Which Documents Should Be Shredded?

As a professional in the legal field, you know the importance of following mandates and guidelines for protecting the rights of your clients and your firm. The Social Security Act, which prohibits companies from revealing confidential information and FACTA (Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act), which protects the clients’ right to privacy, are just two important federal mandates that must be followed. It’s crucial that your law firm is aware of and adheres to these laws as well as understands which documents should be kept and which documents should or must be shredded. Take a look:

Documents You Should be Shredding

The first thing to consider are case files, since most law firms have many of these types of documents. It is recommended that case files be digitized and saved online. Do not shred the original files until the case is over and there will be no further action taken. In addition, it’s best to review any state or federal laws that relate to these files/cases.

Here’s the top legal documents you should be shredding–after you have made PDF versions of any that remain relevant:

• Correspondence between attorneys and client & between attorneys and other attorneys and the courts
• Client bank statements
• Law firm bank statements
• Outdated legal information- changes in the law are always available online, in legal libraries
• Client contact information
• Police reports
• Case plans
• Progress reports
• Invoices
• Canceled checks
• Tax documents
• Settlements
• Depositions
• Human resources information
• Confidential client information

How Shredding Protects your Law Firm and Your Clients

Shredding is a key step to protecting the confidentiality of your clients and your law firm. Because there are several laws that mandate how companies manage, store and dispose of private information, it’s critical to follow these regulations to ensure compliance and avoid the risk of hefty fines or violations.

All Points Mobile Shredding can assist your law firm by providing secure shredding and destruction. We are a family owned and operated company located in Stuart, Florida and serving businesses across South Florida from Okeechobee County to Broward County. Give us a call or complete the form on this page to learn more.