Cyberattacks targeting law firms have surged in 2025, with major firm Greenberg Traurig confirming that stolen documents were posted to the dark web and legal industry data pointing to a near-doubling of security incidents this year.
A Growing Threat to Legal Firms
Law firms have become prime targets for cybercriminals, and the latest figures underscore how quickly the problem is escalating. Greenberg Traurig, one of the largest firms in the United States, disclosed that confidential materials belonging to the firm surfaced on the dark web after a breach. The incident highlights the sensitive nature of the data that legal practices routinely handle, from privileged client communications to high-stakes deal documents.
Reports from BakerHostetler, which tracks data-security matters across the industry, indicate that incidents affecting law firms roughly doubled in 2025 compared with prior levels. That trajectory suggests attackers are increasingly zeroing in on legal organizations, viewing them as rich repositories of valuable and exploitable information.
Law firms sit on troves of confidential data, making them irresistible targets for criminals hunting leverage and profit.
Why Attackers Are Circling
The appeal for hackers is straightforward. Legal practices store material that can be used for extortion, insider trading, or resale, and the reputational damage from a leak gives victims a strong incentive to pay. When stolen documents appear on dark web marketplaces, they can be auctioned, ransomed, or weaponized against clients and the firms themselves.
The trend fits a broader pattern of ransomware and data-theft campaigns that have hit professional services companies across sectors. Cybercriminals often threaten to publish stolen files unless demands are met, turning confidential archives into bargaining chips.
Security experts point to several factors driving the risk for legal organizations:
- The high concentration of sensitive and privileged information
- Strong pressure to avoid public exposure, which encourages payment
- Complex networks of clients and third-party vendors that widen the attack surface
What Firms Face Next
The near-doubling of incidents signals that legal practices will need to invest more heavily in defenses, from stronger network monitoring to employee training and incident-response planning. Firms that fail to harden their systems risk not only financial losses but lasting damage to client trust.
For an industry built on confidentiality, the appearance of stolen files on the dark web is a stark reminder that data protection