Professional services | High Point, NC

IT Services for Law Firms, Accounting Firms and Professional Services in North Carolina

Preferred Data secures and supports the computers, Microsoft 365, networks and client files of North Carolina law firms, accounting and tax practices, and other professional firms, on a managed IT plan priced per user per month. We are based in High Point, work on-site within 200 miles, and every plan includes 24/7 threat detection and response. Schedule a consultation or call (336) 886-3282.

Call (336) 886-3282

What we look after for professional firms

In business since 1987: 39 years
Active clients: 100+
Average client tenure: 20+ years
BBB Accredited rating: A+
On-site radius from High Point: 200 mi
Threat monitoring on every plan: 24/7

What IT does a law firm or accounting firm need?

A professional firm needs IT that protects client confidences first and keeps billable people working second: multi-factor authentication, encrypted email, monitored and patched computers, backups that restore, and a helpdesk that answers. North Carolina's professional and business services sector employed about 764,900 people in August 2026 (preliminary), up 3.1% in a year, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Workstations, laptops, servers and Microsoft 365, monitored and patched under managed IT
Multi-factor authentication and email threat protection on every account
Email encryption and an enterprise password manager, included from Preferred Professional up
Restore-tested backup for client files and Microsoft 365
Secure remote access through cloud solutions and zero-trust VPN

Key takeaway: For a law or accounting firm, a breach is not only an IT problem. It is a professional-responsibility problem and a client-trust problem.

What do North Carolina's ethics rules say about lawyers and technology?

Two North Carolina Rules of Professional Conduct, numbered like the ABA Model Rules, set the standard. Comment 8 to Rule 1.1 says a lawyer should keep abreast of "the benefits and risks associated with the technology relevant to the lawyer's practice," and Rule 1.6(c) says a lawyer "shall make reasonable efforts to prevent the inadvertent or unauthorized disclosure of, or unauthorized access to, information relating to the representation of a client."

Comment 19 to Rule 1.6 lists what makes an effort reasonable: the sensitivity of the information, the likelihood of disclosure without more safeguards, the cost and difficulty of the safeguards, and how much they would get in the way of representing clients. That is a risk-based test, which is exactly how a managed security baseline is designed.

This page is general information, not legal advice. The North Carolina State Bar and your own counsel decide what a rule requires of your firm.

What does the FTC Safeguards Rule require of tax preparers and accounting firms?

The FTC Safeguards Rule treats professional tax preparers as financial institutions and requires a written information security plan, according to IRS Publication 4557 (Rev. 6-2024). The plan must name a qualified individual, and multi-factor authentication is required for anyone accessing customer information, "regardless of size." Since May 2024 the FTC must also be notified no later than 30 days after discovery of a breach involving at least 500 consumers' unencrypted information.

Safeguards Rule elements (IRS Publication 4557) and what Preferred Plans provide (preferreddata.com/pricing)
What the rule asks for	What Preferred Data plans supply
Written information security plan	The technical safeguards the plan describes, on every plan
A qualified individual who oversees the program	Reviews and reports that support the person you designate
Multi-factor authentication for anyone accessing customer information	MFA enforcement on every plan
Risk assessment, then regular monitoring and testing	24/7 managed detection and response on every plan; recurring vulnerability scanning and an annual security assessment on Complete
Security awareness training with regular refreshers	Security awareness training on every plan
Oversee service providers and require safeguards by contract	A written proposal stating what the plan does and does not cover
Notify the FTC no later than 30 days after discovery of a breach of 500 or more consumers' unencrypted information	Detection and response that tells you quickly when something is wrong

Every item in the table belongs to your firm: you write the plan (IRS Publication 5708 explains how), you designate the qualified individual and you file any notice. Our plans supply the technical safeguards the plan describes.

The FTC exempts firms that maintain information on fewer than 5,000 consumers from certain provisions of the rule, not from the rule itself. This is general information, not legal advice.

What are the biggest cyber risks for professional services firms?

Email fraud and unpatched software. The FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center 2025 report recorded more than $3 billion in reported business email compromise losses in 2025, and in the 2026 Verizon Data Breach Investigations Report exploited software flaws (31%) became the most common way into a breach for the first time.

For more on how these threats are changing, read professional services cybersecurity risks in North Carolina, or see what our cybersecurity services cover beyond the plan baseline.

Spoofed partner, client or vendor email asking to change payment instructions: confirm by phone on a number you already have
Phishing aimed at tax professionals during filing season, covered in our article on IRS tax pro phishing
Unpatched laptops and remote-access tools, closed by patching and endpoint detection and response on every plan
Stolen passwords, blunted by multi-factor authentication and, from Preferred Professional up, identity threat detection and response

Which managed IT plan fits a small law or accounting firm?

