The
pair
appeared
at
Alexandra
Magistrates
Court
on
Wednesday,
11
March
2026,
where
they
had
been
expected
to
formally
apply
for
bail.
Their
lawyers,
however,
told
the
court
they
now
wish
to
proceed
with
plea
discussions.
The
matter
is
expected
to
return
to
court
on
17
March,
and
both
men
will
remain
in
custody
until
then.
The
case,
which
was
postponed
last
Thursday
due
to
a
power
outage
at
the
court,
centres
on
a
shooting
incident
at
the
Hyde
Park
home
of
the
Mugabes
in
February.
The
defendants
are
accused
of
shooting
a
23-year-old
employee,
leaving
the
victim
in
a
critical
condition.
Mugabe
and
Matonhodze
face
several
serious
charges,
including
attempted
murder,
possession
of
a
firearm
and
ammunition,
pointing
a
firearm,
theft,
defeating
the
ends
of
justice,
and
contravening
the
Immigration
Act.
The
residents
say
several
attempts
to
engage
the
Zimbabwe
Electricity
Transmission
and
Distribution
Company
(ZETDC)
have
not
yielded
results,
leaving
them
in
the
dark
for
months.
Airing
their
grievances
at
a
community
meeting
hosted
by
the
Bulawayo
Progressive
Residents
Association
(BPRA)
on
Wednesday,
the
residents
said
the
outage
has
made
it
difficult
to
carry
out
basic
daily
activities
that
require
electricity.
One
resident,
who
identified
herself
as
Gogo
Mabhena,
said
the
situation
has
become
particularly
difficult
for
elderly
people
who
rely
on
medication
that
needs
refrigeration.
“We
have
gone
for
a
very
long
time
without
electricity.
Some
of
us
are
now
old
and
we
have
pills
and
injections
that
we
take
periodically.
Some
of
this
medication
needs
to
be
stored
in
refrigerators,”
she
said.
“How
safe
is
it
to
take
such
sensitive
substances
for
storage
to
neighbours?
They
need
extra
care.
“Furthermore,
every
morning
we
have
to
bother
those
same
neighbours
and
ask
them
to
charge
our
phones
for
us.
Of
course
people
may
agree
on
some
days,
but
at
some
point
you
can
tell
that
you
are
now
bothering
someone.”
Another
resident,
Lucky,
said
they
have
made
several
appeals
to
the
power
utility
but
there
has
not
been
a
positive
outcome.
“At
first
we
were
asked
to
pay
US$13
per
household
because
they
said
the
cables
had
been
damaged.
They
restored
them
and
we
were
only
reconnected
for
a
week,”
he
said.
“After
that
we
were
asked
to
pay
US$37
per
household
again
because
they
said
the
transformer
needed
to
be
replaced.
Our
community
has
many
elderly
people
who
cannot
afford
that
amount
of
money.
We
really
need
some
sort
of
intervention.”
BPRA
Ward
17
chairperson,
Elias
Nyathi,
said
they
have
tried
various
avenues
to
seek
assistance
but
none
have
produced
results
so
far.
“We
have
spoken
to
different
people
from
ZESA
but
we
have
not
gotten
any
breakthrough
yet.
We
even
tried
our
local
MP,
Sichelilesile
Mahlangu,
but
nothing
much
has
changed,”
Nyathi
said.
“Our
elders
do
not
have
the
amount
requested.
We
need
assistance.
We
sincerely
believe
that
it
is
unjust
to
make
people
buy
new
transformers
because
in
some
instances
it
is
not
their
fault
that
they
break
down
or
stop
working
completely.
We
really
need
help
with
our
current
plight.”
The
warning
comes
after
investigations
by
CITE
revealed
cases
in
which
Zimbabweans
were
recruited
to
travel
to
Russia
under
the
pretext
of
civilian
employment
opportunities,
only
to
reportedly
undergo
short-term
military
training
and
be
deployed
to
the
frontlines
in
the
ongoing
war
between
Russia–Ukraine
War.
CITE’s
investigation found
that
some
Zimbabweans
were
recruited
locally
while
others
were
approached
in
neighbouring
South
Africa,
with
recruiters
allegedly
offering
attractive
salaries
and
benefits.
However,
testimonies
from
families
and
individuals
already
in
Russia
suggest
the
reality
on
arrival
has
been
markedly
different.
In
response
to
questions
from
CITE,
Ministry
spokesperson
Philisiwe
Chidawanyika
issued
a
general
warning
about
fraudulent
recruitment
agencies
operating
online
and
outside
Zimbabwe’s
regulatory
jurisdiction.
