Even the best-managed companies are vulnerable to unforeseen events and emergencies. Handled poorly, such crises can cause significant damage to business operations, financial stability and public reputation. But when dealt with effectively, these events can serve as a catalyst for improved performance and organizational growth, heightened relations with government agencies and increased positive brand perception.

With decades of experience advising clients through sudden and catastrophic incidents—from cyber attacks, data breaches and pipeline explosions to train derailments, chemical spills, enforcement actions, lawsuits and bankruptcies—our lawyers have served as trusted advisors to companies across industries bracing for or facing crisis situations. Drawing on the industry experience, regulatory knowledge and media know-how of lawyers throughout the firm, our team is ready to address the unfolding challenges and prepared to help minimize potential damages on the legal, financial and reputational fronts. Once the situation has been contained, we conduct post-mortem analyses that can help clients prepare for—and prevent—future occurrences.

Our incident response team is comprised of more than 60 lawyers from over 14 practice areas and includes one of the highest concentrations of former US Department of Justice, US Environmental Protection Agency and state regulatory agencies, many with backgrounds in engineering and other technical disciplines. The firm has assisted clients with more than 1,600 data breaches worldwide and has defended clients in some of the largest, most high-profile litigations. Our firm and lawyers are consistently ranked by Chambers & Partners, The Legal 500 and other reputable guides.

Our key to client success is to provide a coordinated package of services that includes planning, preparation, risk minimization and response to cover the entire life cycle of an incident and addresses the associated legal, regulatory, policy and political issues. This cross-disciplinary team includes lawyers practicing in a number of key disciplines:

• Advertising/Consumer Protection
• Chemicals, Products and Hazardous Materials
• Corporate Governance and Board Advisory
• Distress, Bankruptcy, Restructuring and Creditors’ Rights
• Energy Sector Security
• Environmental Disasters and Accidents
• Government Relations and Congressional Investigations
• Insurance Coverage
• Labor and Employment
• Litigation
• Privacy and Cybersecurity
• Product Liability and Mass Tort Litigation
• Product Recalls
• Securities Litigation and SEC Enforcement
• White Collar Defense and Internal Investigations

Our industry groups comprising energy and energy sector security, financial services, food, health care, retail and consumer products, telecommunications and others are made up of lawyers with significant experience helping clients respond to and address a broad range of crisis situations. Our comprehensive crisis management counseling and legal services cover:

• Pre-incident counsel, including strategic planning, training and program implementation.
• Initial response, including damage control, threat containment and crisis communications.
• Near-term response, including handling information requests, subpoenas, investigations and media coverage.

• Long-term response, including dispute resolution and litigation, reporting and disclosures, insurance coverage and claims, and identification and mitigation of future risks.