Cybersecurity for Lawyers: Is Your Law Firm a Disaster Waiting to Happen? | Lawyers Without Billboards S2-Ep30

One bad click can create a very expensive problem for a law firm.Steve, Alexa, and Jimmy welcome attorney and cybersecurity professional Lawton Brown of Exigent to discuss the growing cyber threats facing law firms of every size.Lawton explains why compromised law firm email accounts can spread malware to clients and opposing counsel, how artificial intelligence is making phishing attempts more convincing, and why attorneys may have an ethical duty to take reasonable steps to protect confidential client information.They also discuss cyber liability insurance, ransomware payments, cloud security, compromised charging cables, the risks of placing client information into free AI tools, and the potentially devastating cost of a data breach.Lawton shares the story of a small company that faced nearly $1 million in expenses following a ransomware attack and explains why cyber insurance may deny coverage when a business has failed to follow the security requirements contained in its policy.The conversation eventually turns to Shewmaker & Lewis’s ongoing devotion to WordPerfect, unrealistic computer hacking scenes in movies, WarGames, The Matrix, Star Wars, and the urgent need for a system that automatically deletes Steve’s browser history. ⏱️ Chapters00:00 Welcome and introductions00:41 Meet Lawton Brown03:13 Lawyer turned cybersecurity professional06:09 The old law firm server and the move to the cloud09:55 When hacked law firms send dangerous emails10:42 Cybersecurity negligence and legal ethics12:20 Practical email security protections15:42 The limitations of cyber liability insurance17:40 Ignoring known security vulnerabilities19:53 Why small firms are attractive targets21:31 Cloud servers versus local servers23:51 What a data breach can cost25:27 The realities of ransomware27:00 The battle over WordPerfect31:57 Hacking in movies versus real life33:33 Real-world hacking techniques36:16 Why most attacks begin with email37:35 Movies the hosts cannot stop watching40:32 A serious Star Wars technology debate41:33 Final advice for law firms📩 Connect with Lawton Brown:Lawton Brown is an attorney and cybersecurity professional with Xogent, helping law firms and businesses protect their systems, confidential information, and day-to-day operations.Website: www.xogent.comOffice: (678) 208-8866To learn more about Xogent’s cybersecurity and managed IT services, visit the website or contact Lawton directly.🔔 Subscribe for candid conversations about family law, relationships, and the legal system - without the billboards.🎙️ Hosts: Steve & Patty Shewmaker, Jimmy & Alexa Lewis 🎧 Watch here: https://youtu.be/gQl6xcSkRt8 or listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, and more.📩 Contact: [email protected]| (770) 939-1939🌐 Website: https://www.shewmakerandlewis.com🎧 Podcast Library: https://shewmakerandlewis.com/lawyers-without-billboards🎼 Music by Ben Hernandez – Dragonsong Productions🎥 Produced by: Bleeding Edge, Inc.🎬 Audio & Video Production: Rob Burgner📍 Recorded at: Shewmaker & Lewis, Atlanta, GA