“The
Ministry
of
Foreign
Affairs
and
International
Trade
wishes
to
address
recurring
questions
and
concerns
surrounding
the
increased
cases
of
Zimbabwean
nationals
being
lured
to
work
under
extremely
unfavourable
conditions
in
foreign
countries
on
the
promise
of
lucrative
employment
contracts,”
Chidawanyika
said.
She
warned
many
of
the
agencies
involved
operate
largely
in
digital
spaces,
making
it
difficult
for
authorities
to
monitor
their
activities.
“The
Ministry
warns
Zimbabweans
of
the
prevalence
of
fraudulent
recruitment
agencies,
most
of
which
operate
in
digital
spaces
and
outside
the
regulatory
jurisdiction
of
the
country.
These
bogus
agencies
usually
dangle
attractive
remuneration
packages
but
are
silent
on
the
unfavourable
working
conditions
and
the
personal
sacrifices
to
be
made
by
the
recruits,”
she
said.
According
to
the
foreign
affairs
ministry,
in
some
cases
the
jobs
offered
during
recruitment
are
not
the
roles
recruits
ultimately
find
themselves
performing.
“In
some
cases,
the
jobs
offered
at
recruitment
are
not
what
the
recruits
find
themselves
deployed
into,”
Chidawanyika
said.
She
urged
Zimbabweans
who
receive
offers
to
work
or
study
abroad
to
first
verify
them
through
government
channels
before
committing.
“The
Ministry
reiterates
its
call
for
Zimbabwean
nationals
who
may
get
an
offer
to
work
or
study
in
a
foreign
country
to
contact
the
Ministry
or
the
nearest
Zimbabwean
Embassy
or
Consulate
for
assistance
in
verifying
such
offers,
to
avoid
falling
victim
to
scams,
which
in
some
cases
may
lead
to
injury
or
loss
of
life,”
she
said.
The
ministry
said
the
government
remained
committed
to
protecting
the
welfare
of
Zimbabweans
living
abroad,
including
investigating
cases
where
citizens
have
issued
distress
calls
after
allegedly
being
scammed.
“While
the
Government
of
Zimbabwe
is
fully
committed
to
promoting,
protecting
and
safeguarding
the
safety
and
welfare
of
its
citizens
living
abroad
and
continues
to
investigate
cases
where
Zimbabwean
nationals
have
issued
distress
calls
after
being
scammed,
citizens
are
strongly
encouraged
to
heed
the
call
for
due
diligence
before
committing
themselves,
to
avoid
situations
that
may
lead
to
crises,”
Chidawanyika
said.
However,
the
ministry’s
response
did
not
directly
confirm
whether
the
government
is
aware
of
Zimbabweans
recruited
specifically
to
fight
in
Russia’s
war
with
Ukraine.
CITE’s
investigation
documented
multiple
accounts
from
Zimbabwean
families
whose
relatives
are
currently
in
Russia
after
travelling
there
for
what
they
believed
were
civilian
jobs.
Some
relatives
said
they
later
learned
their
family
members
had
undergone
brief
military
training
lasting
between
seven
and
14
days
before
they
were
deployed
to
combat
zones.
Others
who
managed
to
communicate
from
Russia
described
harsh
conditions
and
said
the
situation
was
not
what
they
had
expected
when
they
accepted
the
offers.
While
some
recruits
reportedly
travelled
believing
they
would
work
in
construction
or
other
civilian
roles,
others
are
said
to
have
knowingly
signed
up
to
fight
in
exchange
for
financial
incentives.
The
investigation
suggests
the
recruitment
networks
operate
across
borders,
targeting
Zimbabweans
both
inside
the
country
and
within
the
diaspora
in
neighbouring
states.
CITE
sought
clarification
from
the
Ministry
on
several
issues,
including
whether
authorities
were
aware
of
Zimbabweans
recruited
into
military
service
in
Russia,
what
measures
were
being
taken
to
verify
the
circumstances
under
which
citizens
were
travelling
there
and
whether
any
bilateral
agreements
existed
between
Zimbabwe
and
Russia
permitting
such
recruitment.
Questions
were
also
raised
about
whether
the
government
planned
to
issue
public
advisories
warning
citizens
about
the
risks
of
human
trafficking,
labour
exploitation,
or
involvement
in
foreign
conflicts,
and
what
support
mechanisms
were
in
place
for
Zimbabweans
already
in
Russia
who
might
wish
to
return
home.
The
ministry’s
response
did
not
provide
specific
details
on
these
questions,
focusing
instead
on
the
broader
warning
about
fraudulent
recruitment
schemes.
Human
trafficking
experts have
previously
warned
that
deceptive
overseas
job
offers
can
sometimes
be
linked
to
exploitative
labour
practices
or
forced
participation
in
armed
conflicts.
