Law Firm Incident Response Plan Template: A Practical Framework for UK Solicitors
The SRA expects every UK law firm to have a documented cyber incident response plan. When an incident occurs, a firm without a plan faces the worst possible combination: technical crisis, regulatory notification deadlines, client communications, and business continuity pressures — all simultaneously, with no predetermined roles, responsibilities, or playbook. This template provides the structure every UK law firm needs, tailored to the specific regulatory and client obligations of SRA-regulated practices.
SRA Thematic Reviews consistently find that a majority of sampled law firms lack a documented incident response plan — making it one of the most common regulatory gaps.
Incident Response Plan: Core Components
An effective law firm incident response plan must address six core components:
- Roles and responsibilities: who is the Incident Manager, who has authority to notify the ICO and SRA, who communicates with clients
- Detection and initial response: how incidents are reported internally, initial triage process, escalation thresholds
- Containment: immediate steps to limit spread — isolating affected systems, changing credentials, taking systems offline
- Regulatory notifications: the 72-hour ICO process, SRA notification triggers, professional indemnity insurer notification
- Client communications: who authorises client notification, what is communicated, how affected clients are identified
- Recovery and review: restoration from clean backups, post-incident review, prevention of recurrence
The First Hour: Immediate Response Actions
The first hour after discovering an incident determines how much damage is done. The plan must specify immediate actions that any designated responder can execute:
- Call your incident response provider or cyber insurer 24/7 line — do this before anything else if you have this resource
- Isolate affected systems from the network — disconnect ethernet, disable Wi-Fi, but do not power off
- Preserve forensic evidence — screenshot any ransom notes or error messages, note exact time of discovery
- Alert the Incident Manager — the named individual with authority to make response decisions
- Begin the ICO 72-hour clock — note the exact time you became aware of the incident
- Do not communicate about the incident on potentially compromised email systems — use personal devices or phone
Regulatory Notification Decision Tree
The plan must include a decision tree for regulatory notifications:
- ICO notification: required if personal data was involved and breach is likely to result in risk to individuals' rights — within 72 hours of awareness
- SRA notification: required if client confidentiality, client money, or ability to practise is affected — notify as soon as practicable
- PI insurer notification: required under most policies immediately upon awareness of circumstances that might give rise to a claim
- Affected client notification: required under GDPR Article 34 if breach poses high risk to individuals — notify without undue delay
- Law Society/legal press: consider proactive communication if the incident is likely to become public
Frequently Asked Questions
Does our incident response plan need to be tested?
Yes — and the SRA expects it. A plan that has never been tested will typically fail in the stress of a real incident. Testing can range from a tabletop exercise (walking through a scenario around a table) to a simulated incident drill. Annual testing, with the results documented, is the minimum recommended standard and aligns with what the SRA expects to see.
Who should be named in our incident response plan?
Name specific individuals (not just roles) for key functions: Incident Manager, ICO/SRA notification decision-maker, client communication lead, IT contact, cyber insurer 24/7 number, and legal counsel. Include personal mobile numbers — most incidents are discovered outside business hours. Review named individuals annually and update whenever personnel change.
What should we do if our incident response provider tells us something different from what our insurer says?
In a real incident, your insurer's incident response team typically leads the response — they are paying for it and their specialist providers (forensics, legal, PR) have authority from the insurer. If there is any conflict, the insurer's position on what is covered should be clarified early. Having a clear understanding of your policy before an incident avoids this situation.
Build and test your incident response plan before you need it — speak to us
Kyanite Blue specialises in cybersecurity for iGaming operators. MGA-licensed operators across Malta trust our stack.
Get in touchReady to secure your iGaming operation?
MGA-licensed operators across Malta trust Kyanite Blue.