Job ID: 391854
Practice area:- Data Privacy - Transactional
Keywords:- data processing agreement, DPA, standard contractual clauses, privacy policy, cross-border transfer, SaaS privacy, controller-processor, data map, vendor contract, information security addendum, data transfer impact assessment
4-6 Year Cybersecurity & Digital Risk Associate - Top National Firm | Houston, TX
A leading national law firm seeks an experienced Cybersecurity and Digital Risk Associate to join its cutting-edge practice in Houston, Texas. Handle high-stakes data breach response, regulatory defense, and emerging AI/privacy compliance matters for Fortune 500 clients in a fast-paced, technology-driven environment with exceptional benefits, innovative culture, and partner-track opportunities.
About This Opportunity
A top-tier national law firm with a sophisticated cybersecurity and privacy practice is seeking a talented mid-level associate with 4-6 years of experience to join its dynamic team in Houston, Texas. This prestigious firm has built a distinguished reputation for advising the world's largest companies—as well as innovative startups and emerging growth companies—on the most complex data privacy, cybersecurity, and digital transformation challenges facing modern businesses.
This is an exceptional opportunity for an attorney with strong technical acumen to work at the forefront of cybersecurity law, advising C-suite executives and boards during high-stakes cyber incidents, defending clients in multijurisdictional regulatory investigations, and counseling on compliance with rapidly evolving state, federal, and cross-border privacy laws. You will collaborate directly with partners, forensic specialists, and client leadership teams on matters involving AI governance, data security incidents, and digital risk management.
The firm offers an innovative, inclusive culture with exceptional benefits rarely found in legal practice, including family-forming benefits for all employees, vacation stipends, mental health support, free wellness programs, executive coaching, and comprehensive parental leave—all designed to support long-term career success and work-life integration.
Key Responsibilities
As a Cybersecurity and Digital Risk Associate, you will:
• Advise clients during cybersecurity incidents including ransomware attacks, data breaches, and security compromises, coordinating forensic investigations, containment strategies, and regulator engagement
• Lead incident response efforts managing notification obligations, remediation planning, and communications with affected individuals, regulators, law enforcement, and media stakeholders
• Represent clients in enforcement actions and investigations by state attorneys general, the FTC, SEC, HHS/OCR, and other federal and state regulatory bodies
• Defend regulatory matters involving alleged violations of privacy laws such as GDPR, CCPA/CPRA, HIPAA, GLBA, and emerging state comprehensive privacy statutes
• Counsel clients on compliance with complex state, federal, and cross-border cybersecurity and data protection laws, regulations, and industry standards
• Support board-level cybersecurity preparedness including crisis management simulations, tabletop exercises, and governance framework development
• Assist in developing and testing incident response plans aligned with NIST Cybersecurity Framework, ISO 27001, and other industry best practices
• Draft and negotiate data protection agreements including data processing addendums (DPAs), business associate agreements (BAAs), and cybersecurity vendor contracts
• Collaborate on cross-border investigations involving multijurisdictional regulatory alignment, international data transfer mechanisms, and global privacy compliance
• Provide strategic counsel on AI governance including compliance with emerging AI regulations, algorithmic transparency requirements, and responsible AI deployment
• Advise on digital transformation risk management addressing cloud migration security, IoT device governance, and third-party vendor risk assessment
• Conduct privacy impact assessments and data protection impact assessments (DPIAs) for high-risk processing activities
• Support litigation matters arising from data security incidents, including class actions, regulatory enforcement, and contractual disputes
Qualifications
The ideal candidate will possess:
• Juris Doctor (JD) degree from an ABA-accredited law school with excellent academic credentials
• 4-6 years of experience at a top national or AmLaw firm with demonstrated excellence in legal practice
• Background in cybersecurity, privacy, regulatory defense, or complex litigation with proven ability to handle sophisticated matters
• Strong technical acumen or demonstrated interest in information security, data protection technologies, and AI/machine learning systems
• Experience coordinating cyber incident response and working with digital forensics teams, security consultants, and technical experts
• Familiarity with cybersecurity standards and frameworks such as NIST CSF, ISO 27001, SOC 2, HITRUST, or PCI DSS
• Exposure to AI governance, data governance, or digital transformation risk management is highly valued
• Knowledge of privacy laws including GDPR, CCPA/CPRA, HIPAA, state breach notification laws, and emerging comprehensive privacy statutes
• Exceptional legal writing, research, and analytical skills with ability to distill complex technical and legal issues for diverse audiences
• Outstanding client communication abilities with confidence presenting to C-suite executives, boards of directors, and regulatory officials
• Admission to practice in Texas or eligibility for bar admission by motion/waiver
• Ability to manage multiple high-priority matters simultaneously in a fast-paced, collaborative environment with competing deadlines
• Proactive, solution-oriented approach with strong business judgment and client service orientation
• Team player mentality with excellent interpersonal skills and commitment to collaborative practice
Apply Today
This is an exceptional opportunity for a talented cybersecurity and privacy attorney with 4-6 years of experience to join a top national firm's cutting-edge practice in Houston, handling high-stakes incident response, regulatory defense, and emerging technology governance matters for prestigious clients.
Apply now for a confidential discussion with a BCG Attorney Search recruiter. Our team has extensive knowledge of the Houston legal market and cybersecurity practices at leading national firms. We can provide detailed insights into this firm's culture, innovative benefits, and competitive positioning among elite technology law practices. We will ensure your candidacy is presented effectively and professionally.
This opportunity is actively interviewing candidates. Submit your resume today to be considered for this highly sought-after position offering sophisticated cybersecurity work, exceptional benefits including executive coaching and family-forming support, and genuine partnership opportunities in a rapidly growing practice area.
This position rarely opens at this level for mid-level associates with cybersecurity and incident response experience. Join a distinguished technology practice where you can advise on landmark privacy matters, manage high-stakes regulatory investigations, and build a rewarding career at the forefront of digital risk management and AI governance.
BCG Attorney Search is the industry leader for placing candidates in permanent positions in law firms. Since 2000, our recruiters have placed several thousand attorneys and enjoyed extraordinarily high success rates with our candidates. As a BCG Attorney Search candidate, you have access to more opportunities than any legal placement firm in the United States. We are able to offer the most in-depth insight in the legal recruiting market thanks to our dedicated team of over 150 employees who mercilessly research, study and analyze the legal market. The depth and breadth of our research empowers us to place attorneys at rates that are unparalleled at any placement firm in the United States. Many of our recruiters make 30 to 40 placements per year, while recruiters at competitor firms are likely to make four or five. Unlike other placement firms that can only tell you about openings at major AmLaw firms, we place candidates of all backgrounds in firms of all sizes. While other legal recruiters only represent a narrow band of candidates from top law firms and top law schools, our research, firm contacts, and market insight allow us to place hundreds of candidates each year who do not fit this mold. It is rare that we do not get candidates we represent interviews and offers. No one in the world is better at legal recruiting and placement than BCG Attorney Search.
BCG Attorney Search will confidentially review your application and will not forward your materials to the firm without first discussing the opportunity with you.