For
‘many’
Zimbabweans
facing
economic
hardship,
promises
of
well-paid
work
abroad
can
be
difficult
to
resist,
particularly
when
recruiters
advertise
high
salaries
and
quick
travel
arrangements.
However,
experiences
shared
by
families
and
recruits
interviewed
during
the
CITE
investigation
suggest
that
for
some,
the
opportunities
have
come
at
a
far
greater
cost
than
expected.
The
call
follows
a
Gender
Impact
Assessment
by
the
Zimbabwe
Environmental
Law
Organisation
(ZELO),
which
found
that
women
in
mining-affected
areas
are
often
left
without
adequate
compensation
when
they
lose
land
used
for
subsistence
farming.
The
report
examined
the
social,
economic
and
environmental
effects
of
lithium
mining
on
women
working
in
both
large-scale
and
artisanal
mining
operations.
Researchers
studied
two
major
lithium
projects
in
Kamativi
and
Insiza
District,
where
the
Kamativi
Lithium
Mining
Company
and
Zulu
Lithium
Mining
Company
operate.
The
assessment
also
looked
at
artisanal
and
small-scale
mining
activities
in
Insiza
and
Mberengwa.
According
to
the
study,
although
some
mining
companies
have
introduced
relocation
and
compensation
measures
to
address
displacement,
these
interventions
often
fail
to
reflect
the
realities
faced
by
women
who
rely
on
land
for
survival.
“For
many
women,
land
is
their
primary
source
of
food,
income
and
social
security,”
ZELO
said
in
the
report.
“When
they
are
displaced,
they
lose
not
only
their
homes
but
also
their
main
livelihoods.”
The
organisation
said
interviews
with
affected
communities
showed
that
compensation
provided
to
displaced
women
frequently
does
not
reflect
the
true
value
of
the
land
or
the
wider
impact
of
losing
it.
As
a
result,
many
women
are
pushed
into
informal
or
low-paying
jobs,
making
it
harder
to
support
their
families.
ZELO
said
the
findings
point
to
a
broader
pattern
of
economic
marginalisation,
with
women
who
lose
land
experiencing
increased
poverty
and
reduced
access
to
services
such
as
education
and
healthcare.
The
report
also
argues
that
Zimbabwe’s
legal
framework
tends
to
prioritise
mining
rights
over
land
rights,
leaving
rural
communities
vulnerable
when
mining
concessions
are
granted.
“Under
the
current
legal
framework,
mining
rights
are
prioritised
over
land
rights,
meaning
women
can
be
displaced
without
adequate
compensation,”
the
report
said.
It
also
noted
that
very
few
women
hold
mining
claims,
limiting
their
ability
to
benefit
from
mineral
resources
found
on
land
they
previously
used
for
farming.
Nearly
half
of
the
women
interviewed
in
artisanal
mining
areas
said
mining
claims
were
not
available
to
them,
while
about
a
third
said
they
could
access
them
only
in
some
cases.
The
study
also
found
that
families
relocated
from
fertile
agricultural
land
to
more
arid
areas
have
struggled
to
rebuild
their
livelihoods,
with
women
particularly
affected
as
they
lose
the
ability
to
farm.
In
some
communities,
the
disruption
has
also
affected
education,
with
children
travelling
longer
distances
to
school
and
some
dropping
out.
The
report
further
links
environmental
degradation
from
mining
activities
to
increased
burdens
on
women,
who
are
often
responsible
for
collecting
water
and
firewood.
Deforestation
and
water
depletion
linked
to
mining
operations
have
made
these
tasks
more
difficult,
it
said.
ZELO
warned
that
economic
pressures
caused
by
displacement
are
also
forcing
some
women
and
girls
into
risky
survival
strategies.
“Displacement
has
pushed
some
women
and
female
youths
towards
alternative
means
of
survival
such
as
prostitution,”
the
report
said,
adding
that
this
exposes
them
to
exploitation,
violence
and
health
risks.
Boys
are
also
increasingly
leaving
school
to
work
in
artisanal
mining,
attracted
by
the
possibility
of
quick
income
to
support
their
families.
The
organisation
said
the
government
should
introduce
a
clear
compensation
framework
that
reflects
the
real
value
of
lost
land
and
ensures
women
participate
in
negotiations.
It
said
such
a
system
should
align
with
international
standards
and
help
restore
livelihoods
for
communities
affected
by
mining
activities.
(Johannesburg)
–
Authorities
in Zimbabwe have
intensified
their
crackdown
against
critics
of
an
effort
by
the
ruling
Zimbabwe
African
National
Union
–
Patriotic
Front
(ZANU-PF)
party
to push
forward a
constitutional
amendment
to
extend
President
Emmerson
Mnangagwa’s
term
of
office,
Human
Rights
Watch
said
today.
