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As your legal eagle eyes will have already spied, the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is legislation that comes into force across the European Union on May 25.
Its aim is to standardise data protection laws and processing in order to meet the growing requirements of our digital age.
Ultimately, this means we should all have stronger and more consistent rights to access and control personal information.
It could also mean there are more job opportunities for legal professionals.
In evidence, members of the jury, let us present Exhibit A.
These are hot-off-the-abacus statistics that show the number of jobs available for lawyers in the UK leapt by nearly a quarter in the first three months of 2018 amid a rush to hire before the introduction of GDPR.
As you might expect, the new legislation is complex and one of the most important elements is the need for “opt-in consent” from everyone whose data a business holds on its mailing lists.
This means many businesses must contact clients and customers whose information they hold to ensure they are operating correctly.
The penalty for not complying is an eye-watering 4% of the company’s turnover.
With GDPR such a high priority it’s no surprise companies across the UK are currently seeking in-house legal professionals to support them in adopting the new guidelines and ensuring they are adhered to.
As well as GDPR, demand for legal professionals has also been boosted by increased regulation in the financial services sector.
This is especially true for lawyers who have skills in the specialist areas of anti-money laundering and financial crime.
With relatively few legal eagles operating in this area, big companies are offering big salary incentives for the best talent.
Brexit, too, is expected to create an urgent need for legal eagles to oversee any transition in what could prove to be the lengthy and highly complicated removal of UK businesses from EU legislation.
In a wider world trend, according to a new survey from the American Robert Half Legal agency, two thirds of lawyers say that hybrid paralegal and legal secretary positions are becoming increasingly more relevant.
The report suggests that, as client needs evolve and firms focus on making greater efficiencies, this is opening doors to support positions for anyone who can blends paralegal duties with admin skills.
Why not find out what doors are open for you with the latest Legal vacancies from s1jobs?