---

The Association of Corporate Counsel (ACC) has announced the official launch of its new Data Management Programme (DSP), an assessment programme

Based on data collection, it is designed specifically for law firms and corporate legal departments.

Through a 2020 ACC survey of heads of legal departments, they ranked privacy and data security among the top three issues affecting their business.

"ACC's Data Stewardship Programme allows law firms' data security protocols to be quickly evaluated and benchmarked as our members and others determine which firms will earn their business," says Veta T. Tichardson, president and CEO of ACC.

Through this programme, law firms' data protection actions are evaluated, scored, compared, validated and accredited. 

The programme aims to reduce costs and shorten data storage times. 

"Currently, law firms have to spend a lot of time and money on individual assessments of the security of their clients' data. The ACC's Data Stewardship Programme provides a standardised and easily comparable assessment and, if desired, accreditation of law firm security practices, all at a fraction of the time and cost," says Jim Merklinger, president of the ACC Credentialing Institute, which is responsible for developing the accreditation.

Already, firms have relied on the programme and Mac Murray & Shuster was the first to test the programme. And their impressions have been positive.

"The simplified SaaS interface and industry-standard NIST security controls allow our firm to demonstrate to current and future clients the measures we take to protect their confidential data. M&S recognises the competitive advantage this will give our firm: it will level the playing field so that our clients don't have to worry about our firm's technological expertise, but can focus on the calibre of our lawyers," said Michele Shuster, managing partner of Mac Murray & Shuster.

For more information about this programme, here.