The
proposed
amendment
has
attracted
considerable
opposition
from
those
who
consider
it
an
attack
on
the
country’s
democracy.
Under
the
constitution,
President
Mnangagwa
would
have
to
step
down
in
2028
after
serving
two
five-year
terms.
However,
following
a
controversial
ZANU-PF
resolution,
the
government
gazetted Constitutional
Amendment
No
3 on
February
16,
2026.
The
amendment
would
extend
the
term
of
office
for
both
the
president
and
parliament
from
five
to
seven
years,
effectively
postponing
the
2028
elections
until
2030.
“Zimbabwe’s
leaders
should
demonstrate
their
commitment
to
the
rule
of
law
by
respecting
the
country’s
constitution
and
international
human
rights
obligations
for
freedom
of
expression
and
assembly,”
said Idriss
Ali
Nassah,
senior
Africa
researcher
at
Human
Rights
Watch.
“Civil
society,
legal
experts,
and
ordinary
people
should
be
allowed
to
peacefully
express
their
views
without
fear.”
Over
the
last
few
months,
the
police
and
unidentified
armed
men
have
threatened,
harassed,
and
beat
up
several
people
who
are
opposed
to
the
proposed
constitutional
amendment.
On
March
1,
in
Harare,
about
5
to
10
armed
men
wearing
balaclavas
reportedly
forced
their
way
into
the
offices
of
the
National
Constitutional
Assembly
(NCA),
an
opposition
political
party.
According
to
Lovemore
Madhuku,
a
prominent
lawyer
and
leader
of
the
NCA,
some
of
the
men
assaulted
members
who
had
gathered
for
a
meeting,
including injuring Madhuku.
Madhuku
has
brought
a
constitutional
court case seeking
to
halt
the
constitutional
amendment
process.
Madhuku
told
Human
Rights
Watch
that
the
men
accused
him
of
“wanting
to
create
problems
in
the
country”
and
demanded
to
know
why
he
was
opposing
the
bill.
Madhuku
said
the
men
identified
themselves
as
police
officers
and
accused
his
party
of
holding
an
“unsanctioned
meeting.”
He
said
that
they
used
the
long
batons
commonly
used
by
the
police
to
beat
him
on
his
back
and
on
the
head
and
delivered
blows
to
his
face.
He
also
said
that
uniformed
officers
remained
stationed
outside
in
their
marked
vehicles.
After
the
attack,
Madhuku
said,
the
men
left
in
two
unmarked
vehicles,
followed
by
two
Zimbabwe
Republic
Police
vehicles.
A
police statement posted
on
X
said
that
its
officers
“were
not
involved
in
the
alleged
incident”
and
that
the
police
were
“keen
to
know
what
actually
transpired.”
Another civil
society group,
the
Constitutional
Defenders
Forum,
said
that
on
February
27
the
police
gave
them
a
letter
ordering
them to
stop their
opening
meeting
scheduled
for
the
next
day
because
it
did
not
comply
with
the
Maintenance
of
Peace
and
Order
Act.
The
Forum
is
a citizen-driven
initiative committed
to
defending
Zimbabwe’s
Constitution,
constitutionalism,
and
the
rule
of
law.
Under
the Maintenance
of
Peace
and
Order
Act,
groups
planning
a
meeting
must
provide
written
notice
to
the
police
seven
days
in
advance
of
processions
and
demonstrations,
and
five
days
in
advance
of
public
meetings.
The
Forum
maintains
that
it
did.
The
police
have frequently
and
selectively used
the
requirement
to
deny civil
society and
the
opposition
permission
to
hold
meetings
and
to
mobilize.
On
March
5,
the
Forum
posted
a
video
to
social
media
that
Human
Rights
Watch
geolocated,
showing
armed
police
officers
in
several
vehicles
at
the
Harare
law
offices
of
Tendai
Biti,
the
Forum
leader.
In
a
post
on
X,
the
Forum reported that
armed
men
besieged
Biti’s
premises,
assaulted
people
there,
and
issued
death
threats
against
him.
The police
admitted to
having
deployed
officers
at
Biti’s
offices
“for
the
maintenance
of
law
and
order”
but
denied
the
assault
allegations.
Biti
told
Human
Rights
Watch
that
authorities
had
decided
to
“unleash
violence
and
place
the
country
under
a
state
of
siege”
to
silence
alternative
voices.
On
October
28,
2025,
the
Southern
African
Political
Economy
Series
(SAPES)
Trust’s
offices
in
Harare
was
badly
damaged
in
a
suspected arson
attack.
The
assailants reportedly abducted
the
night
guard
and
locked
the
property’s
gates
with
new
padlocks
before
fleeing.
