The fight against cybercrime

Law Society advises Kerry solicitors how to protect their businesses from cyber attacks.

Today, Thursday 9 September, over 70 solicitors from across Kerry will attend the Essential General Practice Update Kerry 2021, the fifth in a series of online events taking place this year to support local solicitors to upskill while working remotely.

Organised by Law Society Finuas Skillnet in association with the Kerry Law Society, the conference will provide an opportunity for local solicitors to stay up-to-date in areas of law relevant to their daily work, including litigation, probate and wills.

Tralee solicitor, Pat Mann of Patrick Mann & Company is President of the Kerry Law Society and is attending the online event. He said, 鈥淭he Essential General Practice Update Kerry is a key event for Kerry solicitors every year. The conference is an opportunity for solicitors to discuss issues arising in practice and to address the day-to-day operational issues we face.鈥

鈥淎 large number of solicitors in Kerry are sole practitioners or work in smaller firms. This means that we are business owners as well as legal advisors. We must stay up-to-date with the latest developments and be well organised when it comes to running our practices,鈥 explained Mr Mann.

Cybersecurity

鈥淐ybersecurity has long been a priority for Kerry solicitors. As the modern solicitor continues to embrace new technologies and move towards a more digital world, from virtual courts to online filing systems, we must ensure that we continue to invest in our cybersecurity processes.鈥

鈥淭oday鈥檚 online conference will provide expert advice on how Kerry solicitors can protect their practices from cyberattacks. As we have seen in recent months, organisations of all sizes can be susceptible.鈥

鈥淪olicitors will leave with a greater understanding of cybercrime, the most common types of cyber scams experienced by Irish law firms, and cyber threats relating to wireless networks, web security and sharing files,鈥 said Mr Mann. 鈥淚mportantly, we will know what to do if we fall victim to a cyberattack.鈥

鈥淏usinesses that fall victim to cyberattacks could also be at risk of a data breach. If this is the case, you should follow all necessary steps in reporting that breach as soon as you are made aware of it,鈥 advised Mr Mann.

Best practice

鈥淗owever, it is important not to put our cybersecurity reviews on the long finger,鈥 he warned. 鈥淪taff training is essential to protect your firm against cybercrime. This means understanding and applying best practices and being aware of potential threats.鈥

鈥淲hen we prepare against cybercrime and run our practices efficiently, we ensure that we can be there for our clients when they need us most. Thanks to today鈥檚 conference, Kerry鈥檚 solicitors will be up-to-date on all important practice changes, so whether you are buying or selling a home, making a will or have another family or business issue, talk to your local solicitor for expert legal advice.鈥

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