How We Protect Your Information

1. Two-factor sign-in on every system

Every business system we use requires two-factor authentication, using hardware security keys (like a YubiKey) or other phishing-resistant methods — not text-message codes, which criminals can intercept. A stolen password alone is not enough to reach your information.

2. Strong, unique passwords

Our team uses a password manager so that every account has its own long, unique password. Logins are never shared, so a problem with one account can’t spread to the others.

3. We collect less, so there is less to protect

The safest information is information we never hold. We keep as little client information as we can: we don’t store birth dates or driver’s license numbers, and we will never ask you for your passwords or full account numbers. Your estate plan doesn’t need them, and neither do we.

4. Your information lives in vetted systems only

Client information is kept in a small set of vetted business systems — never in personal email accounts, personal file storage, or unapproved apps. That keeps everything protected by the safeguards on this page, instead of scattered across places we can’t secure.

5. Only our team can see your information

Access is limited to the people who need it to serve you, and administrative access is limited further still. We review who has access regularly, and when someone leaves the firm or changes roles, their access is removed the same day.

6. Locked, encrypted devices — with a remote kill switch

The computers and phones we work on use screen locks, disk encryption, and automatic security updates. If a device is ever lost or stolen, we can sign it out of our systems everywhere, revoke its access, and remotely wipe it.

7. Encryption in transit and at rest

Our website uses HTTPS, and your information is encrypted both while it travels over the internet and while it is stored. We keep our systems patched and our website code reviewed and tested.

8. We double-check unusual requests

A common scam is an email that pretends to be a client, a colleague, or another firm, asking to move money or share information. Our rule is simple: any unexpected request for money, credentials, or client information gets verified a second way — like a phone call to a number we already know — before anyone acts on it. We’d rather slow down than be fooled, and we encourage you to hold us to the same standard (see below).

9. We vet new tools before they touch client data

Before any new tool or vendor is allowed near client information, it must support encryption and two-factor authentication, and we review its security terms first. If it can’t meet that bar, we don’t use it.

10. Backups and a written incident response plan

Your information is backed up, and we maintain a written incident response plan. If we ever suspect a problem, we contain it, assess what happened, notify affected clients and the appropriate authorities as required, and fix the cause.

An honest note

No system is perfectly secure, and anyone who promises otherwise isn’t being straight with you. What we can promise is reasonable, industry-standard safeguards, a team that follows them every day, and a written plan for responding quickly and telling you the truth if something ever goes wrong.

Things you can do

Security works best when both sides do their part. A few simple habits go a long way:

• Verify money instructions by phone. We will never email you new payment or wire instructions out of the blue. If you receive a message like that — even one that looks like it’s from us — call us at a number you already have before sending anything.
• Remember what we’ll never ask for. We will never ask for your passwords or full account numbers. A request for either is a red flag, no matter who it appears to come from.
• Use two-factor authentication on your own email. Your email account is the key to almost everything else, including our communications with you. Turning on two-factor authentication there is the single best step you can take.
• Use unique passwords, ideally with a password manager. Reused passwords are how one breached website becomes access to your whole life.
• When in doubt, ask us. If a message about your estate plan seems off, forward it to us or call. We would much rather check a false alarm than miss a real one.

Questions?

If you have questions about how we protect your information, or want to report something suspicious, contact us:

Email: clienthelper@summeralllaw.com

Phone: (415) 944-9406

For how we collect and use information from this website, see our Privacy Policy.

Last Updated: October 9, 2026