Your law practice deals with sensitive client information, which is why you need to be sure to understand how to keep this data secure. CosmoLex law office software includes comprehensive user management permissions that help you lock down your data from unauthorized eyes.

One Account Per User

Do not share user accounts. Each person who accesses CosmoLex in your firm should have a separate account. This allows you to set individual permissions, which will be explored below, but also provides an important audit trail. Even if all users have the same permissions and same access, you still need to be able to show who did what in the case of an audit. CosmoLex automatically creates an activity log that tracks users individually.

Granular Permissions

A user should have clearly defined areas of responsibility, and permissions to reflect that. It can be tempting to simply give everyone full permission to make the practice more flexible, but that provides a dangerous security hole. Even if each user can be trusted not to act outside of a specific area, to an outside auditor the lack of defined roles will make your practice look like it’s not living up to its responsibility to protect sensitive information. CosmoLex user permissions allow you to not only limit what each user can do be even limit what each user can see.

Permissions By Matter

There is no reason for attorneys or their staff to snoop on other attorneys’ matters, and to that end CosmoLex law practice management software includes the ability to restrict users to access only certain matters. Attorney A might consult with Attorney B on a matter, but that doesn’t mean Attorney B needs access to the billing, contacts or other records associated with that matter. It is easy to set up each attorney’s team of clerks, paralegals and other staff members to have access only to that lawyer’s cases and no others.

Closing Accounts

When anyone leaves the firm, from a senior partner to a part-time clerk, that person’s account should immediately be made inactive. As with many security activities, this not only protects the information but shows outside auditors that you are showing due diligence.

Take the time to learn how to configure user permissions in CosmoLex law firm management software. It protects not only your clients’ information but also shields your law firm from ethics violations.