Information security when working with chambers
Together with the Bar Council, we’ve developed a questionnaire to help you understand the information security arrangements that barristers' chambers have in place when you instruct them.
This will help make sure the chambers are information security compliant, and adequately protected against cyberattacks.
The questionnaire aims to help promote a culture of change across the legal profession in terms of how law firms instruct barristers.
Having an agreed standardised questionnaire will reduce the administrative burden for the chambers responding to the questionnaire and the law firms assessing the responses.
The 35 questions focus on the central services which may be provided by chambers to barristers and staff.
Updates
Using feedback from users, the questionnaire was updated in April 2024 and includes new questions on:
- disaster recovery
- business continuity
- incident management
- data and device management
There is also now a greater emphasis on protection against phishing, identifying vulnerabilities and penetration testing.
Affirmation
Alongside the updated questionnaire, a new voluntary cyber and information security affirmation has been created.
This affirmation can be used by barristers and the solicitors instructing them to define and agree their specific roles and responsibilities.
The affirmation is not contractually or legally binding, but is a reminder of the importance of cybersecurity and information management.
The questionnaire aims to raise awareness of information security issues, including organisational security, and is not limited to chamber’s use of technology.
The questionnaire’s responses are provided for information purposes only, and do not give rise to any contractual or tortious liability on the part of chambers or individual barristers.
Neither the Law Society nor the Bar Council will maintain a repository of responses to the questionnaire which will remain confidential between the parties.