COMMUNICATION: digital signatures will ensure faster and safer exchange of information


Smart electronic identity cards for lawyers took another step closer to reality last week after the Council of Bars and Law Societies of Europe (CCBE) published its finished guidelines for the make-up of the cards.



The guidelines from the European lawyers' group mean that, in essence, any bar association in Europe or beyond can issue electronic ID cards that allow their lawyers to identify themselves in any other country that has adopted the guidelines. This also means that lawyers could digitally sign legal documents with more confidence in their cross-border validity.



CCBE president Colin Tyre QC, a Scottish lawyer, said the guidelines will enable lawyers to 'benefit from a faster and more secure exchange of information'. He added that 'cross-border recognition is a key factor in the development of European law and procedure.'



The system, the CCBE said, is intended to be voluntary, but many European states are already forging ahead with digital signature and ID projects for initiatives including electronic filing of court documents.



Tim Hill, e-commerce policy adviser for the Law Society, said the guidelines paved the way for lawyers in England and Wales to discuss the issues involved.



'The publication of guidelines is likely to be a further stimulus for debate among lawyers in England and Wales about the best way to protect and authenticate electronic communications and transactions,' he said. 'The topic is of increasing importance and the Law Society would welcome the views of practitioners.'



Communication by lawyers has lagged too far behind the security measures a post-Internet Europe needs, according to Arve Føyen, chairman of the CCBE's information technology committee.



'Most lawyers today communicate confidential information in unprotected emails,' he told the Gazette. 'By using digital signatures, emails will be regarded as secure and it will be possible to establish in a secure way who is the sender.'



Rupert White