The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has approved a certification scheme aimed at legal service providers who process personal data.
Certification schemes were introduced under the UK GDPR to help organisations demonstrate compliance with data protection requirements and in turn, inspire trust and confidence in the people who use their products, processes and services.
Emily Keaney, ICO Deputy Commissioner, said:
“Legal service providers such as law firms and barristers’ chambers process large amounts of sensitive personal data. Signing up to this certification scheme will provide them with certainty that they are adhering to data protection standards and reduce time and resource spent assessing third party data processors.
“It will also reassure their clients they are committed to looking after their personal details and have strong information security in place.”
The Legal Services Operational Privacy Certification Scheme is the fifth set of UK GDPR certification criteria that the ICO has approved.
It follows four others that have been successfully approved and published on the ICO website; one offering secure re-use and disposal of IT assets, two looking at areas including age assurance and children’s online privacy and one aimed at training and qualification service providers.