Atlas Cloud is proud to announce that we have become a LOCS:23 Approved Implementor, strengthening our position as a compliance-first IT partner for the legal sector.
What is LOCS:23?
LOCS:23 is the Legal Services Operational Privacy Certification Scheme – a certification scheme approved by the UK Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) and listed on the ICO’s official Certification Scheme Register.
It provides a measurable and auditable way for law firms, barristers’ chambers, and legal service providers to demonstrate their compliance with data protection law, particularly UK GDPR.
Why does LOCS:23 matter to law firms and chambers?
Legal practices handle some of the most sensitive personal and client data of any sector. Regulators and clients alike expect that data to be properly safeguarded.
By achieving LOCS:23 certification, a legal organisation can:
- Reduce regulatory risk – as an ICO-approved scheme, the ICO will take LOCS:23 certification into account if it investigates a data breach. This means certified firms may face reduced penalties if the worst happens, provided they were following the scheme’s controls.
- Prove compliance with GDPR and Bar Council/Law Society expectations.
- Build trust with clients who are increasingly concerned about data security.
- Win work in procurement processes where demonstrable privacy standards are required.
Why get support from your IT provider?
LOCS:23 goes beyond paperwork, requiring real technical and organisational measures to be in place. That’s where having an IT partner who is also an Approved Implementor is a game-changer.
With Atlas Cloud, legal organisations benefit from:
- Integrated delivery: policies and procedures backed up by the right technical controls – from access permissions and MFA enforcement to monitoring and incident response.
- Legal-sector expertise: we already work with law firms and chambers nationwide, so we understand the unique risks and compliance pressures you face.
- Ongoing assurance: as your managed IT provider, we don’t just help you get certified – we help you stay compliant as technology, threats, and regulations evolve.
Deepening our investment in the legal sector
This milestone follows our recent acquisition of Challow – a specialist legal IT provider – and reflects our continued investment in supporting legal organisations with sector-specific expertise.
Pete Watson, CEO of Atlas Cloud, commented:
“Earning LOCS:23 Approved Implementor status demonstrates our ongoing commitment to providing reassuringly secure IT for the legal sector.
“We know that law firms and chambers are under growing pressure to prove their compliance credentials, and this achievement ensures we can support them end-to-end – both strategically and technically.”
Pete Watson – CEO, Atlas Cloud
Our research into Cyber Essentials adoption among barristers’ chambers revealed that only one in five are currently certified, despite strong guidance from the Bar Council. LOCS:23 gives chambers and firms another powerful way to demonstrate their compliance posture, with direct recognition from the ICO.
What this means for you
For existing Atlas Cloud clients, our new status as a LOCS:23 Approved Implementor reinforces our commitment to delivering reassuringly secure IT. For prospective clients, it means you can work with an IT provider that not only understands your compliance obligations but is formally recognised as capable of implementing them.
If you’d like to understand how LOCS:23 certification could benefit your chambers or firm – and how Atlas Cloud can help you achieve it – get in touch today.
