Do you have a designated member of the firm responsible for implementing a disaster policy? The following guidelines for developing a policy to prepare for a disaster and thereby enable your law firm to protect personnel, maintain critical data and continue to represent its clients.

1. Designate someone to be responsible for implementing the policy.
2. Appoint and train an Emergency Response Team, including the assignment of persons to assist others who may need assistance.
3. Establish a system of communications to contact staff if a disaster occurs after normal working hours.
4. Identify the potential causes of a disaster, both natural and human.
5. Identify the safety measures to be taken in the event of a flood, fire, earthquake, windstorm, armed intruder or other possible disaster.
6. Assign priorities to various records so that important materials may be saved or protected from further damage.
7. Publish evacuation and emergency response procedures in the office manual or other accessible place.
8. Post appropriate safety notices including the locations of fire alarms, fire extinguishers, exits, evacuation routes and designated post-evacuation meeting area.
9. Duplicate and maintain off-site personnel records.
10. Maintain off-site back-up for critical records and data.
11. Provide guidelines for the recovery of operations after the disaster.