How to protect your firm, your clients, and your partners-without technical jargon, vendor hype, or guesswork.
Most law firms aren't failing at cybersecurity because they don't care. They're failing because no one has ever explained the risk in a way that makes sense. Market research reveals that the overwhelming majority of law firms operate in a state of defensive uncertainty - they know they need to address IT and cybersecurity, but they don't know what they don't know, fear being exploited by vendors, and are terrified of making the wrong decision that will cost them money or result in a catastrophic breach.
Not buzzwords or fear tactics. Clear explanations of the threats that actually impact firms - namely phishing (50% of firms cite as #1 concern), ransomware (63% increase in attacks), AI misuse, and data exposure. Understand why most firms underestimate these risks and how to communicate them in board-ready language.
Downtime. Missed deadlines. Client notifications. Regulatory exposure. Insurance issues. Reputational damage. Learn to explain the business consequences - not just the technical ones. See how firms like Orrick faced class-action lawsuits and how to prevent similar outcomes through effective risk communication.
Most firms assume someone else is handling cybersecurity. Learn where responsibility actually sits, where gaps commonly form, and how to translate technical discussions into business language. Understand why 27% of firms don't even rank backups as a top security control - and why that's a problem.
Including new guidance around AI use, certifications, and professional responsibility - what this means for attorneys and firm leadership. Learn to navigate compliance confusion (GDPR vs. HIPAA vs. state laws) and understand what "compliance" really means for your specific firm.
You don't need to be an expert. You need clarity, accountability, and the ability to make informed decisions with confidence. Learn to frame IT investments as risk mitigation and business continuity (not operational expenses) and connect security controls directly to business outcomes and budget decisions.
Designed specifically for law firm leadership teams responsible for cyber risk communication and decision-making.
Partners who need to understand and communicate cyber risk to stakeholders, clients, and boards without technical jargon.
Leadership team members responsible for firm-wide risk management, budget decisions, and strategic cybersecurity investments.
Firm administrators who must balance IT spending with business needs and translate technical risk into financial and operational terms.
Legal professionals responsible for risk oversight, regulatory compliance, client data protection, and board-level cybersecurity reporting.
Law firms are facing unprecedented cyber risk, but most leadership teams struggle to understand, quantify, and communicate these threats in language that drives decisions. Market research reveals that 50% of law firms cite phishing as their top cybersecurity concern, while ransomware attacks increased 63% in Q2 2025. Yet firms operate in a state of "defensive uncertainty" - they know they need to address IT and cybersecurity, but they don't know what they don't know, fear being exploited by vendors, and are terrified of making the wrong decision.
Law firms operate in a unique paradox: they are simultaneously highly regulated, profoundly resistant to change, financially anxious (despite outward wealth), technologically illiterate, and existentially threatened by AI, changing markets, and cybersecurity incidents.
25% of conversations focus on this challenge. "Law firms don't like to change and that is a big problem. They aren't flexible. Old partners/admins like the way it always has been and are unwilling to make changes to be more efficient and utilize new tools." Hardware over 5 years old is standard, with many firms still running Server 2008 R2 (support ended 2020). One large law firm with "the money" to upgrade refused to upgrade anything for 3+ years, despite quarterly business review calls where upgrades were quoted and offered.
22% of conversations reveal the contradiction: "They'll drive a Rolls and wear Armani suits but won't pay a grand a year to keep their firewall licensed and up to date." IT is treated as a cost center, not a revenue generator. Partners refuse to pay for software updates because "we just bought the license" and refuse to invest in backups because "we've never had a problem." Firms create hidden costs: slower productivity, staff turnover, security vulnerabilities, and catastrophic recovery costs.
18% of conversations highlight the generational divide. "Massive age range means massive skill gaps." One documented case: "One lawyer-guy we had was literally unable to save a word file (despite having worked with computers for probably 25+ years)." Generic security training doesn't resonate with legal professionals. Training needs to be repeated constantly because people don't retain information. "People want new tools to work like the old tools" because change requires retraining.
17% of conversations show firms are excited about AI but deeply confused. Attorneys face sanctions for AI-generated fabricated citations (Butler Snow case: Partners disqualified after submitting ChatGPT citations that were completely made up). Courts and legal ethics boards are issuing practice notes requiring attorneys to certify that AI was NOT used for certain work. Paralegals and entry-level positions view AI with existential dread: "Paralegals will soon be automated... AI will destroy our jobs."
