Confessions of a CISO: What we wish lawyers knew

Cybersecurity leaders face relentless threats, sleepless nights, and boardroom pressure. Yet one challenge keeps resurfacing: the gap between CISOs and their lawyers. Legal teams are guardians of privilege and compliance, but too often, they lack visibility into the realities of defending an organisation against daily cyberattacks.

This candid panel brings together four leading global CISOs to share what they most wish their legal teams understood. Expect practical, unfiltered insights from the frontlines of security — from navigating breach response under impossible deadlines, to negotiating contracts that actually reduce risk, to balancing regulatory obligations with operational reality.

What you’ll learn

• The biggest misconceptions lawyers have about cybersecurity
• How legal teams can be allies (not obstacles) in incident response
• Why contract negotiations so often frustrate CISOs — and how to fix it
• Where evolving regulations clash with the realities of cyber defence
• The single most valuable skill lawyers can develop to support CISOs

Who should attend

• Lawyers in private practice advising on data, contracts, or compliance
• In-house legal and compliance teams working with CISOs and CIOs
• Risk, governance, and executive leaders navigating legal–cyber alignment
• Anyone curious about how law and cybersecurity intersect in practice

Join us for this unique conversation that cuts through jargon and reveals the truths CISOs rarely say out loud, but wish their lawyers knew.