Ledingham Chalmers helps businesses across Moray and the Highlands prepare for GDPR

The extent to which the new Europe-wide GDPR regulation will radically alter businesses’ approach to data protection is the focus of a series of events held across the north of Scotland this month and next.

The Scottish full-service law firm, which has offices in Aberdeen, Inverness, Edinburgh and Stirling, is taking part in the sessions, designed to help local businesses take steps now to prepare.

Its experts will talk about what will change when the legislation comes into force in May, how data protection works in practice, and the main business risks.

The first event, on Thursday 18 January, sees Ledingham Chalmers Inverness partners Kirk Tudhope and Victoria Leslie present at a Cairngorms Business Partnership event at Boat of Garten Community Hall.

On Thursday 15 February, Mr Tudhope will present to Lochaber Chamber of Commerce members in Fort William. A week later, he will address the Association of Residential Letting Agents (ARLA) Scotland regional meeting at the Kingsmills Hotel in Inverness, after speaking at a Moray Chamber of Commerce business breakfast focusing on GDPR and cyber security.

Mr Tudhope said: "Data protection affects every business across every sector, every day.

“We all hold personal information about our employees, clients, suppliers and contacts including large amounts of sensitive data held on computers, memory sticks, in the cloud, or on paper.

“The current duties to protect these details already place significant obligations on us all, but the new GDPR regime will add to the demands we have to meet in handling this data.

“It also increases the penalties if we are in breach: up to €20million, or 4% of global turnover, whichever is higher.

“Doing nothing will result in unacceptable risks for both ourselves and our businesses, so we need to embrace these changes and take steps now to prepare.”

Event details and registration

Boat of Garten

18 January, 10.30am to 12.30pm. Free for members, £12 for non-members. Boat of Garten Community Hall. Book your place online

Fort William

15 February, 12.30pm to 2.30pm. Lochaber Chamber of Commerce members only. Free. Book your place online

Elgin

22 February, 8am to 10am. Laichmoray Hotel, Maisondieu Road. £21.60 for Moray Chamber of Commerce members, £26.40 for two; £26.40 for non-members, £33.60 for two. Book your place online.

Inverness

22 February, 12.30pm to 4.30pm. Kingsmills Hotel, Culcabock Road. Propertymark association members can book online.