Data Defense for Legal Minds: Cybersecurity Best Practices for Attorneys

Cybersecurity and data privacy increasingly affect lawyers and the personal and other types of confidential client information held by legal departments and law firms. Responding to a data security incident is often expensive, and these incidents can violate legal requirements, damage reputations, and erode client trust. The American Bar Association has long recognized the need to secure client data as a core element of the lawyer's professional responsibilities. Further reflecting the importance of understanding and being able to mitigate the risks associated with data protection, all lawyers licensed in New York are now required to obtain at least one CLE credit in Cybersecurity, Privacy, and Data Protection as part of their biennial CLE requirement. This program will cover key information lawyers need to know to protect client confidentiality and mitigate risks associated with handling confidential information electronically.

This program will benefit in-house counsel, attorneys in private practice, and others with an interest in how cybersecurity obligations are part of the ethical obligations of lawyers.

Learning Objectives:

1. Review ethical obligations and professional responsibilities regarding data protection

2. Identify key laws related to cybersecurity, privacy, and data protection

3. Recognize risks and privacy implications for lawyers

4. Discuss how to protect confidential data and supervise others with access to confidential data

5. Identify a lawyer's key obligations when inadvertent or unauthorized disclosures of confidential information occur