Law firms don't just lack knowledge about specific IT topics - they don't know what they don't know.
Encryption misconceptions: Firms think "we have encryption enabled" means they're compliant, without understanding encryption at rest vs. in transit, key management, or whether the hosting provider has access to keys.
Compliance mapping: Firms don't know which regulations apply to them. They incorrectly assume "we're not covered by HIPAA" (even if they handle healthcare data) or "GDPR doesn't apply to us" (even if they have EU clients). One documented case: A non-technical lawyer decrypts PDF files that were sent encrypted, by using "Print to PDF," then unknowingly uploads the unencrypted PDFs to Google Drive - violating client data protection requirements.
Backup redundancy: Firms think "we have backups" means they're safe, without understanding that backups need to be isolated from production systems (or ransomware infects backups), backup restoration must be tested regularly, and the cost of recovery vs. prevention.
Despite overwhelm and complexity, market research reveals clear desires that resonate across the legal industry.
19% of conversations express this desire. "The tools that are truly earning admiration are the understated ones that prioritize precision and efficiency over flashy marketing." Firms have been burned by "game-changing" solutions that struggle with basic templates. The biggest win for law firms is usually simplicity + compliance. They want tools that are simple to use, require minimal training, don't break workflows, and just work.
16% of conversations show firms want to understand problems and make informed decisions. "Most auditors asking these questions literally have no idea what any of the words mean." Firms are embarrassed about their lack of knowledge. They want clear explanations without jargon, business cases (not technical specs), examples from other law firms, and ongoing education - not one-time training. They respect professionals who take time to educate them.
14% of conversations reveal deep vendor disillusionment. "Legal professionals have been disappointed by so-called 'game-changing' solutions that struggle with basic templates." Firms want partners who admit what they can't do, focus on real problems (not revolutionary claims), prioritize user feedback, and provide transparent pricing. They've become cynical about vendor claims and value honesty over marketing hype.
"We help you practice law safely, efficiently, and without worry. We handle the complexity; you focus on practicing law."
The irony: Orrick has outstanding cybersecurity lawyers, yet they waited 3 months to notify victims after discovering a breach that impacted over 600,000 individuals.
Compromised data included: Names, SSNs, driver's licenses, passport numbers, financial account details, tax IDs, medical information, healthcare details, online credentials, and credit/debit card numbers.
The result: The firm settled multiple class-action lawsuits. This case illustrates how even firms with cybersecurity expertise struggle with risk communication and incident response planning.
The paralysis: One documented case describes a law firm that was hit by ransomware, refused to invest in disaster recovery and backups, recovered (barely), and then was hit again within one month. The firm owner's response: "What are the chances that's going to happen again?" This illustrates the dangerous optimism bias that prevents firms from taking action.
The lesson: Having technical expertise doesn't guarantee effective risk communication. Law firms need tangible incident response planning presented in language they understand - not as a tech problem, but as a business continuity and risk management problem. Leadership teams need frameworks to translate incidents into business language and make decisions under pressure.
Founder & CEO, Heights Consulting Group
Dr. Daniel Glauber is the Founder and CEO of Heights Consulting Group (HCG), a cybersecurity and IT advisory firm specializing in helping small and mid-market organizations manage cyber risk in a practical, business-aligned way.
With more than 30 years of experience across cybersecurity, critical infrastructure, and executive advisory roles, Dr. Glauber works closely with boards, executives, and leadership teams to translate complex technical risk into clear, actionable business decisions. His expertise spans governance, risk management, compliance readiness, incident response planning, and executive-level cybersecurity strategy.
Dr. Glauber serves as a Virtual CISO (vCISO) to organizations in regulated and high-risk industries including professional services, financial services, legal, healthcare, and other compliance-driven environments. His approach emphasizes risk prioritization, operational resilience, and aligning security investments with business objectives, not fear-based or tool-driven cybersecurity.
In addition to his consulting work, Dr. Glauber is a cybersecurity educator and author, teaching cybersecurity and critical infrastructure courses at the university level and authoring multiple books, including The Complete Virtual CISO Buyer's Guide and Cybersecurity in the Age of Artificial Intelligence. He is a frequent speaker on topics such as executive cyber risk communication, AI governance, and board-level cybersecurity oversight.
Known for his direct, pragmatic style, Dr. Glauber helps leaders move beyond technical noise to focus on what actually matters: protecting the business, enabling growth, and making informed decisions in an increasingly complex threat landscape.
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