The
attack
took
place
just
hours
before
SAPES
was
to
host
a
dialogue
of civil
society and
opposition
leaders
in
response
to
ZANU-PF’s
effort to
extend President
Mnangagwa’s
term.
A
few
hours
later,
the
police
and
suspected
ZANU-PF
supporters
reportedly shut
down a
similar
event
focusing
on
“Constitutional
Crossroads:
Citizens
Respond
to
Zimbabwe’s
Constitutional
Crisis”
in
Bulawayo.
The
authorities
should
appropriately
investigate
all
of
these
alleged
attacks
and
prosecute
those
responsible
for
abuses,
including
any
members
of
security
forces,
Human
Rights
Watch
said.
More
generally,
Zimbabwe
should
reform
its
security
force
responsibilities
and
procedures
to
ensure
that
they
act
professionally
and
according
to
law.
“Members
of
the civil
society and
the
political
opposition
should
be
allowed
to
freely
operate
and
mobilize
against
the
government’s
proposals,”
Nassah
said.
“Constitutional
amendments
need
to
be
debated
fairly
and
openly,
without
fear
of
repression.”
During
a
visit
to
the
Federal
Supreme
Court
of
Ethiopia,
Malaba
led
a
delegation
that
engaged
with
senior
officials,
including
Federal
Supreme
Court
President
Tewedros
Mihret,
to
exchange
expertise
and
observe
Ethiopia’s
ongoing
judicial
modernization
initiatives.
Speaking
about
the
visit,
Malaba
expressed
satisfaction
with
the
exchange
and
highlighted
Ethiopia’s
significant
strides
in
judicial
reform.
He
emphasized
the
value
of
such
visits
in
enabling
countries
to
benchmark
progress,
share
best
practices,
and
learn
from
each
other’s
experiences.
“The
Ethiopian
judiciary
is
among
the
frontrunners
in
transformative
reforms.
We
are
undertaking
similar
initiatives
in
Zimbabwe
and
recognize
that
we
are
at
different
stages.
This
exchange
allows
us
to
assess
our
progress,
share
experiences,
and
identify
approaches
that
can
enhance
our
own
judicial
systems,”
Malaba
said.
He
also
commended
the
warm
reception
and
hospitality
extended
by
Ethiopian
hosts,
noting
that
it
reflects
the
strong
commitment
to
collaboration
between
the
two
nations.
Malaba
expressed
particular
admiration
for
Ethiopia’s
progress
in
digitalizing
court
procedures.
“The
transition
from
manual
to
electronic
systems
has
been
well-conceived
and
effectively
implemented.
Observing
real-time
video
recordings
and
the
rapid
transcription
of
court
proceedings
has
inspired
us
to
pursue
similar
technological
innovations
in
Zimbabwe,”
he
stated.
Reaffirming
Zimbabwe’s
commitment
to
collaboration,
Malaba
added:
“Knowledge
transcends
borders.
By
working
together,
we
can
improve
access
to
justice
for
our
citizens,
as
guaranteed
in
both
our
constitutions.
We
look
forward
to
expanding
this
partnership,
reflecting
the
cordial
relations
between
our
nations.”
President
Tewedros
Mihret
noted
that
the
Zimbabwean
delegation
sought
insights
from
Ethiopia’s
reform
initiatives.
He
explained
that
the
visitors
received
comprehensive
briefings,
toured
key
projects,
and
observed
how
newly
adopted
technologies
have
streamlined
judicial
processes,
improved
accessibility,
and
enhanced
efficiency.
He
further
emphasized
Ethiopia’s
commitment
to
advancing
technological
innovation
and
underscored
that
such
exchanges
strengthen
ties
and
foster
shared
learning
between
the
judiciaries
of
both
countries.
Zimbabwe
is
seeking
investors
to
partner
with
it
in
a
satellite
project
that
will
bolster
telecommunications
connectivity,
Finance
Minister Mthuli
Ncube said.
Mthuli
Ncube
The
southern
African
nation
launched
its
first
mini
satellite
in
November
2022
and
a
second
in
2024.
Its
latest
endeavor
is
expected
to
cost
almost
$200
million,
Ncube
told
reporters
in
the
capital,
Harare,
on
Wednesday.
“We
are
looking
for
suitors
who
can
assist
us,”
he
said.
“Once
we
do
this,
then
we
know
that
our
connectivity
will
move
up
several
notches.”
Ncube
also
said
that
the
country
intends
to
maintain
a
minimum
annual
economic
growth
rate
of
6%.
The
International
Monetary
Fund
projects
that
gross
domestic
product
will
expand
4.6%
this
year.
What
legal
drama
was
writer
Aaron
Sorkin’s
first
screenplay?
Hint:
The
climax
of
the
movie
is
a
tense
courtroom
scene
where
the
witness’s
answer
under
cross
examination
is
the
American
Film
Institute’s
#29
best
movie
quote.
