Within the legal sector, there is great concern about increasing and maintaining employee productivity. Due to the characteristics inherent to the function and the legal market, this issue has become increasingly relevant. The more intelligent and efficient the methods and strategies used, the greater the profits . For this reason, increasing productivity in law firms is an extremely important issue for managers.
In this scenario, there is a constant search for tools and solutions that help increase employee productivity and ensure the protection of confidential data. The main objective, with regard to the law sector, is to guarantee greater production in the shortest possible time , to increase the inflow of fees and favor the success of the business.
With work carried out over the internet, digital security also becomes a major concern for companies. Cyber attacks evolve every day, and small points of vulnerability can cause immense damage to a business , especially with data loss, information leaks and attacks that generate financial losses, as is the case with ransomware .
As it is an activity that is directly related to the number of tasks that are performed, the lawyer needs to be in constant movement to be able to guarantee more profit and superior results , without the security of the information being compromised in any way. Therefore, this professional struggles daily to ensure the execution of current demands and, at the same time, seek new opportunities to increase their income.
The importance of information security in law firms
Cybercrimes have gained more and more space and are causing immeasurable losses for companies in all segments. Regarding the needs of law firms, especially after the General Data Protection Law , there has been a meteoric increase in the need to protect information and guarantee data confidentiality. In this sense, the use and manipulation of data on the internet should be a concern and a priority for managers within the legal market.
According to data from January, Brazil had a 37% increase in cyber attacks suffered by companies , only in the third quarter of 2022. Globally, the growth was 28%, highlighting the vulnerability of national companies in terms of digital security .
In order for us to understand the impact of information security within law firms, we need to understand how this concept is applied within this market.
Information security consists of a strategy aimed at protecting and managing data, preventing theft, leaks and loss of confidential information , as well as damage to equipment, systems, networks and servers resulting from cyber attacks. A valuable ally of the information security strategy is the creation of an internet usage policy. Do you know how it works? Check out this video on the subject:
This means that this set of measures helps to provide an active fight against digital threats. Within a law firm, the information that is stored may contain strategic or confidential client data , and its exposure can represent a great loss for the business.
The risks of exposing confidential information
As mentioned above, the exposure of data stored by a law firm can cause several problems for the lawyer and his client . The General Data Protection Law states in its article 46 that:
“Processing agents must adopt security, technical and administrative measures capable of protecting personal data from unauthorized access and accidental or unlawful situations of destruction, loss, alteration, communication or any form of inappropriate or unlawful processing.”
Due to what is determined in this article and other legal provisions, law firms need to keep in mind that safe and intelligent risk management must be implemented. In addition to this strategy, some security measures must also be adopted to help identify, avoid and eliminate possible points of vulnerability that could favor the exposure of your information.
The Code of Ethics of the Brazilian Bar Association determines that it is the lawyer's obligation to maintain confidentiality regarding the information and facts that are disclosed to him during the exercise of his profession. This means that the data provided by your customers must be protected above all, avoiding leaks and data losses which, in addition to hindering the smooth running of processes, can also encourage scams and extortion attempts.
Another major loss for law firms that do not have good Information Security management is the fact that possible failures, leaks, theft and data losses cause an immense impact on the firm's image in the market . This could end up harming the continuity of your activities and the success of the company.
Cyberattacks targeting a law firm are nothing new and increase considerably every year. Data breaches in this business segment usually bring a lot of profits to cybercriminals , so this type of business is always among the most attacked.
With the advancement of technology, law firms have also become more dependent on technological resources , so that much of the information necessary to serve clients is stored on devices such as computers and smartphones. Although this technology helps to speed up processes, it also increases the risk of information exposure.
Due to the sensitivity of the information that is exchanged and stored by lawyers, cybercriminals seek to obtain this information illicitly to carry out leaks , extortion attempts and request ransom payments, which occurs in ransomware-type attacks.
Best security practices for law firms
Given all these problems that can be caused by information leaks , it is extremely necessary to adopt strategies that help increase security within law firms. To this end, we have brought some practices that can contribute to maintaining the confidentiality of stored data:
Information security policies
The information security policy consists of a document that sets out practices, rules and measures aimed at ensuring the protection of a business's data and systems. Within a law firm, it needs to include what measures must be followed by employees to deal with confidential information, what types of access can be carried out, rules for protecting mobile devices and an emergency protocol in case there is any leak or cyber attack.
