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.
⏱️ Chapters
00:00 Welcome and introductions
00:41 Meet Lawton Brown
03:13 Lawyer turned cybersecurity professional
06:09 The old law firm server and the move to the cloud
09:55 When hacked law firms send dangerous emails
10:42 Cybersecurity negligence and legal ethics
12:20 Practical email security protections
15:42 The limitations of cyber liability insurance
17:40 Ignoring known security vulnerabilities
19:53 Why small firms are attractive targets
21:31 Cloud servers versus local servers
23:51 What a data breach can cost
25:27 The realities of ransomware
27:00 The battle over WordPerfect
31:57 Hacking in movies versus real life
33:33 Real-world hacking techniques
36:16 Why most attacks begin with email
37:35 Movies the hosts cannot stop watching
40:32 A serious Star Wars technology debate
41:33 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.com
Office: (678) 208-8866
To learn more about Xogent’s cybersecurity and managed IT services, visit the website or contact Lawton directly.
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🎙️ 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