Beginnings

Beginnings are great times.

I had a meeting yesterday in which I introduced an old friend to a new acquaintance and managed to bring in some other new great contacts.

The subject was email encryption. I do a little bit of consulting about technology - but mostly in the area of user interface or in helping a firm to build a specification for the system they want. This does mean that I meet a few IT people and see some good software. Email encryption is the last great 'necessary' that has to be addressed. Almost no-one uses it because it is a real pain. Law firms have a regulatory duty to secure information they send - but they can get away with 'best endeavours' because dual key encryption is so confusing. The system offered by mKryptor uses no add-ins and no shared keys - and yet manages to offer instant, secure, communications to and from anyone. Superb.

A new colleague/acquaintance/friend had mentioned email encryption and I in turn mentioned the good people at mKryptor (see here). I set up a meeting for Simon and Beatrice to meet my new friend and was happy that the wonderful Paul Rodger from Bull Rodger (more details here) had come along. I've known Paul for a few years and he is a wonderful design/brand/marketing/communications guru (and I hasten to add that I haven't yet got round to getting him to re-design my own branding. Isn't that the way with old friends! So all the design mess you see here and on my website is my fault, not his). He is one of those people who can listen to you describe something and then offer a totally unique insight - and then find a way of describing your own USP in a brand and design. It's a special skill.

It was wonderful to see someone else 'get' mKryptor. That moment in which they suddenly understand the difference and what all the fuss is about. The moment in which they realise that this is all really rather special.

I hasten to add that I have no formal connection to either company - I just happen to think that email encryption is necessary and that mKryptor is, by far, the best way of doing it. I also think that Bull Rodger (who did all of mKryptor's design and branding - so have a look and be impressed) are the best at what they do.

This is the way of business amongst independent organisations - a loose network of expertise. Have a look  - I'm sure you will be impressed too.

Watching the Paper

Law firms love paper. There is tons of it - when I was last employed by a firm, we measured our paper usage by weight...

This blog post by IBB Solicitors caught my eye - it deals with a warning dished out  by the Information Commissioner in connection with the way that paper records were managed by the Council for Healthcare Regulatory Excellence (and they were asking for trouble calling themselves that...) and by NHS Liverpool Community Health. The quote from the Acting Head of Enforcement is telling:

“These incidents should act as a warning to other organisations who handle sensitive papers of the need to make sure their paper records management processes are as robust as their electronic data systems. The protection of data in all formats must be taken seriously.” 

Law firms handle lots of sensitive paper with reams of it delivered every day. How many firms are really sure that their systems are sufficiently robust to ensure its security at every stage of its use and storage? I suspect not that many.

I spend quite a bit of time in law firms of differing sizes and it is usually fairly easy to come into contact with a pile of paper relating to one of the firm's matters. Just as importantly, however, is the care of incoming paper within the firm. If there was a fire or flood in your post room or office, would you really know what piles of paper had been destroyed. Is everything scanned when it comes into the building? Is it logged before it is scanned? If it is both logged and scanned - I bet that is a significant cost that the firm is looking very closely at...

This warning highlights the importance of having systems in place to ensure that paper records are managed as effectively as computer records. They must be in the right place at the right time so that they are valuable to the firm - and the firm must know what paper records they have (and where they are) at all times.

Thanks to IBB Solicitors for picking this one up and mentioning it on their Twitter feed (@IBB_Solicitors).