Data Security Essentials: What Your Legal Software Should Guarantee to UK Firms

Law firms are prime targets for cyber threats, with data breaches in the UK legal sector up 39% from last year. This should make legal software data security a top priority for any law firm operating in the current climate.

The vast amount of sensitive client information held by law firms, including personally identifiable information (PII), financial records and intellectual property, make them a juicy target for cybercriminals seeking to make a quick buck. It is therefore essential to ensure that your legal software is not only fully compliant with regulatory requirements like the GDPR and the SRA Code of Conduct, but is also equipped with the latest security features to thwart even the most sophisticated and determined cyberattacker.

However not all legal software is created equal. So what should you expect from yours?

1. Compliance with UK legal and data protection standards

Legal software with GDPR compliance is mandatory for law firms to safeguard client data, as the consequences of not doing so can involve hefty fines and reputational damage. Key features to look for include:

• Consent management: Obtaining and managing explicit, informed consent from clients for data processing.
• Data minimisation: Limiting data collection and retention to only what is necessary.
• Individual rights support: Allowing clients to access, rectify, or erase their personal data.
• Security measures: Robust encryption and access controls.

Law firms must also observe the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) Code of Conduct, in particular paragraph 6.3, which states: “You keep the affairs of current and former clients confidential unless disclosure is required or permitted by law or the client consents.” 

Clio helps you ensure compliance with UK regulations with built-in security features that align with legal industry safety standards. This is why Clio is Law Society Approved, and is approved by 100-plus other law societies and bar associations around the world, more than any other legal software.

2. Security & encryption: Protecting client confidentiality

Secure legal software requires end-to-end encryption (E2EE), which ensures that only the sender and recipient of a message have access to the decrypted content.

E2EE is critical to protecting client confidentiality for these reasons:

• • Data security and privacy: E2EE keeps private data safe from unauthorised access during transmission and storage. 
  • Compliance and trust: E2EE ensures compliance with strict regulatory requirements in healthcare, finance and government.
  • Protection against cyber attacks: E2EE provides an extra layer of security to thwart hackers.

Using software with weak security protocols incurs the following risks:

• • Data breaches: Hackers may steal sensitive personal, financial or business data leading to identity theft, financial fraud, or corporate espionage.

• • Malware and ransomware attacks: Vulnerabilities may provide an entry point for malicious software which can corrupt files and steal or ransom data.

• • Unauthorised access: Cybercriminals can manipulate data, cause service disruptions, or even take over the system.

Clio is equipped with industry-leading security measures including ISO 27001 and SOC2 to give you trust and credibility when handling your client data.

3. Secure cloud storage & data redundancy: Keeping data accessible and safe

Cloud security for law firms is of paramount importance in today’s digital landscape, as the legal industry is increasingly moving towards cloud-based solutions.

Cloud-based solutions have the following advantages over on-premise storage for UK law firms:

• • Cost-Effectiveness: Cloud-based solutions eliminate the need for expensive hardware and reduce operational costs by asking law firms to pay only for the resources they use.
  • Scalability and flexibility: Cloud solutions allow law firms to quickly scale their resources based on changing demands.

• • Improved collaboration and accessibility: Cloud-based solutions offer anytime, anywhere access, allowing lawyers to work together regardless of their physical location.

At the same time, cloud-based solutions offer a data protection strategy with two critical components:

• • Secure backups: To protect against data loss from accidental deletion, malware and cyberattacks, while meeting legal compliance requirements.

• • Redundancy: Storing multiple copies of data across different locations or servers ensures recoverability even in the case of local disaster.

Clio’s cloud-based software keeps both your firm’s and your clients’ data protected with continuous uptime (99.9% uptime SLA guarantee), reliable disaster recovery, and strict data integrity.

Deep dive: Understanding Data Ownership and Portability: How to Select Law Firm Software with Confidence

4. Multi-factor authentication (MFA) & access controls: Preventing unauthorised access

Law firm data protection starts with role-based access control (RBAC) to protect confidential information and maintain client trust. RBAC works by granting permissions only to authorised users according to their role.

The benefits of RBAC for law firms are:

• Enhanced security through limiting access to sensitive data.
• Stronger compliance with legal and industry-specific regulations.
• Reduced human error from sending sensitive information to unauthorised users.

