Justine Phillips added as Partner by Baker McKenzie in Los Angeles

Justine Phillips added as Partner by Baker McKenzie in Los Angeles

Since its inception in 2018, the firm has expanded to over 50 lawyers and business professionals

Global law firm Baker McKenzie has announced that Justine Phillips has joined the firm's intellectual property and technology practice as a Partner in Los Angeles.

Phillips has vast experience in navigating complex cybersecurity and data privacy issues, including risk and resiliency, cyberattack and data breach preparedness and response, compliance and investigation, and cyber litigation.

She focuses on proactive and reactive cybersecurity and data privacy services, advising clients through the development of practical and actionable programs and solutions to manage data, technology, cyber threats, privacy, security, and digital assets.

The proactive and customized programs address the ever-changing laws and regulations. These include compliance-related data mapping, vendor management, cyber risk management and mitigation, and cyber-awareness policies and training.

The reactive cyber services include data incident and cyberattack response, crisis management and investigation, compliance with notice obligations, regulatory inquiries and investigations, and cyber litigation.

Brian Hengesbaugh, the chair of Baker McKenzie’s North America intellectual property and technology practice and chair of the firm's global data privacy and security business unit, remarked, “Cybersecurity concerns are a board-level issue for companies across all industries as the risk of data breaches and other cyberattacks continues to grow.”

Hengesbaugh added, “Phillips is highly skilled at helping clients navigate their data privacy and cybersecurity challenges so they can protect their businesses and thrive. The valuable synergies that her practice brings to our data privacy and cybersecurity groups will build on the firm's profile while advancing the continued expansion of our practice in North America and around the world."

Joyce Smith, a Partner in the firm's San Francisco office and member of the global executive committee, added, "Phillips is a tremendous addition to our firm. The depth and breadth of her background in data breach preparedness and incident response will enable her to provide nuanced, practical guidance to clients as they look to mitigate risk and respond quickly when threats arise."

Perrie M. Weiner, the Partner-in-charge of the Los Angeles office and chair of the firm’s North American securities litigation practice commented, "We are focused on continued growth in Los Angeles and Phillips further enhances the scope of our offerings in Southern California. Adding a practitioner of her caliber is a major milestone for our office in LA and we are thrilled to welcome her to the team."

Mike Brewer, the Managing Partner of the firm's California offices stated, "Our clients continue to tell us that cybersecurity is among their top business concerns. Phillips is a well-regarded practitioner in California and adds significant depth to our Bench of standout practitioners in this area."

On her appointment, Phillips said, "I am delighted to join Baker McKenzie and its esteemed cybersecurity and data privacy team. I look forward to Partnering with a stellar group of professionals across the firm to further deepen and expand our offerings to meet the evolving needs of our clients across the entire lifecycle of cybersecurity issues - from preparedness and incident response to litigation and compliance."

Having earned her BA from the University of San Diego and JD from the University's School of Law, Phillips also speaks and writes on data privacy best practices. Recently, she co-authored a privacy book ‘Data Privacy Program Guide: How to Build a Privacy Program That Inspires Trust’ for in-house counsel.

Baker McKenzie’s robust cybersecurity and data privacy teams help protect clients against cybersecurity threats by developing, managing, and implementing policies, procedures, and emergency plans. The group assists with investigating data breaches, identifying reporting and notification obligations, and implementing strategies to minimize loss or damage. They also train personnel on strategies and policies to minimize data security risks, respond to urgent incidents, and represent clients in disputes and investigations.