Akerman and Thomson Reuters Legal Managed Services Announce Collaboration On Groundbreaking U.S. Data Privacy and Security Legal Service Offering

CHICAGO, Dec. 1, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Akerman LLP, a top 100 U.S. law firm serving clients across the Americas, today announced the advent of the Akerman Data Law Center, a dynamic, technology-driven, data privacy and security law service offering developed in collaboration with Thomson Reuters Legal Managed Services.

The Akerman Data Law Center will provide tailored research, multi-jurisdictional surveys and regulatory gap analyses in a wide array of data and privacy risk areas empowering clients to quickly and cost-effectively understand and handle routine compliance matters while mitigating risks before they become crises. With Akerman's multi-disciplinary team of regulatory compliance and data law lawyers within reach, the firm can also provide legal interpretation and day-to-day counseling specifically tailored to each client's distinctive situation and needs.

"We recognize that in most areas of data law today, such as privacy, security and records retention, the number of relevant laws and regulations is too vast and fast-growing for most individual clients to cost-effectively maintain," said Martin Tully, co-chair of Akerman's Data Law Practice. "The Akerman Data Law Center enables our clients to keep pace with business-critical data laws by extending their in-house capabilities and improving business efficiency."

Akerman also is partnering with Neota Logic. The Akerman Data Law Center will utilize Neota Logic's advanced expert system technology platform, a form of artificial intelligence, to interpret and operationalize the legal knowledge and guide clients to counsel where counsel is needed. By combining rules, reasoning, decision management and document automation, Neota Logic applications set a new standard in delivering business solutions.

The Akerman Data Law Center features:

• Web-based legal knowledge platform
• Custom global research into statutes, rules and regulations in complex areas of law that govern and impact highly regulated enterprises developed by Akerman leveraging Thomson Reuters professionals
• Highly efficient solution for data law compliance that can reduce legal fees by more than 80 percent as compared with traditional hourly rate services
• Timely analysis of state, federal and multi-jurisdictional data and privacy risk areas
• Monthly subscription fee with budget certainty for ongoing legal and compliance research and monitoring
• Integrative "expert systems" technology from Neota provides intuitive interface for navigating complex rule sets contained in data laws and regulations

Akerman is the first law firm to collaborate on the creation of a dedicated data law service offering with Thomson Reuters Legal Managed Services, the worldwide leader in managed services solutions for risk, compliance and legal professionals. The Akerman Data Law Center combines what law firms do best – high-value analysis and legal advice – with what Thomson Reuters Legal Managed Services does best – execute a methodical and well-documented approach to research and regulatory change management by leveraging the right mix of professionals and business processes. Akerman chose to collaborate with Thomson Reuters Legal Managed Services because of its deep experience helping Fortune 500 clients achieve their risk management goals and protect their brands. Leveraging the expertise of Thomson Reuters professionals allows Akerman to offer the most comprehensive program possible.

"We work with many leading corporations that are struggling to keep abreast of the changes in the regulatory environment and we're delighted to work with Akerman on this innovative offering," said Greg McPolin, COO of Thomson Reuters Legal Managed Services. "A commitment to innovation as well as quality and service are a shared mission for both Thomson Reuters and Akerman. This collaboration exemplifies the future of  legal and compliance services."

"The Akerman Data Law Center is an opportunity to reengineer how legal services are delivered. Artificial intelligence and other non-traditional methods of delivering legal services are too often viewed as threats to the traditional law firm model. At Akerman, we see them as opportunities for our clients," said Jeff Sharer, co-chair of Akerman's Data Law Practice. "If we can achieve a better result by partnering with another industry expert, the right answer is to partner. If we can automate a routine decision or document, the right answer is to automate. Client needs and client influence are guiding the development of the Akerman Data Law Center."

The proliferation of data privacy and security laws across the U.S. continues to accelerate in step with the increasing volume and mobility of corporate data and threats of data breaches. Enterprises and their compliance practices also are increasingly scrutinized by regulators and other watchdog groups. This can quickly spiral into costly and reputation-damaging government enforcement actions and litigation exposure. In addition to providing services to mitigate the inherent risks embedded in swelling corporate data, Akerman has significant experience helping clients resolve the myriad issues that arise when controls fail and data is compromised, including incident response and resulting litigation, investigations and other proceedings.

The Akerman Data Law Center is the firm's latest advancement in a continuum of innovation that has intensified over the past decade. Akerman is known for launching the first law firm R&D Council, a collaborative venture with clients to overcome future barriers to innovation and growth. The firm most recently premiered Akerman Bench, a mock oral argument product featuring one of the largest teams of former appellate judges assembled in-house by an Am Law 100 law firm. The launch of the Akerman Data Law Center is expected to accelerate the development of new legal technology offerings by other law firms.

About Akerman LLP
Akerman LLP is a leading transactions and trial law firm known for its core strengths in middle market M&A, within the financial services and real estate industries, and for a diverse Latin America practice. With more than 600 lawyers and government affairs professionals and a network of 20 offices, it is ranked among the top 100 law firms in the United States by The American Lawyer (2015). Akerman also is ranked among the top 50 law firms for diversity in The American Lawyer's Diversity Scorecard (2015).

Akerman's Data Law Practice helps clients stay ahead of the curve with respect to developing law, emerging technologies, and best practices surrounding Big Data. With a sophisticated understanding of the complexities that define the digital universe, Akerman advises clients on e-discovery, information governance, and data privacy and security matters across multiple sectors, including two of the most heavily regulated and most often targeted by cyberattacks – healthcare and banking/financial services – as well as real estate, insurance, retail and consumer products.

Akerman is committed to innovation and to leveraging new technologies to advance the present and future business needs of clients. More information can be found at akerman.com or twitter.com/akerman_law.

About Thomson Reuters Legal Managed Services
Thomson Reuters Legal Managed Services acts as an instrument of change, helping law firms and corporations evolve their business and achieve successful outcomes in their most challenging engagements. The Legal Managed Services experts proactively partner with clients to develop a solution where people, process and technology act in perfect harmony, allowing them to expand capacity, improve efficiency, and mitigate legal and operating risks. For more information, visit legalsolutions.com/lms.

About Neota Logic
Neota Logic is a global provider of an innovative expert system software platform that allows for the rapid building and deployment by non-programmers of rules-based applications. The company's easy-to-maintain applications provide solutions, which can deliver process improvements, reduce risk, ensure compliance or support revenue generation by combining rules, reasoning, decision management and document automation. Neota Logic applications are mobile-ready, can be embedded in portals and websites and integrate easily with other systems. For more information, please visit neotalogic.com.

SOURCE Akerman LLP

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