How do we stop fraud on settlement disbursements?▼
Treat every new payee and every changed payment detail as unverified until confirmed by phone, using contact information already in your file or from an independent source, never from the email requesting the change. Require a second person to approve trust disbursements, and let your bank’s positive pay or approval workflows add another layer. On the technical side, MFA, forwarding-rule alerts and impersonation filtering make it harder for attackers to sit inside your mailboxes watching for settlement dates. Rule 1.15 puts the duty to safeguard client funds on the firm, so the process matters.
Is our firm subject to HIPAA because we handle medical records?▼
Usually not directly. Plaintiff firms typically obtain records through client authorizations rather than acting as a business associate of a covered entity, though there are exceptions, so your counsel should confirm for your practice. Either way, medical records are among the most sensitive data you hold, and your ethics duties under Model Rule 1.6 still require reasonable safeguards. We apply HIPAA-style controls such as access restrictions, encryption, audit logs and secure sharing, because they’re a sensible standard for this data.
Our intake staff text clients from personal phones. Is that a problem?▼
It creates two problems. Client communications end up on devices the firm doesn’t control, so they can’t be preserved, searched or removed when an employee leaves. And personal messaging apps don’t offer the access controls or retention your firm may need. A managed VoIP platform with business texting gives intake and case managers a firm number for calls and texts, keeps conversations attached to the client record, and stays with the firm when staff turn over.
Which case management systems do you support?▼
We regularly work with cloud platforms like Filevine, CASEpeer, Litify, SmartAdvocate and CloudLex, plus legacy systems like Needles. Our role is the environment around them: user provisioning, SSO and MFA, browser and integration issues, document generation add-ins, email sync and backup of anything stored outside the platform. For configuration inside the case management system, we coordinate with your administrator or the vendor so changes don’t break workflows your team depends on.
How should we share medical records with experts and opposing counsel?▼
Use encrypted, access-controlled sharing rather than email attachments. Options include your case management platform’s secure sharing, a SharePoint or OneDrive link restricted to specific recipients with expiration, or a dedicated client and counsel portal. Each share should be logged and expire when the purpose ends. We set these up, train staff on which option to use when, and add data loss prevention rules that warn before large sets of records leave by plain email.
What should we do if a case manager’s email is compromised?▼
Contain it immediately: reset credentials, revoke active sessions, remove any attacker-created inbox rules and check whether forwarding was set up. Then review what the attacker could see, especially medical records and settlement discussions, and whether any payment instructions were sent from the account. We do that technical work and document a timeline. Decisions about notifying clients and any other parties belong to the firm and its counsel; ABA Formal Opinion 483 addresses lawyers’ obligations after a data breach.
Do you provide Personal Injury Law Firms IT Services in Houston and nearby areas?▼
Yes. LayerLogix is based in the Greater Houston area and delivers personal injury law firms IT services to businesses across Houston and the surrounding communities, including The Woodlands, Spring, Katy, Sugar Land, Conroe, Cypress, and Pearland. For most Houston-area clients we can be on-site the same day when something needs hands-on attention, and our help desk is available during business hours, with after-hours emergency support. Call 713-571-2390 to check coverage for your specific address.
What does Personal Injury Law Firms IT Services cost for a Houston business?▼
Pricing depends on your size and what you need, so we do not publish a one-size-fits-all number — but Houston businesses generally pay a flat, predictable monthly fee rather than surprise hourly bills. We start with a free, no-obligation assessment of your current setup, then give you a clear quote in plain English with no hidden costs. That way you know exactly what you are getting and what it costs before you commit.