Society's smartcard wins cyber award

The Law Society of Scotland's smartcard for practising solicitors has won an award at the inaugural Scottish Cyber Awards.

The card, which verifies the identity of practising Scottish solicitors, allowing instant domestic and international client transactions, led to the Society being named winner of the Leading Light Innovation Award, ahead of fellow finalists Net-Defence and Payfont.

Hosted by the Scottish Business Resilience Centre (SBRC) and supported by Scottish Enterprise and PwC, the awards celebrate the excellent work of the IT sector in Scotland, whether at major organisations, smaller firms, or by individuals in the education sector. They also aim to showcase Scotland’s commitment towards cybersecurity excellence and acknowledge the place Scotland has within this industry.

SBRC chief executive Mandy Haeburn-Little commented: “The night was a superb showcase of talent in what is a growing and increasingly vital part of the Scottish economy as the threat of cybercrime impacts every single person.

“Scotland has a proud history of innovation and we are making great strides to continue this tradition by becoming an international leader in cyber resilience – and to seize the opportunities that being at the forefront of cybersecurity can bring to our nation.”

Responding to the Society's award, chief executive Lorna Jack said she was pleased to see the Society recognised for its work in reassuring clients and expediting processes like submissions to courts and tribunals.

She added: “We are absolutely delighted to have won this award and it actually came as quite a shock. To accomplish this at the first Scottish Cyber Awards is extra special.

“The smartcard is a major part of the work we are doing to help our members protect themselves and their clients from cybercrime and we are very proud that our work has been recognised with this award in what was a very competitive category.”