Protecting Your Clients & Your Law Firm

Just like other industries, those working in the legal field must make protecting client information a priority. Lawyers and law firms typically have a vast amount of confidential data, including personal, financial and specific information related to each case. The key solution to ensuring you and your firm are safeguarding these types of information is onsite mobile shredding. Secure shredding helps you maintain compliance with local, state and federal privacy laws while helping to prevent data breaches.

Why Shredding is Important for Lawyers

As a lawyer, your clients trust you to not only handle their case, but also to keep their private information safe. This trust is reinforced by professional responsibility and legal obligations that mandate the protection of client data. Improper disposal of sensitive documents can result in serious consequences, including loss or theft of data, legal liability and damage to your reputation. Here’s a look at some of the reasons shredding is important for lawyers and law firms:

• Confidentiality Requirements: As a legal professional, you have legal and ethical responsibility to protect client confidentiality under the American Bar Association (ABA) Model Rules of Professional Conduct. Failing to keep client information secure can lead to disciplinary action or even disbarment.
• Compliance with Laws: Legal professionals must comply with data privacy laws such as the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act (GLBA), the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), and other data protection laws that require the secure disposal of sensitive information.
• Prevent Identity Theft: Identity theft crimes continue to grow in the United States and across the world. If not properly disposed of, confidential client documents can be accessed by criminals and used for identity theft, fraud or other malicious activities.

Types of Documents Lawyers Must Shred

As a lawyer, you have access to an array of private information, files and documents. Many of these documents contain highly confidential information and therefore, must be shredded once they are no longer needed. Some of these documents and files include the following:

• Case Files: These types of files often contain a myriad of sensitive client information, including legal strategies, personal information, evidence for the case and more.
• Communications with Client: Emails, letters and other forms of communication that include details about the client’s case are also at risk for breaches.
• Financial Records: Billing records, tax returns and financial statements, personal information and similar documents must be protected to prevent identity theft and financial fraud.
• Medical Records: Lawyers that deal with personal injury, medical malpractice, or disability cases gather and manage numerous types of medical records and health information that must be securely destroyed to comply with HIPAA.
• Discovery Documents: Discovery materials usually contain sensitive or proprietary information from opposing parties.
• Contracts and Agreements: Drafts of contracts, signed agreements and other legal documents that may expose clients to risks if improperly disposed of must also be securely destroyed.

Onsite Mobile Shredding for Law Firms

Onsite mobile shredding is the most effective and secure solution for law firms to dispose of sensitive documents. This service provides convenience and security that confidential information is being destroyed in a controlled and reliable manner. Because the shredding is done onsite at your law office, you are able to witness the entire process, giving you peace of mind that confidential documents have been permanently destroyed.

1. Security

Mobile shredding services bring state-of-the-art shredding trucks directly to your office, ensuring documents are destroyed on the premises. This eliminates the risk of documents being lost or stolen during transport.

• Immediate Destruction: Documents are shredded onsite, leaving no opportunity for them to be exposed during transit.
• Witness the Process: Lawyers or designated staff members can witness the shredding process to ensure it is done securely.
• Chain of Custody: With onsite shredding, there is a clear chain of custody, minimizing the risk of mishandling or unauthorized access.

2. Compliance

Onsite shredding companies provide certificates of destruction with every shred, which allows law firms to remain in compliance with data protection laws and legal obligations. This further protects you in the event of an audit or legal dispute.

• Proof of Compliance: Certificates of destruction serve as legal proof that confidential documents were destroyed in accordance with privacy laws.
• Prevent Legal Violations: Having verifiable proof of destruction can protect the firm from potential lawsuits or regulatory fines if a data breach occurs.

3. Convenience

Onsite mobile shredding is a convenient way to ensure you are following privacy mandates and protecting your clients. And because this service eliminates the need to transport documents offsite, you and your staff are able to focus on important work rather than taking time away from tasks to deal with documents disposal.

• Regular Shredding Schedules: Many shredding companies offer regularly scheduled pickups to ensure sensitive documents are disposed of in a timely manner and help reduce clutter in the office.
• One-Time Purge Services: For law firms that accumulate a large backlog of documents, mobile shredding services can perform one-time purges, handling large volumes of documents and files at one time.

Lawyers and law firms must safeguard confidential client information. Onsite mobile shredding is the top solution and ensures you are maintaining compliance. All Points Mobile Shredding is a family-owned and operated company located in Stuart, Florida. We provide full service shredding and destruction to lawyers and law firms across the state. Give us a call today or complete the form on this page to get a quick quote.