By Thomas Kaldor -
Snapshot
- Lawyers need to maintain strong security measures in the new digital spaces in which we practice, not just our physical places of work.
- Cyber security is a significant issue for lawyers because law firms are attractive targets for cyber attacks and face substantial risks from inadequate security measures.
- To manage risk properly within a law firm, cyber security needs to be the responsibility of all team members, not just IT staff.
If you use a computer in your legal practice, you need to know about cyber security. Lawyers have traditionally been diligent protectors of information. We put in place strict protocols to protect our clients’ confidentiality in the physical places where we work – whether it’s the locked filing cabinet in a sole practitioner’s office or the separate client floors in a large firm.
But, like everyone else, a growing portion of a lawyer’s day now takes place online. Many of us are quick to adopt the latest device or application, without considering the risks presented by new technologies.
As lawyers, we can’t afford to be caught unaware when it comes to cyber security.
Law firms are desirable targets for cyber attacks and have a lot to lose from a successful data raid. In the United States, at least two high-profile firms have already been the victims of hackers.
Soon enough, clients and regulators will interrogate the responsibility of lawyers to guard digital information – possibly through litigation or professional indemnity claims.
Cyber security therefore needs to be a priority for all legal practitioners.
