Jason Symons

Jason leads the firm’s cyber risk team and has been a specialist cyber and financial lines insurance lawyer for 18 years.

Jason has extensive experience advising organisations in relation to managing cyber and privacy risk, data governance, responding to cyber-attacks and data breaches, regulatory investigations and third party disputes arising from cyber incidents.

His team has assisted organisations (on direct instruction or by their insurer) that have suffered ransomware attacks, business email compromises, misdirection payment fraud, international data breaches (working with foreign law firms), and human error incidents.

Jason advises clients on Australian cyber and privacy law, security of critical infrastructure regulation, international data protection law, and cyber due diligences for M&A transactions.

Jason is also an industry expert regarding complex insurance coverage issues across all forms of financial lines and cyber insurance.  He assists insurers with cyber policy wordings and claims management, and has acted as coverage counsel for many Australian insurers and Lloyd’s syndicates.

Jason has represented clients in all levels of Australian courts, including class actions and large insolvency litigation, and represented parties in Royal Commissions, OAIC, ASIC and APRA investigations.

Jason presents regularly on cyber and data risk, privacy regulations, responding to cyber incidents, and cyber insurance.  He is also an advocate for young lawyers choosing a legal career in cyber and insurance, and has worked with numerous organisations providing pro bono legal assistance over his entire career.

Jason is also admitted and currently registered as an attorney in New York State, having passed the Bar Exam in July 2008.  He also sits on the University of Technology, Sydney, Law School Advisory Board, and is a National Committee member of the Australian Professional Indemnity Group.

Memberships, Accreditation and Activities

  • Bachelor of Laws (Honours), University of Technology, Sydney (2003)
  • Bachelor of Business (Major in Accounting), University of Technology, Sydney (2003)
  • Supreme Court of NSW (2005), High Court of Australia (2007)
  • Attorney-at-Law, New York, USA (2011)
  • Australian Professional Indemnity Group (APIG), National Committee Member (2017-)
  • University of Technology, Sydney, Law School Advisory Board, Board Member (2023-)
  • Law Society of New South Wales (2005-)
  • New York State Bar Association (2012-)

Expertise

Jason’s expertise includes:

  • Cyber incident response and management
  • Cyber and financial lines insurance
  • Data breaches, ransomware attacks
  • Business email compromise, financial fraud
  • Cyber, privacy, data protection law
  • Security of critical infrastructure regulation
  • Cyber and privacy risk assessment
  • Data governance and ediscovery
  • Cyber incident simulations and planning
  • M&A cyber due diligence
  • Dispute resolution and class actions
  • Regulatory investigations
  • Royal Commissions.

Recent Matters

  • Advising Australian law firm that suffered a business email compromise
  • Advising Australian healthcare provider that suffered a ransomware attack and substantial data breach
  • Advising international IT service provider that suffered a ransomware attack of an Australian customer’s IT infrastructure
  • Advising international charity that suffered a substantial data breach of a third-party service provider
  • Advising online hire company that suffered a data breach of its customer database
  • Advising Australian manufacturing company that suffered a business email compromise and consequential invoice fraud
  • Advising individual that suffered a social engineering fraud of its financial advisory firm
  • Conducting a cyber incident simulation exercise for an Australian financial institution
  • Advising Australian insurer on potential ‘silent cyber’ cover provided by various lines of insurance
  • Advising Australian investment company preparing for a potential sale.

Memberships, Accreditation & Activities

  • Bachelor of Laws (Honours), University of Technology, Sydney (2003)
  • Bachelor of Business (Major in Accounting), University of Technology, Sydney (2003)
  • Supreme Court of NSW (2005), High Court of Australia (2007)
  • Attorney-at-Law, New York, USA (2011)
  • Australian Professional Indemnity Group (APIG), National Committee Member (2017-)
  • University of Technology, Sydney, Law School Advisory Board, Board Member (2023-)
  • Law Society of New South Wales (2005-)
  • New York State Bar Association (2012-)