Morning Briefing: Australian law firms hit by cyber attacks

​Cyber hackers target Aussie law firms… New Brisbane partner for Corrs… Simmons & Simmons celebrate 20 years in UAE… Entire law firm suddenly closes… Elections are good news for lawyers….

Australian lawyers targeted by Chinese hackers?
Cyber criminals have targeted Australian law firms in a bid to steal sensitive information. The news has come from computer forensics expert Mark Goudie who says that law firms are among the businesses being targeted by at least 13 malware groups from China. He says that it makes sense that law firms would be victims of hacking due to the data that they handle and that they work in verticals, as do the hackers.
 
New Brisbane partner for Corrs Chambers Westgarth
Banking and finance specialist Clare Corke is making an internal move within Corrs Chambers Westgarth; joining the Brisbane office from Melbourne. Corke has 18 years of experience nationally and internationally. She joined Corrs in 2011 from Blake Dawson.
 
Simmons & Simmons mark a milestone
Simmons & Simmons has celebrated two decades in UAE with an event for staff and clients. The firm opened its Abu Dhabi office in 1994 and has expanded its footprint in the Middle East since; a second office in Saudi Arabia being the latest.
 
Entire law firm suddenly closes 
A London law firm that specialised in legal aid work has suddenly closed its doors after 40 years in business making staff in five offices redundant. Mackesys had recently been in failed talks to merge with another London firm but that is not said to be the reason for the closure. In fact the only clue as to why the firm is being would up came from a letter from the firm’s sole proprietor Geoff Wordsworth which was sent to staff via an insolvency firm. It appears that Wordsworth is in poor health and has decided to close the firm. What makes it so unusual is the sudden nature of the closure; not even its chief executive was aware of the plan.
 
Elections are good news for lawyers
As the US prepares for its mid-term elections, the parties are keen to avoid any issues surrounding voting irregularities. With voting in at least some states set to be tight officials are looking to avoid the issues that caused so much confusion during the 2000 presidential elections when a recount was necessary in Florida. The Republican party alone say they will have 1000 lawyers working with them.
 

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