Ed.
note:
This
article
first
appeared
in
an
ILTA
publication.
With
cyberattacks
and
data
breaches
dominating
the
headlines,
legal
professionals,
whether
in
law
firms
or
corporate
legal
departments,
now
serve
as
protectors
of
trust,
privacy,
and
some
of
the
world’s
most
sensitive
information.
Today,
security
is
no
longer
a
background
IT
task;
it
is
a
leadership
imperative
in
legal
service
delivery,
risk
mitigation,
and
brand
management.
Legal
work
is
digital
and
distributed,
and
expectations
extend
far
beyond
merely
checking
off
compliance
boxes.
Clients,
corporate
leadership,
and
regulators
are
watching.
They
demand
transparency
and
assurance
that
your
law
firm
or
legal
department
is
proactive
about
securing
all
privileged
data,
monitoring
the
vendor
ecosystem,
and
adapting
to
an
evolving
threat
landscape.
This
article
outlines
the
seven
most
critical
security
strategies
to
safeguard
information
and
proactively
build
client
and
stakeholder
confidence.
[1]
Build
a
Culture
of
Vigilance
Both
law
firms
and
in-house
legal
teams
are
now
judged
not
just
on
legal
skill,
but
also
on
their
ability
to
protect
highly
sensitive
data.
Research
shows
that
roughly
one
in
three
law
firms
will
be
targeted
by
a
data
breach
this
year,
with
the
average
incident
costing
over
five
million
dollars.
Even
more
troubling,
63%
of
those
breaches
trace
back
to
third-party
vendors
or
partners,
making
external
risk
management
as
important
as
internal
controls.
Law
Firms
Clients
are
sending
increasingly
detailed
security
questionnaires
and
often
require
contractual
proof
of
your
security
controls,
including
documentation
on
vendor
oversight.
Corporate
Legal
Departments
Boards
and
nonlegal
business
leaders
expect
you
to
uphold
or
exceed
the
security
standards
that
govern
the
rest
of
the
organization.
There
is
often
a
need
to
oversee
both
your
internal
systems
and
the
security
practices
of
your
outside
counsel
and
legal
technology
vendors.
Action
Steps
Map
every
touchpoint
where
client
or
company
data
exchange
occurs,
internally
and
externally.
Ensure
that
the
appropriate
levels
of
protection
(e.g.,
encryption
or
access
controls)
are
in
place
at
each
touchpoint.
Designate
security
champions
on
both
legal
and
business
teams
to
bridge
communication
gaps
and
remediate
any
gaps
in
protection.
Create
open
channels
with
IT
and
compliance,
ensuring
you
receive
alerts
about
new
risks
and
best
practices.
[2]
Turn
Compliance
into
a
Competitive
Advantage
Regulations,
including
HIPAA,
GDPR,
CCPA,
and
more,
dictate
how
legal
organizations
handle
information.
But
the
best
law
firms
and
legal
departments
go
beyond
the
minimum,
positioning
compliance
as
a
value
proposition
and
a
reason
for
clients
or
the
C-suite
to
trust
them.
Law
Firms
Highlight
a
culture
of
compliance
in
RFPs,
outside
counsel
guidelines,
and
pitches.
Clients
increasingly
differentiate
between
firms
based
on
their
ability
to
manage
risk
and
share
audit
documentation.
Legal
Departments
Be
the
compliance
role
model
for
your
company.
Demand
documentation
from
outside
counsel
and
review
every
supporting
vendor
for
regulatory
gaps.
For
example,
when
working
internationally,
confirm
GDPR
controls
at
every
stage.
Do
not
just
rely
on
a
signed
business
associate
agreement
or
a
sweeping,
generic
statement:
require
proof,
process
walk-throughs,
or
third-party
certifications.
Action
Steps
Catalog
applicable
regulations:
Map
which
statutes
and
guidelines
(e.g.,
PIPEDA
for
Canadian
matters,
HIPAA
for
health
care,
etc.)
apply
to
each
workflow.
Train
every
team
member:
From
senior
counsel
to
administrators,
make
compliance
part
of
onboarding
and
annual
reviews.
Demand
regular
vendor
audits:
Require
outside
partners
to
provide
up-to-date
certifications
and
respond
to
standardized
compliance
questionnaires.
[3]
Treat
All
Client,
Company,
and
Case
Data
as
Highly
Sensitive
Legal
risk
does
not
respect
any
boundaries
between
official
records
and
working
documents.
IP
filings,
deal
memos,
video
depositions,
transcripts,
background
emails,
and
anything
else
associated
with
legal
matters
may
contain
highly
confidential
or
regulated
material.
