The Data Protection Act 1998 came into force in March 2000 and has significantly affected how companies treat and handle data.The second edition of this practical handbook provides a fully up-to-date guide to the Act, providing detailed guidance on its main provisions as well as related legislation. Critically, it takes into account recent developments including:- new case law- ICO and EU guidance on the meaning of 'personal data'- Johnson v MDU- UK and EU privacy cases including McKennit v Ash, Wainwright v Wainwright and Von Hannover v Germany- recent case law relating to direct marketing- changes in the law governing transborder data flows.The book retains its dedicated chapter on data protection compliance guidance specifically for law firms. The editor's extensive experience of conducting data protection compliance audits makes him uniquely placed to highlight the areas where legal practices commonly fall foul of the legislative requirements. Written by the UK's foremost data protection experts in a clear and practical style, this handbook is essential reading for legal practitioners and data protection officers requiring a comprehensive overview of the latest data protection rules.