Confidentiality: A Responsibility of Legal Staff
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This document discusses the importance of maintaining client confidentiality as a legal staff member. It outlines several ways to ensure confidentiality, such as removing files once work is completed, positioning computer screens so they cannot be seen, and not discussing cases with friends. It notes that breaches of confidentiality could result in embarrassment, damage to the client's business or reputation, lawsuits against the lawyer, or disciplinary action. The document provides best practices for maintaining confidentiality in communications, storage and disposal of client information.
Confidentiality: A Responsibility of Legal Staff
- 1. Confidentiality: A Responsibility of Legal Staff
- 2. Which of the Following Helps Maintain Confidentiality
- 3. A: Making sure your friends promise to keep a secret before telling them about a case.
- 4. B: Positioning your computer screen so it cannot be seen by clients.
- 5. C: Assuring an impatient client who has been waiting in the reception area that his attorney will have his divorce papers ready when he goes in.
- 6. D: Removing files from your desk once work is completed.
- 7. Why is Confidentiality So Important?
- 8. Consider the Consequences Embarrassment Damage to the clients business Damage to the clients personal life Damage to the lawyers reputation Loss of trust Loss of future business
- 9. Who Pays the Price? 1. Lawyer or firm may be sued 2. Lawyer may be disciplined 3. Negligent employee may be fired it could be you
- 10. Follow the No Exceptions Rule
- 11. He Said What!
- 12. Do You Take Work Home?
- 13. Talk on a Cell Phone?
- 14. Work Remotely? + Unencrypted + No firewalls + Unsecured WiFi = Breach of Confidentiality
- 15. What Ifs? 1. The Clients Uncle Cletus 2. Special Agent Jones 3. Lawyer Smith 4. Aunt Sophie
- 16. Clean Reception Area Papers waiting to be signed Mail Faxes Unsecured files?
- 17. Clean Computer Screen It is alleged Jones was caught sleeping with..
- 18. Clean Desk or Conference Room
- 19. Isnt Sharing a Good Thing?
- 20. E-Mail & Fax 1. Verify 2. Test fax or e-mail greeting 3. Slow down! 4. Engagement letter? 5. Understand auto-complete 6. Resist Reply to All
- 21. Metadata
- 22. Always Inspect Copy Document First Office Button Prepare Inspect Document
- 23. Invoke Warnings
- 24. Best Practices Individual Documents in Acrobat Document > Examine Document All Documents In Acrobat Edit > Preferences > Document > Examine Document When closing document When sending document by e-mail
- 25. Use Acrobat to Redact
- 26. Destruction Shred paper Wipe hard drives www.dban.com Properly dispose of electronics http://www.abanet.org/tech/ltrc/fyidocs/
- 27. Confidentiality Agreements Permanent Staff Temporary Staff Outside Vendors
- 28. Remember the Consequences Embarrassment Damage to the clients business Damage to the clients personal life Damage to the lawyers reputation Loss of trust Loss of future business
- 29. And Always Practice
- 30. www.osbar.org Rules Opinions Advice Bar Counsel Article Archive www.osbplf.org Books Forms CLE - Consultations Beverly Michaelis - Practice Management Advisor beverlym@osbplf.org http://www.linkedin.com/in/beverlymichaelis 503-639-6911 or 800-452-1639 http://twitter.com/OreLawPracMgmt