AI Security, Data Integrity, and Governance for Legal Teams and Departments

February 20, 2026 / Monica Zent
Venture Legal 24

According to the newly released 2026 Data Threat Report, conducted by S&P Global’s 451 Research and commissioned by Thales, there’s a “troubling disconnect between rapid AI adoption and foundational data control.”

Reporting on the findings, Fortune wrote, “For businesses to innovate securely…, they must fundamentally rethink identity, encryption, and data visibility as the core foundation of their security infrastructure.”

As corporate teams, including legal, face pressure to move quickly into AI-enabled workflows, they may find they are lacking sufficient infrastructure, security controls, and governance frameworks – essential elements to avoiding operational risks including data exposure, unreliable outputs, and vendor oversight challenges.

For this week’s feature story, I wanted to explore key steps for teams and departments before adopting AI tools, including:

✅Specify AI use cases. The first step is to be specific in identifying where you intend
to apply AI with your workflow, and solicit direct input from the people who will be
hands-on with the technology.

✅Identify and prepare data. Conducting a thorough initial data inventory as well as ongoing maintenance of the relevant systems and datasets is essential, given AI implementation and resulting outputs can only be as successful as the quality of the data being provided.

✅Evaluate security risks and responsibilities. Before a legal team or department adopts AI, consider security elements, ramifications and risks, as well as related data obligations, including regulatory frameworks.

✅Articulate clear guardrails and create governance structures. For the enterprise generally, and for legal departments and teams specifically, establishing clear guardrails is an essential part of building a solid foundation for AI adoption.

✅Consider available tools and resources. For departments and teams seeking to build their foundation for security, data integrity and governance, there are a wide variety of available tools and resources.

➕Takeaways for founders & investors. For LegalTech founders and investors, it’s important to keep these related data, security and governance needs in mind, finding novel ways to address these needs through both customer service and product solutions.

➡️Read the full feature story: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/featured-story-ai-
security-data-integrity-governance-legal-zent-zxayc