Cyber dangers
Outsourcing your law firm’s cybersecurity
According to a survey¹ of UK law firms, a quarter of them have been the victims of cyberattacks, as have almost a third of US firms according to the ABA Legal Technology Survey Report. While there has not been a similar survey done of Canadian firms, the numbers are probably similar. And the high-publicity hacks… Read More »
Categories: 2017 August Managing Change, Articles, Cyber dangers, Firm Management, Legal Technology, Tech TipsFraud and Cybercrime Dangers
Frauds targeting lawyers and their clients are getting more sophisticated. Law firms, particularly real estate firms, are sought-after targets for cyber hacking and phishing scams because they tend to have large sums of money in their bank accounts and are involved in transactions in which funds are regularly wired to outside parties. Our Fraud Watch… Read More »
Categories: Cyber dangersManaging the Security and Privacy of Electronic Data in a Law Office
[Note: this booklet was published in 2004. While it still contains valuable content, we refer you to our Cyber Dangers page for a more up-to-date assessment of cyber security issues facing law firms.] Clients, lawyers, and law office staff routinely work with electronic documents and data. Protecting the security and confidentiality of that information is… Read More »
Categories: Cyber dangers, Managing BookletsCybersecurity Handbook: A Resource for Attorneys, Law Firms, and Business Professionals
Jill D. Rhodes and Vincent I. Polley, published 2013, 299 pages The ABA Cybersecurity Handbook: A Resource for Attorneys, Law Firms and Business Professionals provides practical cyber threat information, guidance, and strategies to lawyers and law firms of all sizes. The guide considers the interrelationship between lawyer and client, establishing what legal responsibilities and professional… Read More »
Categories: Book, Cyber dangers, Disaster Planning, Fraud, Legal TechnologyCloud Computing for Lawyers
Nicole Black, published 2012, 222 pages As more businesses move their IT systems into the cloud, lawyers need to ask if cloud computing is right for their firm. Cloud Computing for Lawyers features a discussion of cloud computing fundamentals, an overview of legal cloud computing products, and step-by-step instructions for implementing cloud computing in your… Read More »
Categories: Book, Cyber dangers, Legal TechnologyLocked Down: Practical Information Security for Lawyers, 2nd Edition
The first edition of Locked Down: Information Security for Lawyers was published in 2012. It introduced law firms to the increasing importance of having proper cybersecurity for client and firm data. At the time, that concept was still new to a lot of firms and often not taken as seriously as it should have been…. Read More »
Categories: 2017 February Neuroscience, Book Review, Cyber dangers, Fraud, LAWPRO Magazine, LAWPRO Magazine Article Type, Legal TechnologyNew lawyer cyber dangers and how to avoid them
Like the local bank, your practice holds valuable information and money. Your computer systems may contain client information, trade secrets, and intellectual property. Your trust accounts have large sums of money. A cyber breach or trust account theft will harm your clients and potentially cripple your practice. Security guards, specialized safes, and sophisticated procedures protect… Read More »
Categories: 2016 Student Issue 4, Articles, Cyber dangers, Fraud, Law students/new lawyers, Legal Technology, New Lawyers, Tech TipsDon’t take the bait on a spear phishing attack
By now, most lawyers are familiar with phishing attacks. For those who are not, phishing is the attempt to acquire sensitive information such as usernames, passwords, and credit card details by masquerading as a trustworthy entity in an email. They take the form of a message, allegedly from your bank or an online retailer you… Read More »
Categories: 2016 January Indigenous, Articles, Cyber dangers, Fraud, Tech TipsDanger: When a hacker emails you instructions in the name of your client
The determination and energy of hackers knows no bounds. They show remarkable imagination and ingenuity in coming up with ever more devious ways to steal trust funds by duping lawyers. As an example of this, we have recently seen several instances where a fraudster hacked into a client’s email with the intent to divert funds… Read More »
Categories: 2016 January Indigenous, Articles, Cyber dangers, Fraud, Tech TipsDon’t get duped: 20 red flags of bad cheque fraud you should recognize
Lawyers in all areas of practice continue to be the frequent targets of bad cheque scams. These scams involve debt collections, business loans, IP licensing disputes or spousal support payments. While it appears Ontario lawyers are increasingly aware of these frauds, occasionally some are being duped into disbursing funds on a bad cheque they have… Read More »
Categories: 2015 February - LAWPRO 20th, Articles, Cyber dangers, Fraud, Practice Tips