A cyber risk assessment for a law firm is a structured evaluation of systems, users, data, and security controls designed to identify vulnerabilities before they lead to a breach. For firms with 25–150 employees, a formal assessment typically uncovers 10–30 actionable risks, many of which can be remediated within 30–90 days.

Because law firms store confidential client information, financial records, litigation documents, and privileged communications, they are prime targets for ransomware and phishing attacks. A proactive cyber risk assessment reduces breach likelihood, strengthens compliance posture, and protects billable productivity.

As outlined in our guide on choosing the right MSP for your law firm, security structure should be part of a broader evaluation process.

1. Identify Where Confidential Legal Data Lives

The first step in a cyber risk assessment is mapping where sensitive information resides.

For law firms, this commonly includes:

– Document management systems

– Practice management platforms

– Email systems

– Cloud storage platforms

– Attorney laptops and mobile devices

– Backup environments

Without clear data mapping, firms cannot properly protect privileged information.

A mid-sized firm often discovers that sensitive data exists in more locations than leadership realized.

2. Evaluate Existing Security Controls

Many law firms believe they are “secure” because they have antivirus software installed.

A proper assessment evaluates whether the firm has:

– Multi-factor authentication (MFA) enabled across all accounts

– Endpoint detection and response (EDR) protection

– Advanced email filtering

– Network monitoring

– Role-based access controls

– Encrypted backups

For firms in the 25–150 employee range, inconsistent configuration is one of the most common findings.

Security must be layered and standardized.

3. Assess User Risk and Access Permissions

Attorneys and staff are frequently the primary attack vector in cybersecurity incidents.

A risk assessment reviews:

– Password policies

– Phishing vulnerability

– Remote access security

– Administrator privilege distribution

– Offboarding processes for former employees

Even one improperly configured admin account can create significant exposure.

Reducing human risk dramatically lowers breach probability.

Addressing these findings also strengthens a firm’s ability to focus on preventing ransomware attacks in law firms before incidents occur.

4. Test Backup and Recovery Readiness

Backups are not enough. Recoverability matters.

A thorough assessment evaluates:

– Backup frequency (daily, hourly, continuous)

– Offsite and immutable backup protections

– Ransomware resilience

– Restore testing frequency

– Recovery time objectives (RTOs)

For a 75-person firm, even one day of downtime can represent tens of thousands of dollars in lost billable revenue.

Backup testing should occur at least quarterly, ideally monthly.

5. Prioritize Risks and Create a Remediation Plan

After identifying vulnerabilities, risks must be categorized and prioritized.

A structured remediation plan typically includes:

– Immediate critical fixes (0–30 days)

– Short-term improvements (30–60 days)

– Strategic upgrades (60–90+ days)

This ensures security improvements align with operational budgets and minimize disruption.

Cybersecurity is not a one-time project — it requires ongoing monitoring and reassessment.

Risk assessments often uncover gaps in the security controls every law firm should implement, including authentication, endpoint protection, and backup policies.

Real Example: Chicago-Area Law Firm Risk Assessment

A 60-employee law firm in the Chicago area conducted a formal cyber risk assessment after experiencing repeated phishing attempts.

Key findings included:

– MFA not enforced across all user accounts

– Backup restore testing had not been performed in over a year

– Several users retained elevated administrative privileges

Within 90 days:

– MFA was standardized

– Backup testing moved to monthly validation

– Administrative permissions were reduced by 70%

– Email filtering was upgraded

The result was significantly reduced attack surface and improved leadership confidence in the firm’s security posture.

How Often Should Law Firms Conduct a Cyber Risk Assessment?

For firms with 25–150 employees, best practice is:

– Annual formal risk assessment

– Quarterly security reviews

– Ongoing monitoring

Security threats evolve constantly. Regular evaluation prevents small vulnerabilities from becoming major incidents.

Risk assessments are also an important factor when firms are comparing MSPs for law firms, as they reveal how structured and proactive a provider’s security approach truly is.

About Our Security Approach for Law Firms

Klarman Consulting supports law firms in Chicago and the surrounding area with structured, security-first IT strategies designed to protect confidential client information.

Our approach includes:

– Formal cyber risk assessments

– Proactive monitoring and threat detection

– Layered security controls

– Clearly defined response standards

– Fast response times for critical issues

We design IT environments that protect sensitive data while supporting attorney productivity and operational efficiency.