Kolabrya’s AI Readiness Checklist for Law Firms

Yashar Daf
Sep 21
2 min read

Introduction

As a cybersecurity expert and co-founder of Kolabrya AI — an AI summarization tool for personal injury, insurance, and employment lawyers and investigators — I know the risks of deploying new technologies without strong governance.

Law firms, by their nature, are high-value targets for cyberattacks. They manage vast amounts of personally identifiable information (PII), health data, employment records, and financial files. This creates a large attack surface, making them particularly vulnerable to breaches, insider threats, and regulatory scrutiny.

Because of this, organizational-wide AI adoption cannot begin until key cybersecurity and governance safeguards are in place. Kolabrya AI recommends that firms assess their readiness using a NIST-aligned framework, focusing on the following domains.

1. Governance & Policy (NIST GV)

Establish an AI Use Policy aligned with professional obligations (solicitor–client privilege, PHIPA, GDPR, CCPA, others).
Assign clear ownership (partner-level accountability + IT security oversight).
Define acceptable use, data handling, and prohibited practices (e.g., no copy-pasting client files into public AI tools).
Document third-party/vendor due diligence processes.

2. Identity & Access Management (NIST PR.AC)

Require Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) for all AI platforms and integrations.
Enforce least-privilege access: restrict AI tool access based on role, matter sensitivity, and client agreements.
Segregate administrative vs. standard accounts; prohibit shared credentials.

3. Data Protection & Privacy (NIST PR.DS)

Ensure data classification is in place (client PII, health data, financial data).
Encrypt all client data in transit and at rest; confirm vendor encryption standards.
Implement data residency controls to comply with jurisdictional requirements (e.g., PHIPA in Ontario).
Apply data retention and disposal policies to AI-generated outputs.

4. Secure Architecture & Technology Controls (NIST PR.PT)

Use only SOC 2 / ISO 27001 / PHIPA-compliant vendors.
Require tenant data isolation — no mixing of firm data with other customers.
Validate vendor controls against Technology and Cyber Risk principles.
Disable or restrict unapproved integrations (e.g., unvetted email connectors, shadow SaaS tools).

5. Detection & Monitoring (NIST DE.CM)

Log and monitor all AI activity, including who accessed what data and when.
Detect anomalous use patterns (e.g., large uploads outside normal work hours).
Integrate AI logs with SIEM (Security Information and Event Management) for centralized oversight.

6. Response & Recovery (NIST RS / RC)

Update the firm’s Incident Response Plan to include AI breaches, prompt injection, and vendor compromise scenarios.
Establish breach notification procedures for clients and regulators (PHIPA, GDPR, etc.).
Maintain tested disaster recovery and continuity plans covering AI systems.

My Final Thoughts

Law firms face a double-edged challenge: the need to leverage AI to remain competitive, and the obligation to safeguard client data at all costs. The attack surface is simply too large given the massive volumes of PII, sensitive health data, and financial records firms hold to deploy AI without first implementing robust governance and security controls.

The bottom line: before adopting AI firm-wide, conduct a NIST-aligned risk and readiness assessment. Only then can law firms adopt AI at scale, safely and with client trust intact.

Contact us to schedule your firm’s AI Readiness Assessment. We’ll help you evaluate risks and put the right safeguards in place. info@kolabrya.com