The rise of remote work, cloud data storage, and AI implementation has expanded areas of vulnerability for law firms and legal departments, while compliance requirements have grown increasingly complex and stringent. How prepared are legal organizations to navigate this shifting risk landscape?
Key questions answered in this article:
Juridikmars 03, 2026
Information security – a new ever-present risk in the legal industry
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What makes information security an ever-present risk for the legal industry?
Information security risks have intensified due to remote work, cloud storage, and AI adoption, increasing exposure to cyber threats and compliance challenges.
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What are the top cybersecurity concerns for legal professionals?
Legal professionals cite data privacy compliance, protection of sensitive information, and maintaining client confidentiality as their primary concerns.
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Why is shadow AI considered a major threat to law firms?
Unauthorized AI tools risk breaching confidentiality, violating regulations, and damaging professional standards, requiring strong governance and approved-use policies.
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How prepared are legal organizations to handle growing security challenges?
Only 31% of surveyed organizations feel very prepared, showing a significant gap between threats and readiness.
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How does remote work increase cybersecurity vulnerabilities?
Remote work expands attack surfaces, introduces device and network risks, and adds complexity to safeguarding sensitive client information.
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What role does AI adoption play in legal sector security challenges?
AI introduces ethical and privacy concerns, and many organizations struggle with integrating it into existing systems securely.
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What data protection measures are law firms currently implementing?
Common measures include multi-factor authentication, encrypted communication tools, and regular security audits.
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Why is proactive AI governance necessary in law firms?
Experts argue that lawyers will use AI regardless of restrictions, making the provision of secure, approved tools essential to prevent “shadow AI.”
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What additional steps should legal organizations take to enhance information security?
Beyond current measures, organizations should invest in skilled professionals, training, policy development, and robust AI governance frameworks.
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Where can readers find the full analysis on AI in the legal industry?
The full report is available in the 2026 Wolters Kluwer Future Ready Lawyer Survey.
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According to the 2026 Wolters Kluwer Future Ready Lawyer Survey information security has evolved from an operational concern to an ever-present risk in the legal industry. To address these threats, legal professionals must exercise vigilance and implement proactive risk management strategies.
Cyber threats and shadow AI
According to the survey, 46% of legal professionals cite data privacy compliance and protecting sensitive information from cyber threats as top concerns, while 43% highlight ensuring client confidentiality .
Managing growing information security challenges is also seen as one of the most impactful trends for the next three years, with 80% of respondents expecting to be impacted. However, only 31% of organizations overall feel very prepared to address these challenges , underscoring the need for stronger security strategies.
“The proliferation of unauthorized AI tools ('shadow AI') threatens client confidentiality, regulatory compliance, and professional standards, demanding a comprehensive response that integrates policy, technology, AI literacy, and organizational culture. Legal organizations should establish clear approved-use policies,” suggests Licia Garotti, Partner at PedersoliGattai Law Firm.
Data security measures
Remote work has increased exposure to cyber threats, with 37% of respondents identifying remote work security as a significant challenge. Cloud-based storage introduces new risks, while AI adoption adds further complexity; 39% of legal professionals report ethical concerns related to AI and data privacy, and 36% struggle to integrate AI into existing systems.
How legal organizations are responding? By hiring technologically skilled professionals and prioritizing staff training in information security best practices. According to the survey, 55% of law firms and corporate legal departments use multi-factor authentication, 50% utilize encrypted communication tools , and 49% conduct regular security audits to safeguard client information.
What other data security measures should legal organizations consider? “Law firms should realize that there is practically no lawyer left who does not use AI. If they do not get secure tools, they will have 'shadow AI' and situations that are dangerous in terms of ethics and reputation. The only effective solution is a proactive approach: providing lawyers with secure, approved AI tools that meet their needs. Bans and restrictions do not work – lawyers will find a way to use AI anyway , but they will do so in an uncontrolled and potentially dangerous manner,” concludes Tomasz Zalewski, Partner at Zalewski Legal.
To read the full legal industry AI analysis, download the 2026 Wolters Kluwer Future Ready Lawyer Survey Report >>
The 2026 Wolters Kluwer Future Ready Lawyer Report
Building confidence in an AI era
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