What's the difference between Cyber Essentials and Cyber Essentials Plus?

Cyber Essentials is a verified self-assessment against five security controls. Cyber Essentials Plus tests the same controls with a hands-on technical audit by a licensed assessor. You must hold Cyber Essentials before doing Plus.

Do you do the work, or just assess us?

We do the work. Foresight runs the gap analysis, carries out hands-on remediation, prepares the evidence and liaises with the assessor, so you pass first time rather than paying to re-sit a failed audit.

How much does Cyber Essentials cost?

The IASME assessment fee is tiered by size from around £320 + VAT and includes £25,000 cyber liability insurance for eligible UK businesses. Cyber Essentials Plus is scoped to your estate, typically from around £1,380 + VAT.

Legal & Professional

AI for Law Firms: where can law firms use AI safely?

AI can save your team real hours — here’s where it genuinely helps law firms, where to be careful, and how to use it safely.

Book an AI Readiness Audit Call 0161 738 1399

Why Foresight

Cyber Essentials Plus certified
Microsoft CSP & Copilot specialists
Greater Manchester, since 2006
Honest advice — not licence-selling

Quick answer

Law firms can use AI for drafting standard documents and correspondence, summarising long documents and bundles, and first-pass research — but with real care. AI can invent case law, so everything must be verified; client-confidential data must stay in secure tools; and you must meet your SRA and regulatory duties. The solicitor always keeps judgement and responsibility.

Where AI helps

Practical uses for law firms

Area	Where AI fits
Drafting	Standard documents, letters and correspondence — Copilot
Summarising	Long documents, contracts and bundles — Copilot
Research	First-pass research — always verified by a solicitor
Advice & sign-off	Stays with the solicitor — never automated

Doing it safely

Governance first

Client confidentiality and SRA duties mean AI output must be verified and sensitive data kept out of public tools. Before rolling anything out, tidy permissions, put a simple AI usage policy in place, keep sensitive data out of public tools, and keep a human in the loop — all part of our AI Adoption service. See also IT support for professional services.

Free downloads

Start today with our templates

The same free, ready-to-use templates we use in our audits:

“Day in the Life” AI template

Find exactly where AI will save your team time.

Download →

AI Usage Policy template

A short, practical AI policy to keep your data safe.

Download →

FAQs

Common questions

Can law firms use AI?

Yes — for drafting, summarising and first-pass research — provided everything is verified by a solicitor and client-confidential data stays in secure tools.

Is AI safe for confidential client data?

Only in secure, permission-respecting tools like Microsoft 365 Copilot — never public tools. Over-sharing must be fixed first, and a clear AI policy put in place.

What about the SRA and AI?

You remain responsible for accuracy, confidentiality and competence. AI can assist, but a solicitor must check and own the output — we help you set the controls to do this safely.

Will AI replace solicitors?

No — it speeds up drafting and review, but legal judgement, advice and responsibility stay firmly with the solicitor.

Put AI to work — safely

Start with a fixed-fee AI Readiness Audit and get a clear, honest plan — and the licences you actually need.

See AI Adoption as a Service Call 0161 738 1399