Law
Firms
The
days
of
treating
only
internal
firm
files,
such
as
retainer
agreements
or
billing
records,
as
the
most
important
or
confidential
are
over.
Anything
related
to
a
client
must
be
considered
mission-critical
security
data.
Legal
Departments
Internal
memos,
early-stage
project
files,
and
communications
often
get
overlooked.
Everything,
including
scratch
notes
and
emails,
should
be
subject
to
the
same
protections
as
a
finalized
contract.
Action
Steps
Adopt
a
universal
classification
rule.
If
it
touches
a
legal
matter
or
sensitive
business
strategy,
protect
it
fully
with
no
exceptions.
Invest
in
secure
collaboration
platforms.
Choose
tools
that
support
granular
access
controls,
transparent
audit
trails,
and
easy
revocation
of
access.
Audit
legacy
data.
Regularly
sweep
shared
drives
and
email
archives
for
unprotected
or
improperly
stored
files.
[4]
Proactively
Vet
and
Monitor
Every
Third-Party
Vendor
Breaches
rarely
start
at
home.
More
than
half
originate
in
the
extensive
web
of
litigation
support
providers,
software
vendors,
contract
staffing
agencies,
and,
sometimes,
expert
witnesses.
Both
in-house
and
law
firm
legal
teams
must
scrutinize
every
vendor
as
a
source
of
risk.
Action
Steps
Adopt
a
standardized
risk-vetting
tool
(such
as
Shared
Assessments’
SIG
questionnaire)
to
screen
all
vendors.
Require
multitiered
evidence:
Ask
for
independent
audits
(SOC
2,
ISO
27001),
vendor
supply
chain
risk
questionnaires,
and
regular
IT/infosec
reviews.
Insist
on
regulatory
attestation:
Obtain
written,
renewed
sign-offs
from
both
vendors
and
their
critical
subcontractors
confirming
compliance
with
every
relevant
statute
(HIPAA,
GDPR,
CCPA,
etc.).
Consider
legal
industry
specialists:
Firms
like
Prevalent
focus
on
legal
technology
supply
chains
and
can
streamline
complex
vendor
reviews.
[5]
Make
Encryption
a
Nonnegotiable,
Visible
Standard
Encryption
must
be
used
everywhere:
for
files
at
rest,
for
data
in
transit,
and
for
backups.
Encryption
not
only
protects
sensitive
data
(by
making
it
unreadable)
but
it
also
helps
minimize
risk
if
any
information
is
ever
exposed
in
a
data
breach
(since
it’s
unreadable
if
encrypted
using
strong
protocols).
Law
Firms
Document
your
encryption
policy
in
your
client
security
briefing.
Make
clear
that
encryption
is
not
just
“enabled”:
it’s
enforced,
monitored,
and
routinely
audited.
Using
a
cloud
service
does
not
guarantee
encryption,
and
vendor
claims
should
be
scrutinized
and
independently
verified.
Legal
Departments
Don’t
just
rely
on
generic
IT
statements.
Request
and
periodically
review
encryption
documentation
and
processes,
especially
when
onboarding
or
updating
tools
and
vendors.
Action
Steps
Mandate
encryption
for
all
client
and
company
data—from
emails
and
files
to
backups
and
endpoints.
Demand
encryption
transparency
from
every
vendor.
Require
written
confirmation
in
RFPs
and
ongoing
contracts.
Keep
it
clear
and
straightforward.
Non-tech
stakeholders
should
always
know
which
files
are
encrypted,
when,
and
by
whom.
[6]
Require
Multifactor
Authentication
Everywhere
Passwords
are
among
the
most
easily
compromised
protections,
and
breaches
using
stolen
credentials
are
among
the
most
expensive
to
remediate.
MFA
adds
another
layer
of
protection
against
password-based
incursions.
Law
Firms
Deploy
MFA
on
all
document
and
case
management
systems,
communication
tools,
and
any
platform
that
supports
remote
access.
Legal
Departments
Work
with
corporate
IT
to
ensure
MFA
is
enforced
across
legal
tool
sets,
third-party
logins
(for
vendors
or
outside
counsel),
and
SaaS
platforms,
old
and
new.
Taking
advantage
of
single
sign-on
(SSO)
in
tools
or
with
service
providers
that
support
it
will
simplify
staff
authentication
and
give
you
more
direct
control
over
who
can
access
external
systems.
Action
Steps
Apply
MFA
universally
for
every
employee,
partner,
business
unit,
and
critical
vendor
account.
Engage
users.
Use
mobile
authenticators,
push
notifications,
or
biometric
options.
Explore
the
feasibility
of
passkeys,
which
eliminate
passwords
and
further
reduce
your
exposure
to
security
risks.
