Law firm achieves national cyber security standard

Birkett Long has achieved the national Cyber Essentials standard, which helps to protect businesses against cyber threats and demonstrates that they take data security seriously.

Cyber attacks cost businesses thousands of pounds and can cause significant disruption, and the Government-backed standard helps them to put their security systems and procedures through a rigorous review.​

Trudy Hooper, IT and Business Operations Manager at Birkett Long, which has offices in Colchester, Chelmsford and Basildon, said: “We treat security as a major priority, and have a responsibility to protect our data in this ever-changing world of potential attacks.”
She has worked with the firm’s IT team, directed by the IT Strategy Group, to ensure all processes withstood an internal audit, and that the business would be able to continue operating professionally in the event of any systems failure.

Trudy explained: “No firm will ever be able to stand still on security, there is always work to do to improve. It is our responsibility to be the best that we can. Every member of the team played a vital role in achieving the standard and will continue to do so in maintaining it.
“Security does not stop with IT systems, it covers many areas across the whole business, and raising every member of staff’s awareness of potential threats has been a key factor. Our job is to highlight any risks.”

To achieve the Cyber Essentials standard, Birkett Long’s IT team had to complete a rigorous self-assessment questionnaire, with responses independently reviewed by an external certifying body.

Trudy said the firm would continue to promote security awareness internally through videos and newsletters, and perform regular tests to identify any weaknesses.