Since the emergence of Covid-19 and the work from home order, the use of DocuSign and electronic signatures has increased substantially. Lockdown has forced businesses, solicitors, and clients to employ different means of executing documents through online signing platforms such as DocuSign. At Cook Corporate, we have adapted quickly and effectively to these new changes, ensuring we remain ahead of our competitors.
The need to print and mail documents to our clients or ask them to come into the office to sign documents is now outdated. The former way of executing documents through a wet ink signature has become impractical and an inconvenience to businesses and our clients. The Law Commission continues to address any uncertainty about the formalities surrounding the electronic execution of documents. Cook Corporate has ensured to keep up to date with all changes surrounding the use of electronic signatures and continues to observe this area closely.
Security is one of Cook Corporate’s utmost priorities. The security of online platforms has led some to question whether the use of electronic signatures is safe. DocuSign authenticates the signer’s identity, and all documents are linked to the party’s email and IP address, ensuring signatures cannot be forged. Moreover, the contents of the agreement after it has been signed cannot be changed and an audit trail is generated for each document that captures everything that happens to the document with time and date stamps. Having regard to paper copies becoming damaged or lost, our commit to the transition to a paperless office ensures our clients documents and information are handled safely.
DocuSign states that since its inception in 2003, 20 billion sheets of paper have been saved, 11.5 billion litres of water, and 63 million kilograms of waste have been reduced. This impact has ensured almost one billion kilograms of additional CO₂ has been saved from the atmosphere. The execution of documents on DocuSign keeps us on track to meet our paperless target as well as ensuring we remain a progressive law firm in Bristol and London.
As we transition from a pandemic to an endemic, the changes brought by Covid-19 forced the business and legal sectors to adapt. In the case of electronic signatures through DocuSign, some changes have benefitted this industry. Here at Cook Corporate, we are committed to remaining modern and adaptable.