Privacy + Security Forum Spring Academy

Cooley is proud to sponsor the Privacy + Security Forum Spring Academy, which brought together the most seasoned thought leaders in the areas of privacy and security law. The event offered rigorous deep-dive sessions that delivered hands-on activities and practical takeaways for conference participants. The academy was attended by privacy and security professionals, chief information officers, lawyers, academics, experts from nongovernmental organizations and think tanks, technologists and policymakers. 

Featured agenda items

Thursday, May 9, 2024 | 4:00 – 5:00 pm EDT

SEC v. SolarWinds Corp. and Timothy G. Brown: Implications for Cybersecurity Professionals, Companies and National Security

Josef Ansorge, Cooley cyber/data/privacy special counsel, presented along with Johnathan Rudy, senior corporate counsel at Transunion, and Emily Coyle, president at the Cyber Governance Alliance, strategic advisor at Forbes-Tate Partners and senior advisor at Gray Space Strategies.

Between 2019 and 2020, the Russian government and its affiliates engaged in cyberattacks against SolarWinds. In October 2023, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filed a complaint in the US District Court for the Southern District of New York alleging that SolarWinds and its chief information security officer (CISO), Timothy Brown, made materially misleading statements about cybersecurity risks and vulnerabilities before and after the cyberattack. This session brought together cybersecurity practitioners and lawyers to discuss the ramifications, implications and consequences of the SEC’s unprecedented action. Should CISOs be personally liable for their company’s public disclosures? How can companies limit their litigation risk for public disclosures related to cyber incidents? And will the SEC’s action help or harm national security?

Friday, May 10, 2024 | 10:10 – 11:10 am EDT

The Changing Landscape of Direct and Indirect US Cyber Laws and Standards

Randy Sabett, Cooley cyber/data/privacy special counsel, presented along with Amy Apostol, assistant general counsel for cyber & emerging technologies at Leidos, and Reena Paraguya, general counsel and chief privacy and compliance officer at Cofense.

For years, we have seen states take the limelight when it comes to privacy and cyber laws. Now, we have both federal and state governments flexing their muscles – in some cases rather strikingly. During this session, the panelists explored several recent developments related to cyber law, including recent Federal Trade Commission cyber/privacy cases, the development of the new SEC cyber rules, the expansion of the New York State Department of Financial Services regulation, various executive orders that flow down in several ways to commercial companies, and numerous standards and frameworks, including the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Cybersecurity Framework. The session engaged the group in a discussion of practical ways for companies to best address the wide range of requirements.

For more information, please email Sydney Sachs.