This article appeared in Cybersecurity Law & Strategy, an ALM publication for privacy and security professionals, Chief Information Security Officers, Chief Information Officers, Chief Technology Officers, Corporate Counsel, Internet and Tech Practitioners, In-House Counsel. Visit the website to learn more.

Most firms have extensive cybersecurity measures in place, but emerging or unclear regulatory requirements embroil them in a never-ending cycle of evaluation, best-practices review, and implementation. Firms don’t just need to have their own systems secured; a responsible firm must also reduce the risk of breach at their third-party vendors. This risk continues to grow as cloud-service providers gain acceptance in law firms. As cloud service providers become commonplace, so too does a firm’s responsibility to ensure their vendors are managing risk appropriately.