Enhancing Client Communication Security in Legal Practice

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In today's digital-first legal landscape, most law firms still rely on outdated methods like email and SMS texting to communicate with clients. While these channels are convenient and familiar, they are no longer compliant with modern security standards—and they leave law firms dangerously exposed to cyber threats.

The Ethical and Security Risks of Email and SMS

The American Bar Association’s Model Rule 1.6(c) mandates that lawyers must take "reasonable efforts" to prevent unauthorized disclosure of client information. But according to the ABA’s 2023 Legal Technology Survey Report, nearly 30% of law firms experienced a security breach last year—a rise from previous years. These breaches are often tied to phishing attacks or compromised email accounts, both of which exploit the fallibility of human behavior and the vulnerabilities of unsecured systems.

Even more alarming, the FBI and CISA have warned about the critical risks of SMS messaging. A January 2025 Forbes article highlights that SMS is vulnerable to SIM-swapping, interception, and impersonation. And in late 2024, the agencies issued a joint advisory warning of Chinese espionage groups—like Salt Typhoon—exploiting telecom infrastructure to steal data and intercept messages.

What the Florida Bar (and Others) Are Saying

The Florida Bar’s "Best Practices for Professional Electronic Communication" acknowledges the rising threats in digital communication. They emphasize encrypted email services and secure client portals as preferable tools for protecting confidentiality. But they also caution that email attachments may contain metadata, viruses, or other vulnerabilities—and that relying on insecure systems can jeopardize client trust and attorney ethics.

Not all portals, however, are equally secure. Many still use email or SMS to notify clients to log in—defeating the purpose of a secure system. These legacy approaches continue to place sensitive information at risk.

A Real-World Example: Loyd J. Bourgeois, Injury & Accident Lawyer

Loyd J. Bourgeois Injury & Accident Lawyer, a Louisiana-based law firm, took a proactive approach by transitioning to Case Status, a client engagement platform that uses encrypted push notifications instead of email or text.

That investment paid off. When a staff member's email account was compromised, the firm used Case Status to notify their entire client base in under two minutes, advising them to avoid interacting with potentially malicious emails.

“The ability to cut off a bad actor proactively and within 120 seconds was absolutely an amazing experience!”
— Loyd J. Bourgeois, Attorney and Founder

This rapid, secure response helped the firm avoid the fallout seen by many others—like the law firm profiled in a recent Ethical-ish podcast episode, featuring Professor Constance Anastopoulo. She shared that since 2020, there have been over 750,000 cyberattacks reported by law firms, often due to weak email and SMS practices.

Why Push Notifications Are the New Standard

Case Status offers a 5-star rated mobile app that integrates directly with leading case management systems. Unlike portals that depend on email alerts, Case Status uses secure, end-to-end encrypted push notifications with two-factor authentication. With 80–85% client app adoption, your messages are not only secure—they’re actually seen.

Final Thought: The Stakes Are Too High

With tens of thousands of cyberattacks targeting law firms each year, email and SMS are no longer sufficient—or ethical—tools for client communication. Compliance with ABA Rule 1.6 means adopting platforms that can demonstrably protect client data.

Want to future-proof your firm and protect your clients?
Schedule a demo with Case Status and see how secure client engagement is done right.