Legal AI Security Questions All Law Firms Should Ask Their Legal Software Vendors

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In the rapidly evolving world of legal technology, law firms increasingly rely on AI-driven tools to enhance efficiency and accuracy. However, with great power comes great responsibility—specifically, the responsibility to ensure that these powerful tools do not compromise client data or firm integrity. Here are essential security questions every law firm should ask their legal software vendors to safeguard their operations. Check out our CEO's video on this topic:

Question #1: How is my data handled in your partnership with AI models?

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Legal software often integrates with large language models from major companies like OpenAI, Google, or Anthropic, offering various service tiers regarding data usage. At Gavel, our agreements ensure these models do not retain or train on your data.

Question #2: What uses does your software have for my data?

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It's crucial to verify that your client data is used solely for the intended services. At Gavel, we commit to not using your client data for training our models. We maintain strict data isolation and robust security measures to prevent unauthorized access.

Question #3: Where and how is my data stored?

‍Inquire about the storage locations and the security protocols in place. Ensure that your data is protected with end-to-end encryption, both in transit and at rest, and managed through secure encryption key practices, along with stringent data segregation.

Question #4: What are my rights regarding data retention and deletion?

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Especially important in less regulated jurisdictions, understand your rights under the vendor's data retention and deletion policies. For instance, Gavel pledges to delete all customer data within a defined period post-account termination or upon customer request, ensuring compliance with laws like GDPR or CCPA.

By asking these questions, law firms can better understand their legal software vendors' commitment to security and make more informed decisions about who they trust with their sensitive data.

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