Atlanta, April 8, 2014 – Morris, Manning & Martin, LLP has formed a Data Security & Breach Practice to address the myriad of legal issues companies and organizations face with respect to data privacy and security issues. The number of data breach incidents has increased exponentially in the past few years and promise to continue their upward trajectory. Given the costs associated with a data breach or cyber-attack, either in real dollars or in terms of reputational damage, companies need law firms with significant regulatory, risk management and litigation experience.

The Practice will be co-chaired by partners Sandra Gardiner and Larry Kunin. The initial team will consist of 14 attorneys with a broad array of experience, including insurance, healthcare, payments processing, financial technology, mobility, and privacy. The team already assists clients in a wide spectrum of industry areas, including retail, hospitality, payments processing, financial institutions, healthcare providers and insurance carriers.

“We recognize that the flow of information between businesses, consumers and third-party vendors is becoming increasingly faster and more difficult to protect,” said Sandra Gardiner, co-chair of the MMM Data Security & Breach Practice. “While the vast array of data presents numerous opportunities and advantages, it also presents tremendous risks and exposure to potential cyber-liabilities.”

“Data – client data, customer data, vendor data, patient data, personnel data – is core to operating a business, as such it must be properly protected and maintained,” offered Larry Kunin, co-chair of the Practice. “The price of a compromise of confidential information is steep – it can result in fines reaching millions of dollars along with significant public relations headaches. It happens more often than many people think and not in ways most are familiar.”

MMM’s Data Security & Breach Practice assists businesses of all sizes and types with:

• Comprehending relevant privacy and data security issues
• Assisting with regulatory examinations and audits
• Developing policies and procedures to comply with state and federal consumer privacy and data security laws
• Drafting and negotiating privacy and data security provisions in service provider contracts and other such agreements
• Evaluating new products and programs to ensure compliance with consumer privacy and data security laws
• Performing regulatory due diligence for mergers and acquisitions
• Responding to security incidents involving personal information
• Reviewing the use of consumer information for marketing purposes for compliance with applicable law
• Addressing privacy and data security obligations and liabilities in contracts with third-party vendors
• Appropriately utilizing social media and other web and telecommunications-based marketing channels
• Implementing compliant document management and data retention plans
• Handling data breaches, privacy complaints, and litigation
• Responding to government subpoenas and wiretap requests

About Morris, Manning & Martin, LLP

Morris, Manning & Martin (www.mmmlaw.com) is an AmLaw 200 law firm with national and international reach. We dedicate ourselves to the constant pursuit of our clients’ success. To provide our clients with optimal value, we combine market-leading legal services with a total understanding of their needs to maximize effectiveness, efficiency and opportunity. MMM enjoys national prominence for its real estate, energy & infrastructure, litigation, technology, healthcare, intellectual property, capital markets, environmental, insurance, mergers & acquisitions and timberland & forest products practices. MMM has offices in Atlanta, Raleigh-Durham, Savannah, Taipei, Beijing and Washington, D.C. and an alliance with FGCN in São Paulo, Brazil.

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Media Contact: Terri Thornton, (404) 932-4347, Terri@TerriThornton.com

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