Data Security: You Can Do More Than You Think
Attorneys are counselors and problem solvers at times when there’s a lot on the line — money, reputation and even freedom. Attorneys are trusted with highly sensitive data, Rich Lee said. If the data are lost, leaked or even held for ransom, it could cause irreparable damage and even violate lawyers’ ethical rules. And trustworthiness and reputation are everything in law.
With so much on the line, Lee said that data security should be a consideration for all attorneys and their staff. However, implementing a data security strategy often seems so daunting that many lawyers don’t know where to start.
Luckily, data security is attainable for every lawyer at every firm by first focusing on a lawyer’s personal responsibility for security. Lee outlined basic steps for securing data, like making passwords more complicated, utilizing multi-factor authentication, updating software and being on alert for phishing scams. Finally, he urged attendees to use full-disk encryption and device tracking and wiping, not to mention backing up data offsite.
Speaker Bio
Rich Lee is general counsel at Civis Analytics, one of the fastest-growing technology companies in Chicago. In his role, Rich leads all legal, cybersecurity, data privacy, and compliance initiatives. He has helped guide the company through over 400% growth and $30M+ in funding. Civis’s client base spans many industries, including media, technology, entertainment, aerospace, and healthcare; it includes numerous Fortune 100 companies, leading non-profits, government agencies and political organizations.
Prior to Civis, Rich was SVP, general counsel and corporate secretary of Livevol, a financial technology company. He helped lead it through rapid growth, leading to an acquisition by CBOE Holdings (NASDAQ: CBOE). Prior to that, Rich led market and business development in Asia for two companies.
Rich is a member of the Economic Club of Chicago and a founding member of the Chicago Bar Association’s Financial and Emerging Technologies Committee. He serves as a board member of Illinois Legal Aid Online and on the Legal Services Corporation’s Leader’s Council.