A tool jointly developed with the Bar Council could help law firms assess information security at chambers they instruct, the Law Society has said. The standardised cyber questionnaire will be launched later this month amid warnings of new threats to information security.

Stephen Denyer, director of strategic relationships at the Society, said: 'The new cyber questionnaire is designed to be one item in the toolbox for every firm of solicitors that instructs barristers. The fact that the Law Society has developed it jointly with the Bar Council means that solicitors can be confident that the chambers they work with will feel comfortable completing it.

'Of course no one item can offer complete protection against cyber threats so firms will need to continue to take other precautions, but the development of this new tool is an important step in the right direction.'

This questionnaire was devised by a joint Law Society/Bar Council working group representing the interests of barristers’ chambers and a number of larger law firms.  It comprises a standardised questionnaire the purpose of which is to enable law firms to better assess the information security arrangements of the chambers whose barrister members they instruct.  The questionnaire has been compiled with brevity and simplicity in mind. 

In drafting this questionnaire, the working group said it 'has been mindful of problems associated with inappropriate and/or irrelevant questions being asked of barristers' chambers'.  

Answers to this questionnaire are confidential and are not to be provided to any other party without express written consent from chambers.

The questionnaire will be launched at the Law Society’s Risk and Compliance Conference on 25 March.