Solicitors and law firms are trusted with information that clients expect to remain private: legal advice, contracts, litigation documents, identification, bank details and commercially sensitive plans. That information is valuable to criminals, but it is also essential to the firm’s reputation and day-to-day work.

A cyber incident does not need to encrypt every file to cause serious harm. A compromised mailbox, a misdirected document or an unprotected laptop can expose a client matter. The right response is not to rely on one security product. It is to build sensible controls around people, identities, devices, email and data, then keep checking that those controls are working.

Why law firms are attractive targets

The Law Society’s guidance notes that legal professionals hold sensitive, confidential and valuable data, and that firms of every size can be vulnerable. A small practice can be just as attractive to an attacker as a larger firm if it has useful client information and fewer people or systems dedicated to security.

A typical firm may need to protect:

Client instructions, privileged communications and case files
Passports, driving licences and other identity documents
Bank details, settlement information and payment instructions
Contracts, intellectual property and commercially sensitive plans
Staff, client and expert witness personal data
Access to case management, document management and accounts systems

That creates a dual risk. Criminals may steal or publish information, and they may disrupt the firm at a critical point in a matter. Either way, the firm may have to manage client communication, operational recovery, insurer requirements and regulatory reporting at the same time.

The main cyber security risks for solicitors

Phishing targets busy fee earners

Phishing emails are designed to look like ordinary work: a document to review, a court-related message, a Microsoft 365 sign-in request or an urgent request from a colleague. They can lead to a stolen password, a malicious download or an unauthorised payment. The pressure of deadlines and a full inbox makes a convincing message easier to miss.

Technology helps, but staff also need a simple way to report anything unusual. Training should explain what a realistic attack looks like in the firm’s own context, rather than treating security as a one-off box-ticking exercise.

Business email compromise can sit quietly in a mailbox

In a business email compromise attack, a criminal may take control of a mailbox and monitor conversations before acting. They can learn who is involved in a transaction, when a payment is expected and how the parties normally write to one another. At the right moment, they may impersonate a fee earner, client or third party and send different bank details.

A familiar display name is not proof that an email is genuine. Firms should verify payment or bank-detail changes using a trusted channel that is independent of the email thread. Mailbox audit logs, sign-in alerts and clear escalation routes also make suspicious activity easier to spot early.

Remote working extends the firm’s security boundary

Fee earners may work from home, court, a client office or while travelling. They still need access to email, documents and case systems, often from a laptop or mobile device that is outside the office network. Unsecured Wi-Fi, lost devices, local downloads and personal applications can all create extra exposure.

Remote access should be based on managed devices, strong sign-in controls and secure document sharing. A firm should know which devices can access its data, keep them updated and be able to remove access or wipe a lost device promptly.

Access that outlives a role creates unnecessary risk

Shared accounts, broad permissions and old user profiles make it difficult to know who can see a matter or change a record. Joiners, movers and leavers need a clear process. Access should match a person’s current role, sensitive matter access should be limited where appropriate, and former staff or suppliers should not retain access after they leave.

Client confidentiality depends on everyday handling

Confidentiality can be weakened without a dramatic attack. Sending a document to the wrong recipient, using an uncontrolled file-sharing link, leaving papers or a laptop unattended, or copying a matter to a personal account can all expose information. Security controls should make the safe way of working the easy way of working, with clear rules for sharing, encryption and disposal.

Practical controls every firm should review

Good cyber security is a process that is managed over time. The following checks are a useful starting point for a small or medium-sized firm:

Require multi-factor authentication for Microsoft 365, remote access and administrator accounts
Use separate administrator accounts and remove unnecessary standing privileges
Protect email with filtering, anti-phishing controls and SPF, DKIM and DMARC configured for the firm’s domains
Manage laptops and mobiles centrally, including encryption, patching, screen lock and remote wipe
Keep document and case-system access role-based, reviewed and removed promptly when roles change
Maintain tested, separate backups so the firm can recover if systems are encrypted or unavailable
Provide regular, relevant awareness training and a no-blame route for reporting suspicious messages
Record an incident response plan with named contacts, escalation steps and an out-of-band way to communicate

The NCSC’s small organisation guidance is a useful baseline for these measures. Cyber Essentials can also help a firm assess and demonstrate a baseline of technical controls, but certification alone is not a substitute for ongoing management, staff awareness or an incident plan.

Security evidence supports responsible governance

The SRA expects firms to protect client money and information and to have appropriate systems and controls. That does not mean a firm can promise that an incident will never happen. It does mean the firm should be able to explain how it identifies risk, limits access, protects information, trains people, responds to incidents and learns from what happens.

A regular security review should therefore produce useful evidence, not just a list of installed tools. Examples include a current device and user list, MFA coverage, patch status, backup test results, access review records, training completion and a clear record of actions still outstanding.

What to do if you suspect an incident

Speed and clear decision-making matter. If a mailbox, device or account may be compromised:

1Tell the firm’s incident contact and IT provider immediately. Do not continue a suspicious email conversation.
2Preserve useful evidence such as messages, sign-in alerts and times. Avoid deleting things that may help investigation.
3Contain the issue using a managed process, which may include disabling an account, revoking sessions or isolating a device.
4Verify any urgent payment or bank-detail request by telephone using a trusted number, not one supplied in the suspicious message.
5Assess which client, personal or confidential information may be involved and involve the firm’s data protection and regulatory contacts.
6Keep affected clients informed through an agreed process and record decisions, actions and communications.

The ICO says a reportable personal data breach must be reported without undue delay and, where required, within 72 hours of the organisation becoming aware of it. That is one reason a firm should have an agreed incident process before an incident happens. This article is general information, not legal or regulatory advice. Firms should take advice based on their own circumstances.

When a managed provider should take responsibility

A managed IT provider should do more than respond when someone cannot access email. For a law firm, the relationship should include proactive security work: reviewing identities and permissions, monitoring for suspicious activity, keeping devices healthy, testing recovery and giving the firm a clear view of unresolved risks.

Complete 365 for legal firms brings Microsoft 365 management, endpoint protection, multi-factor authentication, email security, backup, monitoring and user support into one managed service. It is designed to help solicitors protect confidential information and support fee earners wherever they work, while keeping security actions visible and manageable.

The important question is not whether a provider can sell a firm another security product. It is whether the firm knows what is protected, who is responsible, what needs attention and how quickly it can recover when something goes wrong.

A sensible next step for your firm

Start with a short review of the areas most likely to cause immediate harm: email sign-ins, MFA coverage, administrator access, former users, unmanaged devices, backup recovery and the process for checking payment changes. These checks often reveal practical improvements that do not require a major project.

If you would like an independent view of your current environment, speak to the Konnetix team about a free Legal IT Review. We can discuss where your firm is exposed, what to prioritise and how a managed approach could support your team, without promising that any service can eliminate all risk.

Cyber Security for Solicitors: Protecting Client Confidentiality