As privacy laws continue to evolve and cybersecurity threats become more sophisticated, businesses across industries are facing increasing operational and reputational risk relating to the protection of sensitive information and compliance with complex regulatory requirements.
In response to clients’ growing data privacy and security protection needs, Duckor Metzger & Wynne, APLC expanded its Privacy & Cybersecurity practice to provide comprehensive counsel on privacy compliance, cybersecurity risk management, regulatory investigations and related litigation.
The expansion reflects issues the firm’s attorneys are encountering across a broad range of matters, including in employment, healthcare, business transactions, class actions and litigation. Organizations today must navigate a growing patchwork of federal and state privacy laws and regulations while also addressing emerging cybersecurity risks involving employee, consumer and patient data.
The financial and regulatory consequences of privacy and cybersecurity failures continue to grow. According to IBM’s Cost of a Data Breach Report for 2025, the average cost of a data breach reached a record $4.4 million worldwide. At the same time, regulators continue to increase enforcement efforts. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Office for Civil Rights recovered more than $144 million through Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) enforcement actions as of the latest reporting in October 2024 and has recently imposed penalties ranging from hundreds of thousands of dollars to more than $1.5 million for privacy and cybersecurity violations.
DMW advises businesses on compliance with laws and regulations including the HIPAA the California Consumer Privacy Rights Act (CPRA), the California Invasion of Privacy Act (CIPA), Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) requirements and workplace privacy obligations. The firm’s attorneys also assist organizations in assessing and managing obligations related to personally identifiable information, protected health information and other sensitive data.
In addition, DMW is one of the few law firms on the West Coast that assists federal contractors and subcontractors with Department of War/Department of Defense cybersecurity requirements and implementation of CMMC-compliant policies and procedures. The firm’s attorneys help clients with gap assessments and implementation guidance aligned to NIST SP 800-171 and DFARS, policy, procedure and evidence development to support CMMC readiness, and supply-chain risk management.
DMW’s Privacy & Cybersecurity practice also draws on DMW’s substantial litigation experience, including individual and class action matters involving employee, patient and consumer data, privacy claims and cybersecurity-related disputes.
As regulatory scrutiny increases and cybersecurity incidents continue to impact organizations of all sizes, DMW remains committed to helping clients proactively manage risk, maintain compliance and respond effectively when issues arise.
Whether your organization is navigating privacy compliance obligations, responding to a cybersecurity incident, preparing for a CMMC assessment or evaluating policies for handling sensitive data, DMW’s attorneys can help. Contact our team to learn how we can assist with privacy, cybersecurity and data protection matters affecting your business.