If you’re a legal professional working, then you know just how much paperwork is involved in the day-to-day operations of your firm. That paperwork contains confidential and personal information, which, if it fell into the wrong hands, could spell disaster for your clients and your business. That’s why shredding services are so important – to protect that information by destroying it securely. In this article, we’ll discuss the benefits and what you should shred when it comes to shredding services for law firms.
What Are Shredding Services?
Shredding services are just what they sound like – a service that shreds your documents for you. Most shredding companies will come to your office and pick up your documents, shred them at their facility, and then recycle the paper. Some shredding companies also offer on-site shredding, where they will shred your documents right in front of you.
The Benefits of Shredding Services For Law Firms
There are several benefits of using shredding services for law firms, including:
Protect Your Client’s Information
First and foremost, shredding your documents is the best way to protect your client’s confidential information. If you were to simply throw away your old files, anyone could go through the trash and find sensitive information like social security numbers, addresses, and more. By shredding those documents, you can be sure that that information is destroyed and can’t be used for identity theft or other malicious purposes.
Compliance With Laws and Regulations
Another benefit of shredding services is that it helps you to stay compliant with laws and regulations. In the legal industry, there are several laws and regulations governing the handling of confidential information, and if you were to violate those laws, you could face hefty fines or even jail time. Shredding your documents ensures that you’re in compliance with those laws and can avoid any potential penalties.
Cost-Effective
Shredding services are also cost-effective, especially when you compare them to the alternative of shredding your documents yourself. If you were to shred your documents in-house, you would need to purchase a shredder, which can be expensive. You would also need to dedicate someone in your office to shred documents on a regular basis, which is time that could be spent on billable hours. With shredding services, all of that is taken care of for you – and at a fraction of the cost.
It’s Convenient
When you use shredding services, it’s much more convenient than shredding your documents in-house. With shredding services, you can simply put all of your documents that need to be shredded in a box and schedule a pick-up. The shredding company will come to your office, pick up the box, and shred the documents for you – it’s that simple!
What Documents Should You Shred?
Now that we’ve talked about some of the benefits of using shredding services for a law firms, you might be wondering what types of documents you should actually shred. Here are some examples:
- Old Client Files
- Invoices
- Bank Statements
- Payroll Records
- Tax Returns
These are just a few examples of the types of documents that you should shred. Of course, you should also shred any other documents that contain confidential or sensitive information. If you’re ever unsure about whether or not you should shred a document, it’s always better to err on the side of caution and shred it. Better safe than sorry, as they say, and that’s especially true when it comes to your client’s confidential information.
By using shredding services, you can protect that information and avoid any potential legal issues down the road. So if you’re looking for a way to keep your firm compliant and protect your clients’ information, shredding services are the way to go!
Contact us today to schedule a pick-up or to learn more about our shredding services. We’re here to help you keep your firm running smoothly – and shredding is just one way we can do that.