Constangy Cyber Team chair and partner, Sean Hoar, and Cyber Team vice chair and partner Lindsay Nickle, have been named to the Cybersecurity Docket’s “Incident Response 50” list for 2025. Each year, Cybersecurity Docket’s list recognizes the best data breach response lawyers in the industry. This is the eighth time Sean has been selected as a top data breach response lawyer, having been previously honored in 2018-2024.
Bruce Carton, editor of Cybersecurity Docket, announced the names of this year’s Incident Response 50 at the conclusion of Incident Response Forum Masterclass 2025, during which Lindsay participated in a panel discussion about cybersecurity incident preparation and remediation. The Masterclass was held at the Four Seasons Hotel in Washington D.C. on April 22, 2025. In a press release announcing those recognized, Carton said “The lawyers in the Incident Response 50 for 2025 represent many of the top law firms in the world and are often the “first call” for companies that suddenly find themselves the victims of a data breach.’”
Sean’s background includes almost 25 years of experience with data privacy and information security matters. He is a former cyber attorney for the U.S. Department of Justice where he served as the lead cyber attorney for the U.S. Attorney's Office in Oregon, and worked with the Computer Crime & Intellectual Property Section in Washington, D.C. During that time, he worked closely with the FBI, the Secret Service, and other federal agencies in prosecuting complex white collar and high-tech cybercrime. Sean was also honored twice with the Director’s Award, one of the highest awards bestowed upon Assistant U.S. Attorneys. His credentials include being a Global Information Security Professional (GISP), a Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP), and a Certified Information Privacy Professional for United States laws (CIPP/US). In managing the national Constangy Cyber Team, Sean continues to manage responses to complex data breaches, and works with information security personnel and corporate executives in managing and mitigating cyber risk.
Lindsay serves as a vice chair of the Constangy Cyber Team and practices in Dallas. Lindsay has extensive experience managing responses to data privacy and security incidents. Although she has managed hundreds of responses to all sizes and types of data security incidents, she has unique experience managing incidents subject to the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act (HITECH Act). She has managed some of the largest and most complex healthcare-related incidents in the world. Lindsay also has substantial experience assisting clients with the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS). She is uniquely positioned to gauge third-party liability, having served as a trial attorney in healthcare and financial regulatory matters for more than 15 years before beginning to manage responses to data privacy and security incidents. In helping clients mitigate the risk of that liability, she regularly facilitates training and workshops on data security. Lindsay holds the U.S. Certified Information Privacy Professional for United States law (CIPP/US) credential and is a recognized leader in the cyber risk management industry, serving on the Advisory Board for Zywave Cyber Risk Insights Conferences. She also regularly serves as a featured speaker on topics related to cyber insurance, cyber risk mitigation, and data privacy regulation.
To access the full list of those recognized, click here.