Phishing Protection Checklist for Law Firms
Safeguard Your Legal Practice from Email Scams—Especially During Travel Season
Below is a Downloadable Phishing Protection Checklist tailored for law firms in the Austin, Texas area. It’s designed to help your legal team quickly spot phishing scams—especially travel-related ones—and take proactive steps to protect confidential data, client trust, and firm finances.
🔒 Email Safety Basics
✔️ Double-check sender email addresses before opening messages
✔️ Never click links in unexpected travel confirmation emails
✔️ Avoid downloading attachments unless verified
✔️ Hover over hyperlinks to see the actual destination URL
✔️ Use a spam filter and block known malicious domains
🧠 Employee Awareness
✔️ Train all staff (including paralegals & admin) on phishing red flags
✔️ Run phishing simulations at least quarterly
✔️ Send real-world scam examples to the team as educational alerts
✔️ Create a firmwide policy for reporting suspicious emails
🛡️ Technical Defenses
✔️ Require multifactor authentication (MFA) on all systems
✔️ Use email protection tools like Mimecast, Barracuda, or Defender
✔️ Secure all cloud-based legal platforms (Clio, MyCase, PracticePanther)
✔️ Disable auto-download of attachments in email settings
✔️ Install endpoint protection with anti-malware features
🧾 Travel-Related Best Practices
✔️ Never book firm travel through email links
✔️ Go directly to travel vendor websites (e.g., marriott.com, delta.com)
✔️ Keep travel confirmation details stored in a secure calendar or app
✔️ Confirm travel emails with a phone call if anything looks suspicious
✔️ Avoid using shared travel accounts without MFA or audit logs
📣 Communication & Client Protection
✔️ Have a rapid incident response plan in case of phishing
✔️ Notify clients promptly if any data exposure is suspected
✔️ Keep a record of all phishing attempts and responses
✔️ Ensure ethical duties under Texas Disciplinary Rules are met
✔️ Partner with a local IT provider familiar with legal compliance
📍 Austin Area Legal Resources
- State Bar of Texas Cybersecurity Guidelines: legalethicstexas.com
- Travis County Bar Association Tech Resources: tcba.org
- Local IT Security Support: techprognosis.com
📥 Want a Printable PDF Version?
Click here to download the checklist as a PDF.
Or email us at [email protected] and we’ll send it straight to your inbox.