The main objective of this document is to minimize risks, losses and violations related to a company's technology. Through it, managers are able to protect information in compliance with all current legislation and guarantee greater security for customers.
Training for employees
There is no point in having an information security policy if employees are not prepared for these new practices. It is essential that there is a training process that helps all employees understand the importance of data protection and how certain attitudes can harm the business.
By training employees from different areas within the law firm, it is possible to bring more protection and avoid various problems that hinder the progress of activities .
Use of security software
Antiviruses and Firewalls are essential to maintain the security of stored data and devices and systems used by the company. There are several solutions on the market, each with its specific characteristics. For this reason, it is important that prior research is carried out in order to determine the best resource to meet the company's needs .
These tools help detect possible threats and block them before they cause any real damage to the business.
Data access management
Although the internet is essential for many activities carried out within a law firm, it also has resources that harm employee productivity and increase the vulnerability of the company's information systems and networks.
Access control helps ensure that only essential resources are available for day-to-day activities and helps prevent unauthorized individuals from gaining access to all resources. Access control is important to prevent confidential information from being accessed by unauthorized people , reducing the chances of leaks.
The relationship between information security and employee productivity
As we have seen, ensuring the security of a company's digital resources is essential to prevent leaks and the application of cyber scams . However, productivity can also be greatly impacted by a lack of strategy focused on information security.
By focusing on information security, the company can also contribute to increasing productivity . This happens thanks to a few factors, such as:
No downtime for maintenance
Some viruses and malware present on the market that are widely used by Cybercriminals can harm the proper functioning of devices used within the company. If these devices become unavailable, the progress of activities is hampered and, consequently, the company may not be able to meet deadlines and demands.
By avoiding this type of threat, managers are able to keep all devices functioning well and contribute to good productivity for all employees. Investing in information security helps ensure the good performance of computers and employees.
Increases focus on activities
Blocking certain unnecessary resources, access and tools used during working hours does not only contribute to data security. Through strategies, employees are able to remain more focused on what is really important for the office's strategy and bring increasingly better results.
Examples of practices that can increase productivity without compromising information security
If your goal is to increase employee productivity within law firms, check out some tips we have prepared that will help you achieve your goals without compromising the company's information security:
Improve the organizational climate
The environment where employees carry out their activities must be suitable for activities to be carried out calmly. This means that, in addition to all the infrastructure necessary for them to be able to work comfortably and safely, the company also needs to ensure that this team is motivated and supported in the best possible way .
Conducting a survey among employees helps to identify possible points for improvement and contributes to the implementation of measures aimed at optimizing the climate in the organizational environment.
Focus on people management
We know that within a law firm there can be countless demands and employees often feel pressured to achieve results at all costs.
To avoid problems and help employees better engage with the company's goals and demands, it is possible to invest in smarter people management practices , which will help monitor employees and help them achieve their goals. A good example of this is constant and dynamic feedback.
Invest in automation
There are many processes that can be improved through technological resources and that can enable you to increase productivity within the law firm.
Many activities that are part of the routine can be carried out automatically, freeing employees for more important tasks and avoiding overload . Process automation can be a valuable ally and help your business achieve the success it so desires.
Strengthen communication
Many problems that occur within companies are caused by communication problems between managers and employees. Investing in quality communication helps increase productivity and reduce the incidence of errors.
The exchange of information within the company must be clear and transparent and employees must feel free to clarify their doubts and seek information from their managers.
Conclusion
Throughout this article, we have come to understand that increasing productivity and protecting confidential data within your law firm can be simpler than you. It is very important that the company adopts efficient security measures to prevent leaks , theft and misuse of information stored by the office.
Furthermore, these measures can also contribute to increasing productivity and, consequently, business results. Therefore, it is a strategy that delivers numerous advantages for businesses that wish to remain competitive in the market.
In a reality where competition is so fierce, all resources that allow us to guarantee substantial growth must be considered. Lumiun has several tools that can help you ensure more efficient management of accesses carried out within the company.
Through our resources, your office can establish more assertive access control, increase productivity and contribute to information security within the company.
Until later!