Multi-factor authentication (MFA) requires multiple forms of verification before granting access to sensitive information and systems. 

MFA strengthens a law firm’s security in these ways:

• Protection of sensitive data by ensuring only authorised personnel can access it.

• Defence against hackers even if they obtain a user’s password.

• Securing remote access when legal staff access firm networks remotely.

Clio’s customisable access settings give administrators granular control over who has and has not access to your firm’s sensitive data.

5. Cyber threat detection & proactive security monitoring

Cyber threats against law firms are on the increase, rising by 77% between 2023 and 2024. Cyber attacks come in three categories:

• Phishing: Cybercriminals employ sophisticated email phishing campaigns to trick employees into revealing credentials or installing malware.
• Ransomware: Cybercriminals demand ransom after a successful attack, with ransoms of as much as £4.75m demanded.
• Insider breaches: Intentional and unintentional security threats remain a significant concern for law firms.

To protect themselves and their clients, law firms require 24/7 security monitoring and incident response measures because:

• Cyber attacks don’t follow business hours and are often designed to strike during off-hours when IT staff are absent.
• Real-time threat detection enables swift responses to neutralise risks promptly, minimising potential damage.
• Advanced security operations centres (SOCs) continually monitor systems for suspicious activity, providing situational awareness.

Clio’s proactive security measures include continuous threat detection to ensure your data is always protected.

6. Client trust & reputation: The business impact of secure legal software

UK legal tech security is important due to the legal and financial consequences of a data breach:

Legal consequences include:

• Regulatory sanctions: The ICO can issue reprimands, enforcement notices, or even suspend data processing activities.
• Persona liability: Directors, officers and staff members may be held personally liable for negligence or misuse of sensitive data.
• Criminal charges: Breaches involving gross misconduct can result in criminal charges against executives or employees. 

Financial impacts include:

• Regulatory fines: The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) can impose fines of up to £17.5 million or 4% of annual global turnover for serious GDPR violations.
• Direct financial losses: These may include stolen funds, loss of income due to business disruption, and increased insurance premiums.
• Litigation costs: Firms may face third-party litigation from individuals seeking compensation for theft of personal data.

By upholding strong data security, law firms build trust with clients, enhance their reputation, and gain a competitive advantage.

UK law firms rely on Clio as the safest choice for data security due to its advanced encryption and security protocols, robust infrastructure and redundancy, and comprehensive compliance and certifications.

Future-proofing your firm’s data security with Clio

Future-proofing your firm’s data security is crucial to protect against spiralling cyber threats and ensure compliance with evolving regulations. By staying at the forefront of data security, you will be better positioned to attract and retain clients who prioritise the protection of their sensitive information.

Clio is built with your data security in mind, featuring in-transit and at-rest encryption, automatic data backups, data residency and SOC2 compliance. With advanced features including role-based permissions, session tracking and two-factor authentication, you can be assured that your data will be secure and safe.

Data Security FAQs

Why is data security critical for UK law firms?

Law firms handle highly sensitive client information, making them prime targets for cyberattacks. Poor security can lead to regulatory fines, reputational damage, and legal liability.

What security features should legal software provide?

Compliance with GDPR and SRA regulations, end-to-end encryption, cloud security, MFA, and proactive cyber threat monitoring.

Is cloud-based legal software more secure than on-premise solutions?

Yes, when using a reputable provider like Clio, cloud-based solutions offer stronger security, automatic updates, and built-in compliance features compared to locally stored data.

How does Clio ensure my law firm’s data remains secure?

Clio provides enterprise-grade encryption, ISO 27001 certification, multi-factor authentication, role-based access controls, and 24/7 security monitoring.

What happens if there is a data breach or system failure?

Clio has robust disaster recovery and redundancy measures to ensure firms can quickly restore data and maintain business continuity.

Can Clio help my firm stay compliant with UK regulations?

Yes, Clio’s security framework aligns with GDPR, SRA, and other UK legal standards, providing peace of mind for law firms handling sensitive client data.

We published this blog post in March 2025. Last updated: March 31, 2025.

Posted in: Business, Clio