Business continuity plans: their importance and content for law departments

You just never know when a catastrophe might befall your company, so a number of law departments have prepared a business continuity plan. These plans explain what members of the department should do if there is a major incident, such as terrorism or earthquake, that renders your normal office inaccessible.

A typical plan appoints someone to be the continuity representative. It urges everyone to keep in a safe place away from the office the phone numbers of key business people, as well as whom to call from an interlocking chain of callers, and copies of vital documents that they need to keep working if the office shuts down. Plans outline how to evacuate the office and how best to keep in contact with others and continue to work. They set out the responsibilities of various members of the legal function in the event of a traumatic disorder.