Data Security: The Technology Company Perspective

Matthew S. Brown is head of Katten’s Entrepreneurial Ventures practice and represents a wide range of businesses, entrepreneurs and investors in mergers and acquisitions, venture and angel capital financings, public securities offerings, reporting and compliance, governance and general corporate matters. He also counsels directors and special committees in connection with special transactions and investigations.

Matt has counseled clients from start-up and initial organization through angel and growth equity fundings, redemptions and recapitalizations, initial and follow on public offerings and multibillion dollar liquidity events. His clients have been in varied businesses, including enterprise software, Internet commerce platforms, air to ground telephone service, ed-tech and e-learning, for-profit education, big box retailers, industrial chemical distribution, high speed printer manufacturing, IT services, major sports franchises, scrap yards, metal roll coating, food manufacturing and automated facilities maintenance services management.

Matt was appointed by former Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley to serve on the Mayor’s Council of Technology Advisors and served for two years as co-chair of the Access to Capital Working Group. He has served on the Board of Directors of the Chicagoland Entrepreneurial Center since its inception and helped establish Chicago’s 1871, one of the most ambitious incubator projects in the country, which is home to more than 400 digital start-up companies.

Leonard A. Ferber, co-head of Katten’s Technology practice, focuses his practice on technology transactions, representing both technology developers and large corporate users of technology.

Len represents early stage and mature software and other technology-based companies and consulting firms in a variety of transactional matters, including strategic partnering arrangements and joint ventures, sophisticated licensing arrangements (both in-bound and out-bound), and technology development and acquisition agreements. These clients include businesses distributing technology using software-as-a-service and platform-as-a-service business models and those seeking to leverage their data collection capabilities. He also counsels major corporations on matters related to technology, such as procuring large-scale software licenses and hardware, outsourcing of technology services and business functions, Internet and social media strategies and privacy issues.

Len has been active in Chicago’s technology community for over 20 years, and speaks frequently before legal and industry groups on technology-related subjects.

Michael Flanagan is co-founder and CEO of BigData Insure, LLC, and has been creating ways to develop cyber protection for Cyber Risk and Exposure since 2001. For the past 15 years his dedication and passion has translated into what he does for his clients and partners. His expertise is in creating the framework to underwrite cyber risk insurance for midsized companies. He has done a great job of building relationships across the cyber community among underwriters, brokers, program managers and carriers. One of his largest clients cited Flanagan's high energy: "There are a lot of things Michael is trying to execute for us. He's wired to deliver on his promises. He's got a lot of knowledge and great work ethic to match.” Flanagan spearheaded his team's efforts to develop a risk assessment tool using proprietary technology to identify, map and profile cyber risks and the products he builds for his clients. His experience in the Insurance industry has allow his firm to be on the leading edge of the adoption of cyber risk coverage and comprehensive cyber program development. He was named a "Power Broker" by Risk and Insurance Magazine. He is often quoted in newspapers and magazines as the industry’s top authority.