Cameron Whittfield

Partner

Melbourne Australia

Cameron is a market leading technology lawyer specialising in cyber security, information security and emerging technologies.

Cameron works extensively for clients in Australia and internationally advising on cyber security, information security, data protection, emerging technologies, digital platforms, technology and telecommunications reform and other technology-related transactions and legal issues.

Cameron has significant experience advising Australian and global corporates on the preparation and response to major cyber security incidents.
He has been the lead advisor in relation to some of Australia's most complex and contentious cyber-attacks, overseeing all aspects of the response including forensic reviews, incident recovery, root cause analysis, regulator/ regulatory engagement and investigations, stakeholder management, contractual matters and cyber insurance. He also helps executive teams and boards navigate and understand governance responsibilities associated with cyber security resilience, the impact of cyber reforms, crisis response and the implications of technology on traditional (and emerging) legal principles and business models.

Cameron has complimentary expertise in related fields including M&A, technology reform and regulation and technology sourcing and transformation. He has extensive experience dealing with bespoke and complex commercial arrangements.

Cameron has worked throughout the world, included for extended periods based in the UK (London), the US (Houston), France (Paris) and SE Asia (Hong Kong / Singapore).

Prior to re-joining HSF, Cameron founded the Melbourne office of Gilbert+ Tobin and was the global TMT and cyber security legal leader for a global professional services firm.

In 2019, Cameron was awarded 'Technology Law Partner of the Year' at the annual Lawyers Weekly Australian legal partner awards and has been on listed in Australian Best Lawyers for corporate, commercial, telecommunications and IT law every year since 2016.

Cameron coordinates and teaches 'New Technology Law' at Melbourne Law School, a course designed to provide law graduates with a breadth of knowledge across various technology areas, ranging from digital platform businesses, technology sourcing and cloud computing, cyber security and data protection, blockchain technologies and artificial intelligence.

Background

Cameron studied at the University of Victoria, Wellington (LLB) and FINSIA (Cert of Applied Finance). He also completed Law Firm Leadership Executive Training at Harvard Law School.

Cameron is an Honorary Senior Fellow at the University of Melbourne, a lecturer & subject coordinator for the 'New Technology Law' course at Melbourne Law School, where he is on the Advisory Council. He is also the Chair of the Advisory

Cameron has worked extensively throughout the world over the last 25 years and is qualified in England & Wales, Australia and New Zealand.

Experience & expertise

Selected matters

Cameron has advised on no fewer than 80 plus material cyber incidents, including as lead adviser on some of the region’s most significant cyberattacks.
Advising numerous companies and their boards, both listed and unlisted, within Australia and across SE Asia, on cyber resilience, cyber maturity, 3rd party risk management, specific incident response, ransomware and cyber extortion playbooks, crisis management, extortion payment decisions, threat intelligence, director duties and cyber simulations.
Extensive experience dealing with regulatory reform and data protection laws, including the Privacy Act, GDPR, Security of Critical Infrastructure reforms, notifiable data breach regimes (throughout the region and the EU), CPS234/232/230 and ASX disclosure/ trading halt decisions.
Assisting clients with regulatory and Government agency engagement, including with the ACSC, OAIC, APRA, ASIC, PDPC (Singapore), PCPD (Hong Kong), AFP, State-based cyber-crime enforcement and the Cyber and Infrastructure Security Centre.
Advising on various emerging technology transactions, including as lead legal adviser for a global Al ethical framework, the Alibaba Food Trust Framework (blockchain) and the formulation of the Global Shipping Business Network blockchain solution.
Drafting and negotiating technology sourcing agreements and managing disputes associated with technology sourcing, including acting in transactions involving the world's largest technology companies, including transactions involving AWS, IBM, Accenture, Infosys, Salesforce, Cisco, Oracle, Atlassian, SAP and DXC and Tata (amongst others).
Advising on M&A transactions in the technology and telecommunications space, including advising on strategic restructuring, demergers and private company M&A.
Advising regulators and Governments on telecommunications liberalisation processes and technology reform, both in Australia and throughout the world, including as adviser to Telstra on its wholesale arrangements and the roll out of the national broadband network.