Most firms that handle confidential client files fit Preferred Professional, because it adds identity threat detection, email encryption, an enterprise password manager and zero-trust VPN to the security baseline every plan includes. Preferred Complete adds recurring vulnerability scanning, an annual security assessment and 24/7 helpdesk support.

Preferred Plans for professional firms (source: preferreddata.com/pricing)
What a professional firm needs	Essentials	Professional	Complete
MFA, 24/7 threat detection and response, patching, training, restore-tested backup	Included	Included	Included
Email encryption and enterprise password manager	Not included	Included	Included
Identity threat detection and response	Not included	Included	Included
Zero-trust VPN and DNS filtering	Not included	Included	Included
Recurring vulnerability scanning and annual security assessment	Not included	Not included	Included
Helpdesk hours	Business hours	Priority response with extended hours	24/7, including after-hours and weekends
Technician hours included each month (whole account)	2	4	8

Managed IT is priced per user per month after a free quote; we do not publish a rate card. IBM's Cost of a Data Breach Report 2026 puts the global average cost of a breach at $4.99 million, which is the number to weigh the plan against. Compare every line on the pricing page.

Where does Preferred Data support professional firms on-site?

Preferred Data is headquartered at 1208 Eastchester Drive in High Point and provides on-site support within 200 miles of the office, which covers the Piedmont Triad, Charlotte, Raleigh and most of North Carolina.

IT services in High Point, where our office is
IT services in Greensboro and Winston-Salem
IT services in Charlotte and Raleigh

IT questions North Carolina law and accounting firms ask us

Does the FTC Safeguards Rule apply to my accounting or tax practice?

If you prepare tax returns, yes: IRS Publication 4557 says the Safeguards Rule's definition of financial institutions includes professional tax preparers, and the FTC lists tax preparation firms among covered businesses. The rule requires a written information security plan, a qualified individual, and multi-factor authentication. Confirm how it applies to your practice with your own advisor.

Is multi-factor authentication required for tax preparers?

Yes. Under the FTC Safeguards Rule, as summarized in IRS Publication 4557, multi-factor authentication is required for anyone accessing customer information on your system, for all companies regardless of size. Every Preferred Data plan enforces MFA.

Do North Carolina lawyers have an ethical duty to understand technology?

Yes. Comment 8 to North Carolina Rule 1.1 says lawyers should keep abreast of the benefits and risks of the technology relevant to their practice, and Rule 1.6(c) requires reasonable efforts to prevent unauthorized access to client information. A managed IT provider supplies the safeguards; the lawyer remains responsible for the judgment.

Can Preferred Data write our written information security plan?

The plan belongs to your firm, and IRS Publication 5708 explains how to create one. What we supply are the technical safeguards it describes, such as MFA, 24/7 detection and response, training and tested backup, and a written proposal stating what our plan covers. Ask us what that looks like for your firm.

How much do IT services cost for a law firm or CPA firm?

Managed IT is priced per user per month, and the total depends on your headcount, the equipment we manage and the plan you choose. Preferred Data does not publish a rate card; we send a free written quote. Request one on the pricing page or call (336) 886-3282.

Do you provide email encryption?

Yes. Email encryption is included in Preferred Professional and Preferred Complete, along with an enterprise password manager and identity threat detection and response. Every plan, including Essentials, includes email threat protection and multi-factor authentication.

Do you provide on-site IT support in Greensboro, Charlotte and Raleigh?

Yes. Our office is in High Point and we provide on-site support anywhere within 200 miles, including Greensboro, Winston-Salem, Charlotte and Raleigh. Preferred Professional includes on-site visits when we cannot fix a problem remotely, and Preferred Complete includes unlimited on-site support.

Sources

Managed IT servicesMonitoring, patching, helpdesk and security on one monthly plan.Cybersecurity servicesDetection and response, identity protection and security assessments.Backup and disaster recoveryRestore-tested backup for workstations, servers and Microsoft 365.Cloud solutionsMicrosoft 365 and Azure migration and management.Plans and pricingCompare Essentials, Professional and Complete, and request a quote.Free cybersecurity self-assessmentScore your firm against common security controls in a few minutes.

Protect client confidences with IT you can document

Tell us about your people, your practice software and what your clients or regulators expect. We will recommend a plan and put in writing what it does and does not cover before any work starts.

(336) 886-3282

Preferred Data Corporation, 1208 Eastchester Drive, Suite 131, High Point, NC 27265