Book Review – ‘Locked Down: Practical Information Security for Lawyers’

We’re happy to publish below a review of the new American Bar Association publication ‘Locked Down: Practical Information Security for Lawyers’.  The second edition is co-authored by Sharon Nelson and John Simek (both of Sensei Enterprises) and David Ries.  Information management and information security are major practice management concerns for every lawyer; and, this book provides a useful primer on those topics.

The below review is written by Nerino Petro, CIO at Holmstrom Kennedy PC, and a former practice management consultant for the state bar of Wisconsin.

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Here’s a wakeup call for lawyers — you DO need to know about information technology!  As more and more states adopt the American Bar Association Commission on Ethics 20/20 recommendations requiring lawyers and firms to understand the technology used in their offices, lawyers and their staff need to have at least a basic understanding of how to secure their digital information and computer systems.  To that end, you need to buy and read ‘Locked Down: Practical Information Security for Lawyers’.

The authors have created a terrific resource that covers all aspects of law office digital security in a well-organized and detailed book.  To meet your ethical obligations and educate yourself about the dangers facing your practice and the steps you need to take to protect yourself, you need to have a basic understanding of the fundamentals of information security and how those affect you and the technology you use.  If you want to acquire that understanding: This. Is. The. Book. To. Own.

You can read the book from start to finish, or you can start with the first several chapters, and jump around thereafter.  Since it is organized into clearly-titled, standalone chapters, this book can serve as a go-to resource for you and your law firm staff.  It’s full of practical examples, resources for accessing additional information and sample policies for small firms that can be easily adapted for your practice.  This is the best resource I’ve found to get you and your staff up to speed on protecting your digital assets.

You can buy the paper book or ebook here, direct from the ABA.