Compliant management of clients’ personal data has a high significance
DANDERS & MORE was the first Danish law firm to implement the Meo platform. Like many other companies, new legislation regarding the processing of personal data and anti-money laundering was the triggering factor. Since then, DANDERS & MORE has found the platform to be useful beyond their initial need.
“It is of utmost importance to us that we at all times are ready to undergo an audit without any remarks. Therefore, our primary motivation in searching for a platform has been to ensure compliance with personal data and money laundering legislation, which are continuously developing and becoming increasingly strict. Meo was the obvious choice for us as the only suitable platform to meet our different needs,” says Majken Korsgaars, lawyer, partner and co-owner of Danders & More.
Today, many companies receive emails with unsolicited applications containing sensitive personal data. In some cases, applicants even attach a copy of their passport or driver‘s license, unaware that the companies are at risk of breaking the law if they do not delete these emails. It is one of the issues with receiving emails containing sensitive or confidential personal information. Another issue is that the company can not ensure that the applicants and clients send sensitive information via a secure and encrypted email connection.
Uncovering the chain of ownership
All this was - and still is - of immense significance to DANDERS & MORE. For this reason, the choice of Meo’s platform helps the partners to sleep peacefully at night. With the implementation of Meo’s platform, DANDERS & MORE now has a straightforward KYC procedure. If a client should send sensitive or confidential information by email, it will be erased immediately. Instead, the Compliance Officer will send the client a link to the system, which will guide the new user to upload ID and other relevant documentation - all of this without involvement from the law firm. But once the client has completed uploading documents to Meo’s secure platform, the designated persons at DANDERS & MORE will receive a notification.
“The platform is also helpful to obtain and categorise all necessary documentation to uncover the ownership and control structure (chain of ownership) of corporate clients, which gives us the certainty that we are not inadvertently violating the AML and GDPR legislation. This certainty is crucial in our industry. We cannot underestimate the significance of sending a message to the customers that we are vigilantly guarding their sensitive personal data, and we are doing so with reliable procedures”, says Majken Korsgaard.
A better relationship with the clients
In DANDERS & MORE, the partners have appointed a compliance officer responsible for the customer contact when KYC documentation is to be collected. Albeit it is not necessary because the platform is simple to navigate, it has its advantages.
“The advantage of having a Compliance Officer and a system like Meo is that my colleagues and I can focus on counselling our clients. We do not have to spend time pushing and reminding clients to upload any missing documentation. Now that the Meo platform and my compliance colleague take care of this, I can build a good client relationship without interruptions due to KYC procedures”, says Majken Korsgaard.
Responsive to amendments
At the beginning of the partnership with Meo, DANDERS & MORE had a couple of wishes for the platform’s development to ease the lawyers’ daily operation.
“We have had the opportunity to leave our mark on the platform, and Meo has always been very accommodating to our wishes. They are easy to work with, and they have proved highly skilled and tech-savvy when solving all our issues to meet our needs”, says Majken Korsgaard.
Some companies might question whether they want to collaborate with a new company in such an important area, but Majken Korsgaard was quickly convinced.
Deep insight at Meo
“I had a long meeting with Christian Visti Larsen, who explained about his background. It is compelling to work with people who are as knowledgeable about the GDPR framework as he is. He has been working with it for years, which convinced the partners and me about the platform. In Meo, we deal with very skilled people who know the demands for a platform and recognise the challenges it poses. They are 100% knowledgeable about all relevant issues, which make an excellent collaboration”, says Majken Korsgaard.
Since DANDERS & MORE has started using the platform, it has become a focal point for working with clients. As a result, the law firm has expanded its use to manage funding applications and to receive job applications.
“We were the first law firm to start using the platform, and we have not regretted it for a second”, says Majken Korsgaard.
