Jurisdiction(s):
United Kingdom

Key definition

Confidentiality definition

What does Confidentiality mean? In legal practice, confidentiality is the obligation to keep a client’s information and affairs private and to use or disclose it only with proper authority. For lawyers, this duty of confidentiality arises from professional conduct rules (e.g., the SRA Standards and Regulations; the Law Society of Scotland Standards of Conduct; the Law Society of Northern Ireland rules; and the Law Society of Ireland guidance), from contract (engagement terms and non‑disclosure agreements), and from the equitable duty of confidence recognised in case law (breach of confidence). It sits alongside, but is distinct from, legal professional privilege, which protects defined categories...

Safeguarding client confidentiality when working away from the office: IT, document and conversation security guidance for law firm staff

Published by a LexisNexis Practice Compliance expert

Precedents

1 The issue

We must preserve the Confidentiality of current and former clients’ affairs unless one of the following applies:

disclosure is required or permitted by law; or
the client gives consent.

The duty of confidentiality is a fundamental obligation of a solicitor. It is an unqualified responsibility to keep information confidential, not merely to take reasonable steps towards that end. Working away from the office, including from home, inevitably means handling and discussing sensitive matters outside a controlled environment. Security is a major concern and, inseparable from it, confidentiality. Although we operate on secure networks, once information leaves the office or discussions occur elsewhere, security cannot be assured. Confidentiality is far easier to maintain in a protected workspace such as our offices; therefore, when working in other locations, we must remain alert to confidentiality risks in our personal and work settings and exercise extra care with confidential data.

2 What we need from you

Wherever you are working, it is essential to follow all standard information security and confidentiality policies, processes and procedures. You must be able to work remotely in a secure manner...

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Web page updated on 22/05/2026

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