Carlton Fields Earns Top Privacy Practice Recognition

Carlton Fields today announced that it has been named to Above the Law’s inaugural Top Law Firm Privacy Practice Index. The firm was one of only 25 in the nation named to the index, described by Above the Law as “an attempt to capture the most active and relevant law firms in this complex and rapidly evolving practice area.”

“To be among the top 25 firms in any ranking is an honor,” said Shareholder Josephine Cicchetti, co-chair of Carlton Fields’ Cybersecurity and Privacy practice and co-chair of the Insured Retirement Institute’s (IRI) Cybersecurity Task Force. “But to be recognized in a ranking of privacy practices is truly significant. It is one of the most dynamic and technically challenging fields of law, but it’s also in the highest demand. This recognition is a testament to the team of dedicated cybersecurity and privacy professionals we’ve assembled.”

The index, which is sponsored by Thomson Reuters, used three equally weighted factors to rank the firms:

• Survey Results: a survey of 270 in-house attorneys who were asked to rate law firms on the “strength and quality” of their data privacy and/or cybersecurity practices.
• Resources Applied: a headcount of the relative proportion of a firm’s lawyers who are members of the firm’s “cybersecurity,” “data privacy,” and/or other related practice designations.
• Thought Leadership: an assessment of which firms publish the most (and most influentially) in cybersecurity,” “data privacy,” and/or other related practices, including white papers, blogs, contributions to third-party media, and speaking engagements.

“The needs of the client are the cornerstone of our relationships at Carlton Fields,” added Shareholder Joseph Swanson, co-chair of the firm’s Cybersecurity and Privacy Practice, former federal cybersecurity prosecutor, and member of the Sedona Conference Working Group on Data Security and Privacy Liability. “We recognize that regardless of industry, our clients are almost certain to need counsel related to cybersecurity and privacy in today’s world. So, we dedicated significant resources to building the best team possible. I’m pleased to see our efforts have paid off.”

Carlton Fields’ Cybersecurity and Privacy practice includes attorneys who have earned the designation of Certified Information Privacy Professional (CIPP/US, CIPP/C, CIPP/E), Certified Information Privacy Manager (CIPM), Certified Information Privacy Technologist (CIPT), as well as former federal cybersecurity prosecutors. Many also hold leadership positions in cybersecurity organizations, including the International Association of Privacy Professionals, the Sedona Conference Working Group on Data Security and Privacy Liability, the Data Management and Security Committee, and more.

Beyond its talented team of individuals, Carlton Fields invests in valuable cybersecurity resources, including CyberAPP, a free cyber incident response mobile application. From incident response checklists to state breach notification laws, CyberAPP puts the guidance businesses need to protect themselves against increasingly advanced cyber threats at their fingertips. The firm itself if is ISO 27001:2013 certified. And its annual Class Action Survey addresses matters of cybersecurity and privacy, arming in-house counsel with the information they need to make smart resourcing decisions.