Lawyers warned over cyber attacks
A new awareness campaign has been launched by the Law Council of Australia this week warning law firms of the dangers of cyber attacks.
With a sharp rise in cyber attacks in recent years, the Council aims to help equip legal professionals with resources to help protect the sensitive and valuable data they handle.
“The Law Council’s Cyber President has drawn together cybersecurity resources custom-designed for legal professionals,” commented Law Council of Australia president Stuart Clark AM.
He said making sure the profession understands the threat and how to deal with it is now a core priority of the Council. Its resources include advice on how to protect against ransomware and a cybersecurity toolkit for staff education.
“Consideration of cyber risks should evolve beyond an IT issue,” Mr Clark said, urging law firms to have a “strategic and co-ordinated approach” that makes cybersecurity a strategic objective for law firms.
Litigation funders combine
Two litigation funders have announced a combination to form the world’s leader in finance for law.
Burford Capital is acquiring GKC Holdings, parent company of Gerchen Keller Capital for U$160 million. The two firms have committed more than $2 billion to investments since their respective inceptions, and their current portfolios will, combined, total more than $1.2 billion in investment assets and commitments.
The deal will create a firm with more than 80 staff including 40 lawyers and the additional scale will enable the enlarged firm to expand in the US and globally.
Ashurst working on Murdoch’s empire expansion
Rupert Murdoch’s 21
st Century Fox is to acquire 61 per cent of shares in European satellite TV business SKY, making it the outright owner.
Ashurst is advising Fox’s lead financial adviser Deutsche Bank in relation to the matter. Corporate partners Adrian Clark and Robert Ogilvy-Watson and finance partner Tim Rennie, are leading the law firm’s team.
DLA Piper launches online patent tool
International firm DLA Piper has launched an online tool to enable clients to gain insight into patent laws across the world.
The tool is specifically aimed at multinationals who may face patent issues in multiple jurisdictions at a time when laws are changing to keep pace with globalization.
The resource is available on the DLA Piper Intelligence website.
