Protecting your information in a Digital Age: What clients should know about Cybersecurity

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In today’s digital world, most communication between solicitors and clients takes place online. Clients often share personal, financial and legal information, making it essential to remain alert to cyber threats. Cybersecurity plays a vital role in protecting confidentiality and maintaining trust.

Law firms handle sensitive materials such as identification documents, contracts and financial records, all of which can be attractive to criminals. Cyber incidents in the legal sector can include phishing emails, ransomware, impersonation scams and data breaches, each of which may lead to financial loss or reputational harm.

Simple steps to stay Cyber Safe: 

  • Be cautious of unexpected emails or messages, particularly those requesting changes to payment details or urgent action. Always confirm such requests by calling your solicitor using a verified number.
  • Avoid sending sensitive identification documents by standard email. Use secure upload links or password-protected files instead.
  • Do not access confidential information over public Wi-Fi networks or shared computers.
  • Keep your devices up to date and ensure reputable antivirus protection is installed.
  • Use strong, unique passwords for your accounts and consider using a password manager for added security.

Cyber risks can arise across all areas of legal practice. Conveyancing and Bridging Finance transactions are sometimes targeted by fraudsters seeking to intercept or redirect funds, while Immigration, Family, Probate and Litigation matters often involve highly confidential information. Each area of practice presents its own challenges and careful handling of data, combined with robust digital security practices, remain essential throughout the profession.

UK Data Protection Law, including the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018, sets out how personal information should be managed and protected. These frameworks exist to safeguard individuals and ensure that information is handled responsibly. The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) provides guidance on best practice and maintaining confidentiality in a digital age.

 Our Commitment to Clients

At Sriharans Solicitors, we understand that trust lies at the heart of every client relationship. We take the protection of our clients’ information extremely seriously and handle all data in accordance with professional and ethical standards. Our internal systems and procedures are regularly reviewed to help safeguard against emerging cyber threats and our team remains alert to risks that could affect client confidentiality. By combining sound legal practice with careful data management, we aim to provide a safe, transparent and reliable service at all times.

Cybersecurity is a shared responsibility. While solicitors continue to strengthen their systems and processes, clients also play an important role by remaining vigilant and reporting anything suspicious. Open and honest communication between solicitor and client is often the best protection. If you ever receive an unexpected or concerning message, contact your solicitor immediately using verified contact details.

We at Sriharans believe that protecting client information is not merely a professional duty it is a fundamental part of how we practice law. By remaining alert and following a few straightforward precautions, clients and solicitors can work together to ensure that personal and financial information remains secure throughout every stage of a legal matter.

Reliable Sources of Cybersecurity information:

If you would like to read more about protecting your information and recognising genuine online communication, the resources below provide clear, reliable guidance from trusted UK authorities on data protection and online security:

Safeguarding Lenders in Bridging Finance: Key Takeaways from HNW Lending Ltd v Lawrence (2025)”

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Bridging Finance is characterised by its flexibility and speed, sometimes completed in a matter of days to meet the demands of time-sensitive property and re-mortgage transactions. Whilst this provides clear advantages to a borrower, it also highlights the importance of ensuring that lenders have strong legal safeguards in place.

When a default occurs, enforcement proceedings can become complex. In the recent High Court case of HNW Lending Ltd v Lawrence (2025), a £1.5 million bridging loan was advanced to a corporate borrower. Pursuant to the loan agreement, HNW Lending Ltd was appointed as ‘Security Agent’ to hold and enforce security for the benefit of the lenders. The borrower defaulted and HNW Lending Ltd sought to enforce its security. The borrower argued that HNW Lending Ltd, as the ‘Security Agent’ had no grounds to enforce and could only be treated as a third party under the Contracts (Rights of Third Parties) Act 1999. The Court rejected this argument and confirmed that HNW Lending Ltd was validly appointed to act for the lenders and could enforce the loan and security. This case confirms that security agents can enforce bridging loan rights, provided the documentation is clear, properly executed, and promptly registered.

Although speed and efficiency are vital in bridging finance, perfecting security remains paramount. Loan agreements should expressly exclude any unintended third-party rights, and charges must be correctly executed and registered. By putting these safeguards in place from the outset, lenders can move quickly to meet borrower demands while remaining confident that their position is fully protected, an area in which our firm has extensive experience for over 14 years.

Leaseholders’ protection under the Building Safety Act 2022 for non-cladding defects 

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The Building Safety Act (BSA) was introduced in 2022 following the Grenfell Fire in 2017. Aiming to improve fire safety in residential units, it introduced higher fire safety requirements for residential buildings that are at least 11 metres or 5 stories high (Relevant Buildings). 

Under the BSA, the concept of ‘qualifying leaseholder’ was created to protect some leaseholders from becoming liable to contribute significant remedial costs if non-cladding defects were found in Relevant Buildings. This applies to leaseholders who, as of 14 February 2022, used the property as their only or main home in Relevant Buildings and owned 3 or fewer residential properties in the UK. They must also have had a lease with a term of 21 years and were obliged to pay service charges under the provisions of the lease. 

Additionally, 3 further conditions must be met for those with a qualifying lease to be fully exempt from contributions towards remedial costs regarding non-cladding defects: (1) the landlord is legally responsible for the defects; (2) the average value of the Landlord’s properties is over £2,000,000; and (3) the property has a valuation of less than £325,000 if it is within London or £175,000 if it is located elsewhere in the UK. If any of these criteria is not met, then a partial exemption will apply, whereby one’s contribution will be statutorily limited to £10,000-£15,000 depending on whether the property is located inside or outside Greater London. 

Furthermore, one consideration often overlooked by inexperienced buyers is whether a lease is a ‘qualified lease’ as of 14 February 2022. This is because, even if all of the above criteria are met based on the circumstances at the time of the transaction, it is the original Leaseholder’s status and how the property was used before 14 February 2022 that decides whether a lease is a qualifying lease. For instance, borrowing an example from gov.uk, a lease would not be a qualifying lease if it were assigned from a seller who did not use the property as their main home before 14 February 2022 to a leaseholder who does after the assignment.

Overall, buyers must be careful when conducting due diligence on properties affected by the BSA. In such transactions, they should always aim to obtain a Leaseholder deed of certificate from the seller to demonstrate eligibility for protections against building safety costs under the BSA. If they do not qualify for protections under the BSA, tailored indemnity policies should be obtained to cover the risks of any financial liabilities that could arise under the Act if non-cladding defects were found on the property. 

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