Safety concept: opened padlock in cyber space.In June, Bloomberg BNA reported that Akerman had become the latest law firm to venture deeply into the field of data security and information governance when it established an 18-person group specializing in data law.

Martin Tully, co-chair of the new Akerman group, told Bloombeg that “while the breaches at Target make national headlines, smaller breaches occur on an almost daily basis.” He said that “Akerman is working with outside technology vendors to help the firm’s clients install better security systems, and make plans in the event of a data breach.”

In the area of information governance, the Akerman group helps clients determine what data they can safely get rid of, and what they need to continue to store for legal reasons. Tully also expressed his opinion that eDiscovery is becoming an important focus of growth in the field.

As others have pointed out as well, Tully believes that law firms need to demonstrate their capacity to deal with data issues and knowledge in the field of data security in part to avert client concerns about their own firms’ data security systems.

Has your firm begun to address this area of practice? Let me know your thoughts on the subject, or on any other matter. You can contact me via the comments section below, or directly via email.