Legal technology company VENTRiQ says it sees a pattern across chambers of consistent phishing emails made to look like court correspondence, ransomware targeting case management systems, and attacks that arrive through smaller, less well-defended suppliers. The threat is increasing; the Home Office’s 2025 Cyber Security Breaches Survey, published in June 2025, recorded a 77% rise in successful cyberattacks against UK law firms in 2024, with 55% of professional firms reporting a breach.
Consequently, VENTRiQ, which provides the practice infrastructure for national barrister and mediator network The Barrister Group, launched a Cyber Readiness Score the week. The software tool is aimed at clerks or other chambers staff who cover security but are not security professionals, and is available free of charge for any law firm, chambers or legal practice.
Dr Keiran Fleming, chief technology officer at VENTRiQ, said: ‘Chambers holds some of the most sensitive information in the country, and most of the risk sits in everyday systems that nobody has time to look after.
‘You do not need to become a security expert. You need to know where you stand. This is a sensible place to start.’
The assessment tool reads publicly available signals about the practice’s system, asks a series of questions about security within the firm and gives a readiness score out of 100 with practical next steps. The test takes a few minutes, and the information stays with the firm or chambers.
In May, the Bar Standards Board (BSB) introduced guidance on the use of artificial intelligence and other technologies, requiring chambers to weigh the security and confidentiality implications of any technology before adopting it, as part of their duties under the BSB Handbook.
