World class cyber team joins Allen & Overy

Ffion Flockhart joins as global head of cybersecurity alongside partners Anna Gamvros, who will lead A&O’s Asia Pacific privacy and cyber practice; Charlie Weston-Simons; Ross Phillipson; and Anna Rudawski. The team is joined by Steven Hadwin, counsel, and eight associates. They will provide clients with heavyweight, sophisticated capability to handle cyber incidents and manage data risk, from prevention to response. Their critical crisis response skills help clients manage the impact of a cyber-attack, working with regulators, handling investigations and follow-on litigation, and advising on remediation.

The increasing sophistication of cybersecurity threats – when combined with the rapid global growth in data privacy laws and rising levels of follow-on litigation – creates significant legal and regulatory risk for business. Cyber-attacks can also cause extensive financial and reputational damage. The team’s crisis response expertise, combined with A&O’s existing capabilities in data privacy, technology and litigation, will provide clients with an integrated, global cybersecurity solution as part of an unrivalled, holistic data offering.

The recruitment of this global team complements A&O’s proposed merger with Shearman & Sterling, which will combine two of the world’s most prestigious law firms. A&O Shearman will have nearly 4,000 lawyers combined, including 800 partners globally, across 48 offices. In the fast-developing arena of cybersecurity, where clients encounter risks across a multitude of jurisdictions, this ability to support clients with specialist expertise wherever they have a need is an exciting differentiator.