As data security challenges continue to escalate, many law firms and corporate legal departments are upping their efforts to strengthen cyber defenses and minimize risks. More than three-quarters of lawyers (76 percent) recently surveyed by Robert Half Legal said their organization plans to increase spending on cybersecurity-related resources over the next 12 months. None of the respondents planned to decrease spending.

On average, lawyers expect to boost cybersecurity budgets by 21 percent. In a similar 2017 Robert Half Legal survey, 41 percent of attorneys anticipated allocating more resources to cybersecurity, with average budget increases of 13 percent.

Lawyers were asked, "Does your law firm or company plan to increase or decrease its budget on cybersecurity-related tools and services in the next 12 months?" Their responses:

"With the increasing prevalence of cyberattacks and online security issues, many legal organizations are taking proactive measures to better anticipate threats and protect sensitive client data," said Jamy Sullivan, executive director of Robert Half Legal. "Recent laws such as the European Union's General Data Protection Regulation and the California Consumer Privacy Act also are top concerns for legal teams."

These new data privacy mandates are placing more accountability on companies for protecting consumers' personal information, and many will face large fines if they fail to do so, Sullivan added. "Lawyers are collaborating closely with their technology, human resources, marketing and business development colleagues to help ensure their organizations remain compliant and, ultimately, competitive."