For companies still conducting business remotely, the days leading up to the July 1 enforcement date for the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) will be busy -- putting in place essential elements to comply with the country’s most comprehensive privacy law and trying to anticipate amendments to come. We have written elsewhere about privacy data maps, typically manifest as tables detailing the information a company possesses and the path it travels through various systems before landing in its final storage location. But little attention has been paid to the data map’s counterpart: a company’s records retention schedule. While tools like a data map are important elements of successful CCPA compliance, an important preliminary step is to make sure your business has a strong foundation in place, including a functional records retention schedule.
Recently, we have witnessed the shocking killings of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, and Breonna Taylor, as the most recent examples in a long list of continued acts of racism and injustice against the Black community. While these tragedies have grabbed headlines, they are not isolated incidents; rather, they are part of a long history of violence against Black communities and a broader issue of systemic racism. HBR denounces racism in all forms and we commit to increase our efforts to drive change within HBR and in our communities.
The same angst many companies experienced as the effective date for the California Consumer Privacy Act (“CCPA”) approached is resurging again as they prepare for the July 1 enforcement date. The Office of the California Attorney General Xavier Becerra estimates that compliance with the CCPA could cost businesses as much as $16 billion over the next 10 years. The Act is intentionally vague when it comes to how companies should operationalize requirements described in the law, allowing businesses to account for their unique resources and limitations. Some organizations may be tempted to pause in their preparations while California awaits the fate of the proposed California Privacy Rights Act (“CPRA”). If the CPRA is ultimately included on the California November 2020 ballot, voters will likely support the expanded law, although it will not take effect until January 1, 2023. Regardless of what happens in November, it is important to focus on compliance with the existing law now. One of...
This is the final post of a three-part series focused on preferred outside counsel programs/processes.
During the coronavirus pandemic, only one thing is clear: everything you think you know will change—and probably more than once. In these ever-shifting economic and market conditions, law departments must be nimble and responsive, which demands the effective allocation of the people on your team.
This is the second post of a three-part series focused on preferred outside counsel program processes.
During this time of economic uncertainty, deepening relationships has proven to be a high priority for corporations and law firms alike. In the long run, forming tighter partnerships and working through this challenge together will benefit all involved. Preferred outside counsel programs are one way to better define and strengthen relationships.
More than ever, information governance is critical. With companies and organizations working to manage the economic fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic, information governance professionals are more essential than ever. While the pandemic is sweeping the country and world, information governance professionals have a responsibility to step up and provide leadership by helping their organizations avoid or mitigate some of the information governance challenges likely to arise from the pandemic.
“Wherever there is change, and wherever there is uncertainty, there is opportunity!”– Mark Cuban
As we face the prospect of an economic downturn, firms are looking at ways to best position themselves. A centralized, clear vendor governance strategy that aligns with the firm’s strategic direction can aid in responding to economic turbulence. Vendor governance can help a firm readily identify operational costs for reduction, minimizing the impact on profits, and sustain those cost savings during an economic downturn.
