Protecting Your Law Firm from Data Leaks in 2021 and Beyond

Introduction
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Introduction

What does the popular singer Lady Gaga have to do with law firm data security? A lot, it turns out. In fact, the hit performer was one of the highest-profile clients of Grubman Shire Meiselas & Sacks, which saw nearly a terabyte of sensitive client data pilfered and later leaked in a 2020 ransomware attack.

According to the Harvard Journal of Law and Technology, law firms have become particularly attractive targets. One data security company reports that 10 percent of the advanced cyberattacks it investigated in the past 18 months were targeted at law firms; additionally, the American Bar Association reports that the number of firms that have experienced a breach of any kind reached 29 percent in 2020.

The implications of data breach or theft are particularly high — from breaking strict confidentiality protocol in ongoing litigation to finding trade secrets leaked into the public domain before patents can be secured. Even tiny security gaps in file-sharing protocols with clients and partner law firms can cause leakage of sensitive data. These leaks and breaches can lead to financial penalties, criminal liabilities, damage to reputation, and loss of clients.

Law firms can – and should – ensure their environment is fully secure for both internal and external collaboration. Some of these steps include:

Identity and Access Management: Ensuring that identity of the people who access your systems is secure
Unified Endpoint Management: Ensuring your devices are properly managed and safe
Information Protection Management: Ensuring that your data carries protection with it so even if it is shared, the protection remains with it.

If you have a substantial investment in the Microsoft 365 (M365) cloud platform for email, collaboration, intranet, chat, conferencing, and community sharing, you may find that Govern 365 – a custom product developed by Netwoven — provides a layer of additional protection, above and beyond what is incorporated into M365.