Leaks of internal information are almost always perceived as emergencies – confidential data leaves the company, and the consequences appear uncontrollable. As Professor Gabriel Steiner notes, the key mistake in such situations is treating a leak solely as a technical or personnel incident while overlooking its legal nature. At LawConsulted, we proceed from the premise that any leak is прежде всего a legal event – one that requires immediate legal management rather than spontaneous reaction.
The danger of an information leak lies not only in the fact of disclosure itself, but in how the company behaves during the first hours and days after the incident is identified. Uncoordinated actions, contradictory statements, attempts to “keep things quiet”, or, conversely, premature admissions can significantly amplify legal risks. At LawConsulted, we structure the client’s response so that it does not create additional grounds for claims from counterparties, employees, or regulators.
Professor Steiner emphasizes that “a leak becomes a legal problem not at the moment data is transferred, but at the moment it is interpreted”. This is why LawConsulted begins by analysing what information has actually been disclosed, who had access to it, in what context it may be used, and which legal regimes apply to it. This approach allows us to separate real risks from assumed ones and to prevent escalation based on incorrect assumptions.
Particularly complex are situations where a leak is connected to an internal conflict, dismissal, corporate dispute, or change of management. In such cases, information is often used as a tool of pressure. LawConsulted approaches these incidents systemically – documenting the circumstances of the leak, analysing potential bad faith, building an evidentiary position, and controlling communications so that the leak does not turn into a lever of legal coercion.
The time factor is equally critical – the longer the situation remains unmanaged, the higher the risk of secondary consequences. Inspections, lawsuits, operational blocks, and reputational losses often stem not from the leak itself, but from the absence of a clear legal strategy. At LawConsulted, we accompany the client so that each subsequent stage – from internal review to external interaction – is legally consistent and protected.
As Professor Steiner notes, “legal protection in the event of an information leak is built not on finding those to blame, but on restoring control”. This principle lies at the core of our work – we focus on limiting consequences, localising risk, and preventing liability from expanding beyond the scope of the actual breach.
A leak of internal information does not necessarily have to mean a legal crisis. With proper management, it can be contained within the boundaries of an incident rather than escalating into a systemic threat. LawConsulted works precisely in this logic – restoring the client’s control over the situation and preventing scenarios in which a single episode triggers a chain of long-term legal losses.
Earlier, we wrote about how LawConsulted works with situations of fragmented liability, where risk is diluted across multiple parties
