If your law firm works with clients in healthcare or handles any data that could be classified as Protected Health Information (PHI), then HIPAA compliance becomes serious, a legal obligation.
Even if your practice isn’t directly in the healthcare space, more and more law firms are being asked to meet HIPAA standards as part of vendor agreements, insurance panels, or class action cases involving medical records.
And beyond HIPAA, cybersecurity is a growing priority for legal professionals who want to safeguard sensitive client information and stay ahead of regulatory risk.
In this guide, we’ll break down the key layers of security every law firm should address, and how to evaluate software vendors through a HIPAA and cybersecurity lens.
This is part of our larger Legal Tech Guide for Solo Attorneys in 2025.
Why HIPAA Compliance Matters for Law Firms
HIPAA (the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) requires any organization that handles PHI to protect that data according to strict security and privacy standards.
While law firms are not automatically considered “covered entities,” they often qualify as business associates if they’re accessing or storing PHI on behalf of a client or healthcare entity.
That means you may be required to:
- Sign a Business Associate Agreement (BAA)
- Secure all PHI under HIPAA’s security rule
- Implement access controls and audit trails
- Use encryption for stored and transmitted data
Even outside HIPAA obligations, these are all best practices for client data security, especially if your firm is working remotely, using cloud software, or relying on third-party vendors to manage case files, billing, or communication.
Three Layers of Security Law Firms Must Get Right
When we advise firms on data protection and compliance, we start by examining security at three levels:
1. Firm-Wide Access Controls
At the highest level, your firm should implement Role-Based Access Control (RBAC) across your systems. Not everyone on your team needs access to every document, email, or billing record.
Best practices:
- Limit access to PHI and sensitive client data based on job role
- Separate permissions between attorneys, paralegals, intake staff, and contractors
- Use single sign-on (SSO) or identity management where possible
- Offboard employees and contractors immediately when they leave
If your systems don’t support user roles or access logs, it’s time to upgrade.
2. IT Infrastructure and Network Setup
Even if you use cloud apps, the devices and networks your team uses daily are still a risk surface. HIPAA requires both technical safeguards and physical protections.
Key infrastructure security practices:
- Ensure all firm devices (laptops, phones) have full-disk encryption
- Use strong Wi-Fi passwords and firewall protections at physical offices
- Install endpoint security tools (antivirus, remote lock/wipe tools)
- Require MFA (multi-factor authentication) on all major systems
- Regularly update operating systems and software patches
If your team works remotely or brings their own devices (BYOD), these policies are even more important.
3. Application-Level Security
Many law firms rely on cloud tools for case management, email, billing, and document storage. These platforms must be configured properly to ensure compliance.
Checklist for app-level compliance:
- Set up RBAC inside each application (e.g., Clio, Dropbox, Google Workspace)
- Ensure apps support MFA and audit logs
- Limit who can share or export sensitive files
- Review default permission settings on shared folders or templates
- Turn on encryption settings for file sharing and email
Just buying HIPAA-compliant software doesn’t make your firm compliant, most software requires additional configuration to be managed the right way.
Evaluating Legal Software Vendors for HIPAA Compliance
Before adopting any software that may touch PHI or confidential matter data, evaluate the vendor for their security and compliance posture.
Here are the certifications and agreements to look for:
SOC 2 Type II
This certification verifies that the vendor has controls in place to manage data securely, with third-party audits over time. It’s a baseline standard for any professional-grade SaaS product.
- Look for: Audit reports, security whitepapers, or public attestation pages
ISO 27001
This is an international information security standard that covers risk management, controls, and procedures across the vendor’s organization.
- Look for: A certificate or validation through a recognized accreditation body
HIPAA + BAA Support
If you're handling PHI, make sure the vendor:
- Is willing to sign a Business Associate Agreement
- Has proper HIPAA security measures in place (encryption, audit logs, breach notification processes)
If a software vendor refuses to sign a BAA or lacks transparency on security, that’s a red flag especially if you’re storing sensitive matter data.
What About Secure Email for Lawyers?
Email is still one of the weakest points in law firm security. Standard email (like Gmail or Outlook without encryption tools) is not secure enough to transmit PHI or sensitive matter documents.
Options for secure email:
- Virtru or Paubox: End-to-end encrypted email platforms that work with Gmail or Outlook
- Google Workspace (Business Plus or higher): With TLS encryption and access control features
- ProtonMail: Fully encrypted email, though limited integrations with legal tools
Whichever tool you choose, make sure:
- Attachments are encrypted
- Access can be revoked after sending
- MFA is turned on
- You’re storing emails securely in your case management or DMS system
Final Thoughts
HIPAA compliance is a set of ongoing systems, policies, and tools that need to be managed across every level of your firm.
Start by auditing how your team accesses, stores, and shares sensitive data. From there, choose software vendors that meet compliance standards like SOC 2, ISO, and HIPAA, and take the time to configure access properly inside every app.
Most importantly, build security into your firm’s culture. The best tools in the world won’t protect you if team members are reusing passwords or forwarding documents to personal email accounts.
If you're unsure whether your current systems are HIPAA-compliant or secure enough for your practice area, we help law firm owners run risk assessments and implement compliant, scalable systems.