Clyde & Co debuts global network to battle cyber crime

Clyde & Co has debuted a global network christened One to battle the rising threat of cyber crime worldwide.

The new end-to-end offering “puts legal expertise at heart of the fight against cyber criminals and helps organisations respond to cyber threats and build their resilience,” the firm said. Three specialists in cyber risk, liability and litigation have been appointed to helm the network: partners Helen Bourne (UK), Ian Birdsey (UK) and John Moran (Australia).

“Clyde & Co has developed a global team of cyber experts over several years. Every business sector in every country is facing an ever-increasing risk of being targeted by cyber criminals and we wanted to consolidate our global expertise into a solution that would meet clients’ needs and demands,” Bourne said.

Birdsey pointed out that cyber litigation has become one of the most complicated areas of international law, citing recent class actions involving Google, TikTok and Facebook.

“The fight against cyber threats is much more than a technical challenge. Legal issues lie at the very heart of this and should drive the response. Today’s cyber-attack is very different to that of five years ago. As organisations have learned how to respond, so criminals have learned how to keep ahead in the game. Their attacks have evolved in both complexity and severity,” he said.

The One network will help organisations bolster their resilience against threats like hacking and ransomware through developing their immediate response and managing litigation or regulatory activity, Clyde & Co said. The network is “designed to support the full cyber lifecycle,” and network members will work either directly with corporates or through insurers.

According to the firm, the three key areas targeting by One are as follows:

• Readiness - improving organisational resilience and the ability to fend off cyber threats before they occur
• Response - responding to live cyber events
• Recover - helping businesses recover from incidents, which may include the need for legal action

The network offers services like data and regulatory mapping, data risk register development, digital risk audit, business continuity planning, cyber incident response simulation exercises, vulnerability, data risk assessment, and root cause analysis post breach, among others. More than 60 Clyde & Co offices are part of the network, along with over 40 partners and their teams; thus, clients can reach a complete range of cyber specialists via phone or email 24/7.

Moran pointed out that nowadays, cyber risk can impact “virtually every aspect of an organisation’s ability to function.”

“It is the single biggest risk most companies face, hence the need for legal expertise. Sticking plaster solutions are no longer fit for purpose,” he explained. “Today, there’s a clear space in the market for a lawyer-led response to cyber threats. Because of the complexity of these issues, their multi-jurisdictional nature, the sensitivity of data, the potential for regulatory involvement, an experienced legal team is perfectly placed to lead and guide the response. The last thing a business needs is to have to struggle with its response to a cyber breach while trying to manage day-to-day trading.”