Application Qn

datguyak

Esteemed Member
Nov 20, 2018
99
76
Hey guys so the qn is:

An issue impacting the legal profession- how and why

I'm quite concerned that my answer speaks more about how cybersecurity affects law firms rather than the legal profession- but I'm not sure if that's just me over thinking it. Would appreciate any feedback!





As a profession that demands and thrives upon trust and discretion, cyber-attacks are a significant threat to a law firm’s reputation. As firms innovate, they increase their reliance on technology, making them more susceptible to a security breach. A potential loss of clients is not the only consequence, however, as a successful attack can result in an expensive claim in negligence.


At a time when the legal profession is under increasing pressure to reduce costs, firms will have to increase spending on cybersecurity, potentially leading to reduced budgets elsewhere. In turn, this could result in some firms struggling to retain their competitive advantage.

For many firms, the threat of a cybersecurity breach will result in changes in the way that legal services are provided. There is likely to be increased separation between departments to ensure that exposure of sensitive information is limited. For the same reasons, firms are likely to strengthen and fragment their network; lawyers could find that they have reduced remote-working capabilities as a result.
 

Jaysen

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  • Feb 17, 2018
    4,692
    8,565
    Hey guys so the qn is:

    An issue impacting the legal profession- how and why

    I'm quite concerned that my answer speaks more about how cybersecurity affects law firms rather than the legal profession- but I'm not sure if that's just me over thinking it. Would appreciate any feedback!





    As a profession that demands and thrives upon trust and discretion, cyber-attacks are a significant threat to a law firm’s reputation. As firms innovate, they increase their reliance on technology, making them more susceptible to a security breach. A potential loss of clients is not the only consequence, however, as a successful attack can result in an expensive claim in negligence.


    At a time when the legal profession is under increasing pressure to reduce costs, firms will have to increase spending on cybersecurity, potentially leading to reduced budgets elsewhere. In turn, this could result in some firms struggling to retain their competitive advantage.

    For many firms, the threat of a cybersecurity breach will result in changes in the way that legal services are provided. There is likely to be increased separation between departments to ensure that exposure of sensitive information is limited. For the same reasons, firms are likely to strengthen and fragment their network; lawyers could find that they have reduced remote-working capabilities as a result.

    I think it's a good answer. Your writing is clear and I like your analysis. You show a good understanding of the issues.

    I'm assuming you've written up to the word count, which gives you limited room to develop your points. If you can, I'd work a bit more on your second paragraph. You lead with a great point but then it seems you make a few assumptions. Why must firms increase spending on cybersecurity? Will all firms do that? Will it really affect their competitive advantage? What kind of firms will be affected? Not saying you're wrong, but I think you could show you've thought about the issue more deeply by being more specific.

    Finally, I'm a little unclear on the last sentence of your last paragraph.
     

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