A lawyer is supposed to be a trusted ally when you need legal assistance. You should be able to count on your lawyer to make sure that your information is secure.
A breach in confidentiality is not always when a lawyer intentionally gives your information to an unauthorized party. When lawyers do not take care to ensure client information security, it can be a breach of confidentiality.
This is what you should know about how your lawyer should handle your private information.
Need-to-know
Part of keeping information secure is limiting the number of people who can access it. Only the people who are directly involved in your case should know your private information.
Talk to your lawyer about who will have access to your records. While some may need to know general information about your case, only those directly representing you should know the more personal details.
Data security
There is more to keeping confidentiality than not giving out private information. Lawyers tend to be valuable targets for hackers. Law offices have a variety of private information on many individuals, including financial information.
Your attorney should have secure systems in place to protect your privacy. Ask your attorney what measures are in place to make sure your information is secure.
Your attorney should also have a plan in place for what to do if their system is hacked. Find out what your lawyer will if there is a breach.
When lawyers break a confidentiality agreement, it can pose a severe threat to you personally and to your case. Make sure you know that your attorney takes active measures to protect your privacy against accidental disclosure.