Media Release: Clayton Utz expands Forensic & Technology Services practice with dedicated Cyber Incident Response team

Clayton Utz has recruited two leading cyber and forensics specialists to our Forensic and Technology Services (FTS) practice, providing clients with access to a dedicated in-house cyber protection, detection and response service.

Lex Burke and Chris Courtis join Clayton Utz from the Cyber and Forensics practice at Big 4 accounting firm, PwC.

Lex, who has been recruited as a senior manager, is experienced in end-to-end digital forensic and incident response services and has led multiple response and fraud investigations for clients in a range of sectors. He has over 20 years' experience in a range of aspects of information technology and multimedia.

Chris has many years' experience in running data breach and forensic IT investigations for both public and private sector companies, including co-ordinating responses to data breach and cyber incidents. He has a background in computer science, cyber forensics, information security and management, and security and terrorism/counter-terrorism, and joins as a manager.

Clayton Utz's national practice group leader for FTS, Paul Fontanot, said that adding a cyber incident response capability to the existing FTS offering was a natural next step. 

"Cybercrime and cyber security is a major concern for organisations worldwide. It's a serious issue both from a legal/regulatory and reputational perspective," said Paul. "We’re now able to provide our clients with a comprehensive service where they can access both front-end strategic advice on how to protect against cyber breaches as well as helping them to detect and respond to an incident if it occurs."

He added: "This cyber incident response service nicely complements our existing offering to clients in forensic investigation, accounting and technology services. There's enormous benefit to clients in being able to access these services within a law firm. FTS is not an adjunct to, but is embedded in, our legal teams on client matters. This is extremely valuable in terms of both matter and cost management, as well as helping the client to be proactive in identifying and managing issues."