Case Study: Cyber Security Transformation for a Leading Law Firm
Industry: Legal Services
Service: Cyber Security Maturity Assessment & Transformation Planning
Client: Confidential – National Law Firm
The Challenge
A prominent law firm with a strong reputation in corporate litigation recognised growing cyber security threats as a major business risk. While they had some basic controls in place, internal reviews and external audits highlighted that their cyber security maturity was not keeping pace with the evolving threat landscape or client expectations for data protection.
Leadership acknowledged the need for a comprehensive cyber transformation, but lacked clarity on where to start, which capabilities were missing, and what a fit-for-purpose model should look like.
Our Approach
We were engaged to conduct a Cyber Security Maturity Assessment and develop a transformation roadmap tailored to the unique needs of the legal sector.
Our approach included:
- Current-State Assessment: We benchmarked the firm’s cyber security posture across key domains including governance, identity and access management, threat detection, incident response, and data protection.
- Gap Analysis Against Best Practice: The firm’s existing controls were compared against frameworks such as NIST CSF and ISO 27001 to identify capability shortfalls.
- Stakeholder Engagement: Interviews with partners, IT, and compliance stakeholders helped us understand business needs and cultural considerations.
Key Findings
- Limited Visibility & Detection: The firm lacked modern tools for threat detection, logging, and alerting.
- Underdeveloped Governance: Roles and responsibilities for cyber security were fragmented across IT and compliance.
- Inadequate Resourcing: There were no dedicated cyber security personnel, and the existing IT team was overstretched.
The Solution
We developed a clear, staged transformation plan focused on three core pillars:
- Capability Uplift:
We recommended investment in modern cyber security platforms, including SIEM and endpoint detection and response (EDR). Several vendors were shortlisted based on requirements and budget, and we facilitated a structured evaluation and selection process. - Operating Model Redesign:
A new cyber security operating model was proposed, including defined roles for governance, operational security, and incident response. We mapped out the required skill sets and identified whether they should be filled internally or via external partners. - Resourcing & Skills Strategy:
We helped define a resourcing model that included a new Security Lead role, plus recommendations for managed service support for 24×7 threat monitoring. Internal upskilling paths were also proposed for existing IT staff.
The Outcome
The law firm adopted the transformation plan and selected a leading managed security provider with our guidance. Within six months:
- They had implemented foundational capabilities like EDR, MFA, and security logging.
- A dedicated Security Lead was appointed, and roles across IT and compliance were clarified.
- The firm’s board received their first structured cyber risk report, signalling a major step forward in governance.
The transformation significantly improved the firm’s security posture and positioned them to meet increasing client demands for cyber assurance, especially in sensitive legal matters.
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