Legal Services

All businesses need protection against cyber-attack. Legal firms handle privileged communications, litigation strategy, intellectual property, client funds, and time-sensitive transactions every day. Confidential case files, court documents, client identity verification, and payment instructions are prime targets for cyber criminals. The likelihood of an attack may be moderate but the consequences for such firms can be devastating.

CyberSolver was created to provide simple low-cost solutions for legal SMEs to protect their business and clients. Our six tailored solutions are designed to get businesses focused on what really matters. What do we offer specifically for SMEs in the legal services sector?

The Growing threat to legal practice

Legal services firms are increasingly reliant on digital platforms, case management systems, e-signature tools, cloud-based document repositories, and remote access for lawyers and support staff. These systems introduce new risks:

Business Email Compromise (BEC) - attackers impersonate solicitors or clients to divert completion payments or client funds.
Phishing and social engineering - staff are targeted with urgent requests related to completion deadlines, court dates, and urgent matter instructions.
Insecure case management and document systems - you may think cloud services eliminate responsibility for security but misconfigured systems can expose privileged communications or allow unauthorised access.
Staff - accidental and in some cases malicious activity can result in a serious breach of client confidentiality and professional privilege.

Attackers know that legal transactions are time-sensitive and high-value. They exploit the urgency and trust associated with legal matters to commit fraud, steal data, or deploy ransomware. Even a single breach can lead to financial loss, reputational damage, professional negligence claims, and regulatory scrutiny under GDPR and SRA requirements.

While this may sound alarming, these types of attacks can be largely prevented through focused security controls.

Digging deeper into the problem for legal services

According to recent industry data, 75% of UK legal firms have experienced cyber-attacks in the past year, with data breaches rising by 39%. Legal firms are increasingly targeted by attackers using:

Spoofed email domains to redirect client funds or impersonate lawyers and clients.
Compromised logins due to password reuse and lack of multi-factor authentication.
Poorly secured cloud platforms used for document storage and case management.
Conveyancing fraud targeting payment instructions during property transactions.
Lack of staff training especially among support staff and newly qualified lawyers.

The Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) has issued fines to legal firms for failing to protect personal data, including client files, privileged communications, and identity documents. Meanwhile, the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) mandates specific cybersecurity controls, and firms face professional negligence claims when breaches occur.

What can you do?

Start with low-cost, high-impact actions

As a minimum, consider the following:

Train your staff - especially those handling client funds, completion payments, and privileged communications.
Enable multi-factor authentication (MFA) - on email, case management systems, and cloud platforms.
Review payment processes - ensure there's a clear, secure method for verifying bank details and confirming transfers, particularly for completion payments.
Third-party access - check who has access to your systems and data, and remove what's not essential.

For larger firms:

Harden your email systems - to prevent spoofing attacks targeting lawyers and clients.
Create an incident response plan - include steps for business continuity, client notification, and SRA reporting.
Restrict access - review processes and access controls to ensure staff only access the matters and data they need.

If you've got the basics covered and want to go further, run a full risk assessment covering your systems, staff, and suppliers and implement simple processes to track cyber maturity and demonstrate compliance with SRA requirements.

CyberSolver's six solutions — which one is right for you?

While generalised recommendations are helpful, there's no substitute for focusing on your business, your priorities, and your specific risks. CyberSolver helps you take practical, affordable steps to protect your operations. Whether you're just starting or ready to invest, we offer six packaged solutions geared up to legal services SMEs:

Use Risk Reduction when you don't know where to start. We'll identify your greatest risks and give you a prioritised, pragmatic plan of action.
Use Compliance when you need to meet GDPR, ICO expectations, SRA requirements, or other regulatory obligations.
Use Staff Awareness to reduce human risk with training tailored to legal professionals and support staff.
Use Resilience to build your breach response capability and strengthen technical defences.
Use vCISO for low-cost executive and board-level strategy, prioritisation, and reporting.
Use the CyberSolver Toolkit for templates, playbooks, and repeatable operational artefacts.