How does ISO 19005 protect your client’s electronic documents? Find out more with File Republic
Law firms deal with a large amount of electronic documents every day, such as contracts, pleadings, exhibits, reports, and correspondence. These documents need to be preserved for long-term access and reference, as they may contain valuable information and evidence for legal matters. However, not all electronic document formats are suitable for long-term preservation, as they may depend on specific software, hardware, or systems that may become obsolete or incompatible over time. This can result in the loss of data integrity, readability, or functionality of the documents.
To address this challenge, the International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO) has developed a series of standards known as ISO 19005, which defines a subset of PDF for representing electronic documents in a manner that preserves their static visual appearance over time, independent of the tools and systems used for creating, storing or rendering the files.
The ISO 19005 format has several advantages over other electronic document formats for long-term preservation. For example, it ensures that all fonts, colours, images, and other elements are embedded in the file, so that they do not rely on external resources that may change or disappear. It also prohibits features that may affect the stability or consistency of the document, such as encryption, digital signatures, multimedia, JavaScript, or forms. It also supports metadata and logical structure, which can improve the accessibility and searchability of the document.
By using the ISO 19005 format for your electronic documents, you can protect you clients’ interests and comply with legal requirements for document retention and disclosure. It helps to ensure that your clients’ documents are authentic, reliable, and readable for years to come, regardless of technological changes or environmental factors. It can also reduce the storage space and costs of electronic documents, as it is more compact and efficient than other formats.
However, using the ISO 19005 format alone is not enough to manage your firm’s information and compliance obligations. You also need a system that can help you consolidate, organise, secure, preserve and store your clients’ information. This is where a cost recovery system like ours can help.
File Republic is your paperless partner because it is tailored to meet the unique needs of legal professionals, ensuring secure and efficient archiving of your clients’ Personal Identifiable Information. It includes:
- Cryptographic sealing of files to ensure the integrity and authenticity of electronic documents.
- ISO 19005 file format conversion to preserve electronic documents for long-term accessibility.
- Increase productivity with smart clause bank tagging to leverage existing intellectual property.
- Protect the privacy and confidentiality of your clients’ PII in your archived files with AI-powered redactions.
