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07 July 2023
Issue: 8032 / Categories: Legal News , Cyber , Technology , Cybercrime , Legal services
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NLJ this week: Cyberspecial—crypto thieves & Tulip opportunities

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Law firms are a prime target for cybercriminals, but the rapidly developing world of cryptocurrency is a prime opportunity for lawyers. This week’s NLJ serves up a double helping of articles on the sharp edge of tech development.

Alex Bransome, chief information security officer at IT services company Doherty Associates, sets out the five main cybersecurity threats to the UK legal sector, along with advice on how to construct a robust defence to each.

Bransome explains the threats and defences in accessible language. The necessity of vigilance against cybercrime cannot be overstated. Likewise, top level security and safeguards are vital to maintain client confidence.

Bransome points out, ‘as cyber threats continue to evolve, legal firms with robust defences will stand out from the competition’.

Meanwhile, a recent Court of Appeal case has suggested software developers could be held accountable in cryptocurrency hacking cases. Lauren Pardoe, partner in Rosling King’s dispute resolution group, looks at the questions raised by Tulip Trading (a Seychelles company) v Van Der Laan & Ors. The case explored whether the developers of cryptocurrency networks, working on behalf of bitcoin owners, are accountable as fiduciaries if networks are hacked.

The English and Welsh courts’ openness to considering how legal principles can be applied and even extended is a subject of huge interest for the crypto sector. As Pardoe writes, ‘cryptocurrency is a new and fast-developing area, in which there has to date been little in the way of judicial intervention, and in which there is little regulation’.

Read Alex Bransome's article here, and Lauren Pardoe's here.

MOVERS & SHAKERS

Clarke Willmott—Anita Rasaratnam

Clarke Willmott—Anita Rasaratnam

Clarke Willmott strengthens social housing development offering with senior London appointment

Trowers & Hamlins—David Meecham

Trowers & Hamlins—David Meecham

Trowers strengthens Birmingham real estate team with partner hire

Blake Morgan—Jennifer Ray & Louise Culleton

Blake Morgan—Jennifer Ray & Louise Culleton

Blake Morgan expands private client and regulatory teams with new legal directors

NEWS
A mood of cautious optimism has enveloped the criminal law sector following indications the Prime Minister may abandon planned jury reforms
Helping to source the services and providers you need
The Senior Courts Costs Office has clarified that judges conducting detailed assessment proceedings cannot order security for costs—a ruling that may leave successful parties exposed to further litigation expense
Rejecting a generous settlement can prove an expensive mistake, as two recent high-profile cases demonstrate
The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) continues to show that failing to disclose regulatory issues can attract harsher consequences than the original misconduct itself
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