Data Privacy and Cybersecurity 6-part webinar series recap
Over the past six-months, our national data privacy and cybersecurity practice group has held webinars covering topics such as incident response, OCR investigations, data protection strategies, third-party vendor breaches, and more. In case you missed any of this pertinent information, or if you are in need of a refresher - you can find a summarization, key insights, and the full webinars listed below.
Guardians of Your Data: Why Third-Party Vendor Breaches are Really a "YOU" Problem | April 17, 2025
In today's interconnected world, third-party vendors are essential to business operations—but they also introduce significant risks to your data security. As businesses grow and rely on multiple vendors, ensuring that their security protocols align with yours is vital to protecting your organization and customer data.
McDonald Hopkins' Dominic Paluzzi, Meghan Collins, and Eric Benson dove deep into the hidden dangers of relying on third-party vendors and how their security failures can directly impact you and your organization. Don’t wait for a breach to make it your problem—learn how to proactively protect your data today!
Topics included:
- Your incident response requirements following a third-party vendor breach
- The hidden risk of third-party vendors
- Incident mitigation strategies
- Vendor due diligence exercises
Catch up on what you missed – click here to view the recording.
Regulators, Mount Up: Key strategies for effective investigations | May 29, 2025
In today’s rapidly evolving regulatory landscape, understanding how incidents are discovered, how to prepare for investigations, and who holds the authority to act are crucial for ensuring compliance and protecting your organization. Whether you're a compliance officer, legal expert, or business leader, this webinar will provide you with practical insights and best practices to navigate the complexities of regulatory investigations and minimize potential risks.
McDonald Hopkins' Heather Shumaker and Christa Kumming provided knowledge to stay ahead in today’s challenging regulatory environment.
Topics included:
- How regulators learn of incidents
- Best practices to prepare for investigations and resolutions
- Who has the authority during the investigation
Catch up on what you missed – click here to view the recording.
The Litigation Landscape: Data privacy risks and legal readiness | June 17, 2025
As regulatory frameworks expand and class actions become more prevalent, businesses must understand the legal nuances shaping privacy litigation today. Our panel unpacked emerging risk areas, key court trends, and proactive strategies to enhance legal preparedness in a rapidly shifting data privacy environment.
McDonald Hopkins' Christopher Dean and Tim Lowe explored the evolving legal challenges organizations face in the age of heightened data privacy scrutiny.
Topics included:
- The rise of data privacy class action litigation
- Types of lawsuits
- Settlement patterns and legal outcomes
- Web-tracking and wiretapping class actions
- Mitigating litigation risk
Catch up on what you missed – click here to view the recording.
Defense-Ready: Navigating DoD cyber incident response standards | August 14, 2025
When a cyber incident strikes, hesitation isn’t an option—especially when the Department of Defense is involved. In today’s high-stakes digital battlefield, knowing exactly how to respond isn’t just smart—it’s required.
McDonald Hopkins' Sean Bowen and Chelsea Zortman cut through the complexity of DoD mandates and showed what it really takes to respond swiftly, report accurately, and coordinate seamlessly with both vendors and government stakeholders. If your organization touches DoD data, this is one session you can’t afford to miss.
Topics included:
- Understanding reporting obligations
- Specific requirements and timelines
- New cybersecurity requirements for contractors
- Effective communication with the DoD
- Building and maintaining a strong relationship
Catch up on what you missed – click here to view the recording.
From Chaos to Control: Mastering modern incident response | September 16, 2025
In today’s fast-moving threat landscape, reacting isn’t enough — mastery is the new mandate. This session unpacked the latest trends, tools, and tactics transforming incident response from reactive firefighting to strategic resilience.
McDonald Hopkins' Colin Battersby and David Lane revealed how top-performing incident response teams are staying ahead of evolving threats by transforming moments of disruption into opportunities for swift, deliberate action.
Topics included:
• Ransomware-as-a-Service (RaaS) - Turnkey ransomware tools and different threat actors drive more attacks
• Business Email Compromise (BEC) - Impersonation scams on the rise
• Wire Fraud - Financial thefts increasing steadily
• Regulatory Focus - More-cyber related investigations
• State and AG Shifts - New laws, tougher enforcement actions
Catch up on what you missed – click here to view the recording.
Don't Panic, Prepare: Surviving an HHS OCR Investigation | October 23, 2025
When a data breach occurs, reporting it is only the beginning. The Office for Civil Rights (OCR) at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) doesn't just review—it investigates. This webinar pulled back the curtain on what really happens during an OCR breach investigation, from the moment a report is filed to the final resolution.
McDonald Hopkins' Eric Benson and Will Lawton explored the triggers, timelines, and tactics behind OCR's enforcement process, and helped to prepare your organization on how to respond effectively, avoid costly missteps, and demonstrate compliance under pressure.
Topics included:
• Preparing for an OCR Investigation
• Understanding OCR’s Data Request
• Responding to OCR’s Data Request
• Navigating Potential Follow-up and Outcomes
• Post-Investigation HIPAA Compliance
Catch up on what you missed – click here to view the recording.
For the latest updates on all things data privacy and cybersecurity, visit our insights page and be on the lookout for our upcoming webinars!