The 7 Security Mistakes Small Law Firms Don't Discover Until Their Cyber Insurance Renewal
Most firms find these gaps at the worst possible moment: an insurance questionnaire, a client security audit, or a breach. This checklist shows you where they hide, so you find them first and fix them on your timeline, not someone else's.
Send Me the ChecklistTakes under 10 minutes. No phone number required. No sales call.
Sound familiar?
These gaps stay invisible until someone asks you to prove something
Your systems probably work fine day to day. The trouble starts when someone outside the firm asks a question you can't answer with evidence.
The renewal questionnaire
"Is MFA enforced on all remote access?" You think so. Checking "yes" when the answer is "mostly" can put a future claim at risk.
The client security audit
A corporate client sends a 40-question vendor assessment with a two-week deadline, and the firm's matters with them depend on it.
The partner's question
After another firm's breach makes the news, a partner asks, "Could that happen to us?" You need a better answer than "I hope not."
What the checklist covers
The 7 mistakes we see most often in firms like yours
Assuming MFA is "on" because it's on email
Remote desktop, the VPN, admin accounts, and practice management logins are often left out, and those are exactly what insurers ask about.
Having backups that have never been test-restored
A backup you've never restored is a hope, not a plan. Many firms only learn theirs is incomplete during a ransomware event.
Doing the right things but never writing them down
Without a written information security program (WISP), "reasonable safeguards" are very hard to demonstrate to a client, an insurer, or the bar.
Leaving former employees' access open
Shared passwords, forgotten cloud accounts, and personal phones still syncing firm email are among the most common gaps we find.
Trusting vendors without checking their safeguards
Your obligations to protect client data extend to the e-discovery tool, the billing platform, and the IT provider you hand the keys to.
Having no plan for the first 24 hours of an incident
Who calls the carrier? Who preserves evidence? Who tells clients? Firms that figure this out during the incident usually make it more expensive.
Treating security training as a one-time event
One onboarding video doesn't stop a convincing wire-fraud email to your bookkeeper two years later. Most breaches still start with a person, not a server.
The download gives you the simple evidence test for each one, so you know in minutes whether your firm is actually covered or just assumes it is.
Find your gaps before someone else does
- The 7 mistakes, each with a yes/no evidence test
- What "evidence" looks like for an insurer or client audit
- Where to start if you find more than one gap
Delivered to your inbox right away. No phone number needed, and no one will call you unless you ask.
A word of reassurance
If you find gaps, it doesn't mean your firm was careless
Most of these mistakes happen because systems were set up once, years ago, and nobody was ever asked to document or re-check them. Firm administrators are usually handling HR, billing, facilities, and IT all at once. These gaps are what happens when security is everyone's job and no one's job.
The good news: nearly all seven are fixable in weeks, not months, and most don't require buying anything new.
"I learned early in life that the danger you can't see is the one that hurts you most. After 30+ years in IT and cybersecurity, I still see the same thing in good, careful law firms: the risk isn't recklessness, it's the gap nobody knew to look for. This checklist is the first thing I'd want any firm administrator to see."
Matthew Kaing · Founder & President, eSudo · Protecting law firms since 2001
What happens after you download
You'll get the checklist by email right away. Most firms review it internally first. If you mark any items ✖ and want a neutral second opinion, you can book a short 15-minute call. We'll tell you honestly which gaps matter for a firm your size and which can wait. No pressure either way.
Is your cyber insurance renewal coming up soon? Take our 3-minute Cyber Insurance & Security Readiness Assessment to see which gaps are most likely to affect your coverage.
FAQ
Is this checklist free?
Yes. It's a free self-check built for small law firms to find evidence gaps before an insurer, client, or incident finds them.
How long does it take?
Most firm administrators finish it in under 10 minutes. You don't need to be technical; each item is a simple yes/no evidence test.
Which rules is this based on?
It's aligned with the "reasonable safeguards" expectations under ABA Model Rule 1.6(c) and related ABA guidance, along with FTC Safeguards Rule–style controls that cyber insurers and corporate clients increasingly expect.
What do you mean by "evidence"?
Something you could show if asked: a written policy, a configuration setting, a log, a screenshot, or a documented process proving the control is in place today.
Will someone call me after I download?
No. You'll receive the checklist by email. If you'd like help reading your results, you can book a short call, but only if you want one.
What if we find several gaps?
That's common, and it's exactly why the checklist exists. Start with the items tied to your insurance renewal or upcoming client requests, then build a simple plan for the rest.
Unlike some online companies where you never know who will assist you next, eSudo offers consistent and reliable service. Both Francois and my technician, Edmund, were highly knowledgeable and professional. Special thanks to Edmund for resolving all my issues efficiently. I am truly grateful. Thank you eSudo for your outstanding service."
