for more than three decades, and they focus on offering everything from managed IT services to cloud and backup solutions. Reach out to us to find out how we can help you with the technological aspects of your law firm.