Communicate
your
MFA
posture
to
business
leaders,
clients,
and
stakeholders.
Highlighting
MFA
as
a
default,
not
an
exception,
signals
your
seriousness
around
cybersecurity
and
can
differentiate
your
legal
department
or
firm
in
pitches
and
proposals.
[7]
Elevate
with
Ratings,
AI
Guardrails,
and
Human
Training
Just
as
credit
scores
are
used
to
gauge
risk,
legal
teams
should
require
up-to-date
security
ratings
for
any
company
with
access
to
their
data.
Tools
like
SecurityScorecard
and
Bitsight
provide
objective,
actionable
vendor
scores
based
on
data
breaches,
patching
cadence,
network
hygiene,
and
more.
It
is
also
essential
to
set
clear
AI
and
data
governance
standards.
The
adoption
of
GenAI
is
transforming
both
legal
work
and
associated
risks.
A
staggering
60%
of
breaches
are
due
to
human
error,
not
software
failure,
which
is
why
it’s
crucial
to
treat
security
training
and
testing
as
a
continuous
process.
The
strongest
legal
operations
create
a
culture
where
everyone,
from
junior
admin
to
senior
partner,
proactively
learns
and
tests
their
cyber
awareness.
Best
Practices
for
All
Legal
Organizations
Never
use
unredacted
client
or
company
data
to
train
external
or
internal
LLMs.
Insist
that
vendors
provide
written
guidelines
and
controls
on
AI
use,
data
retention,
and
LLM
training.
Create
your
own
firmwide
policy
on
the
responsible
use
of
AI
and
review
it
at
least
annually.
Ensure
every
person
in
the
firm
understands
its
full
scope.
Conduct
monthly
phishing
training
for
all
staff,
including
senior
partners,
C-suite
legal
officers,
and
contract
attorneys.
Treat
missed
exercises
as
learning,
not
punishment.
Provide
specialized
remedial
training
only
for
repeat
misses.
Ensure
that
all
providers
and
their
staff
undergo
security
awareness
training
with
documented
results.
A
New
Era
for
Legal
Security
Leadership
Security
is
now
a
legal
leadership
imperative
and
a
trust
multiplier.
Today’s
forward-looking
law
firms
and
legal
departments
are
not
just
rule
followers
but
risk
managers,
business
protectors,
and
confidence
builders.
By
embedding
these
seven
strategies
deeply
across
every
internal
procedure
and
external
partnership,
your
legal
organization
can
protect
its
clients,
work,
and
reputation.
Leadership
means
working
hand
in
hand:
corporate
counsel
and
outside
firms
collaborating
on
joint
risk
reviews,
sharing
best
practices,
and
speaking
up
together
for
stronger
protections
in
the
marketplace.
Security
is
everyone’s
job.
By
making
it
visible,
proactive,
and
continuous,
you
transform
it
from
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vulnerability
into
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enduring
strength.
Jacob
Mathai
is
the
chief
information
officer
for
Veritext
Legal
Solutions,
the
leader
in
technology-enabled
court
reporting
services
and
litigation
support
solutions.
A
jury
delivered
a
verdict
that
brings
a
nearly
decade‑long
pattern
of
abuse
into
stark
relief
and
sets
the
stage
for
what
could
be
multiple
life
sentences
for
a
once‑trusted
legal
professional.
On
March
2,
2026,
jurors
convicted
Jonathan
Dean
Bishop,
51,
a
former
real
estate
attorney
from
Walnut
Creek,
California,
on
27
felony
counts
related
to
the
sexual
abuse
of
minors
and
the
possession
of
child
sexual
abuse
material.
The
verdict
caps
a
prosecution
that
laid
bare
years
of
criminal
conduct.
Bishop
was
found
guilty
on
24
counts
of
committing
lewd
acts
on
three
minor
victims,
all
described
in
court
documents
as
victims
under
the
age
of
14.
The
span
of
these
offenses
covers
multiple
years.
Evidence
admitted
at
trial
showed
that
Bishop
possessed
more
than
600
images
of
child
sexual
abuse
material
depicting
two
of
the
minor
victims.
And
particularly
disturbing,
the
jury
found
Bishop
sexually
abused
Jane
Doe
#1
when
she
was
under
10
years
old,
with
that
abuse
occurring
over
an
extended
period
between
June 2010
and
June 2018.
Contra
Costa
District
Attorney
Diana
Becton
praised
the
victims’
courage
and
the
multi‑agency
work
that
made
the
conviction
possible.
“The
bravery
shown
by
these
victims
was
extraordinary,
and
their
courage
made
this
conviction
possible,”
she
said
in
a
statement.
Bishop
now
faces
multiple
life
sentences
when
he’s
formally
sentenced,
including
sentencing
enhancements.
