Lawyer specialising in cybersecurity

• Level of educationBac+5
• EmployabilityGood
• Starting salary€2,500
• Experienced salary€7,500
• MobilityAverage
• ROME codeK1903
• FAP codeL5Z90

Why is the lawyer specialising in cybersecurity a strategic job?

With companies becoming ever more digital and cyberattacks multiplying, the cybersecurity lawyer has become indispensable. Their aim is to guarantee legal compliance and protect organisations against the legal risks linked to security flaws, in particular data breaches.

A real example: when a company suffers a ransomware attack, the specialist lawyer steps in to assess the legal obligations, in particular regarding notification of the authorities and customers.

What is a lawyer specialising in cybersecurity?

A lawyer specialising in cybersecurity is a legal expert who also masters the technical aspects of cybersecurity. They act as a bridge between technical teams and decision-makers, ensuring that laws and standards such as the GDPR or the NIS2 directive are respected.

Main duties of the lawyer specialising in cybersecurity

The specialist lawyer’s main tasks include:

Regulatory compliance: ensuring data protection laws are respected (GDPR, ePrivacy, etc.).
Contract management: drafting and analysing cybersecurity-related contracts (cloud, IT services).
Crisis management: assisting the company in the event of a cyber incident, in particular when reporting breaches.
Awareness: training employees in good data protection practice.

A typical day as a lawyer specialising in cybersecurity

1. MorningThey analyse a contract with a cloud or IT services provider and check the clauses covering security, confidentiality, liability and how incidents must be notified.
2. Late morningThey answer questions from technical and business teams about a project, such as data processing, hosting or transfers outside the European Union, and turn legal requirements into practical rules.
3. AfternoonThey follow changes in the law, such as the GDPR or new European cybersecurity directives, and then update internal policies and contract templates to reflect them.
4. End of the dayThey prepare an awareness session on data protection for employees, then catch up with the data protection officer or the CISO on the matters in progress.

When a cyber incident occurs, the day changes: they assess the legal situation, prepare the breach notification to the relevant authority and advise management on its obligations.

Key skills to become a lawyer specialising in cybersecurity

• Legal skills
• Personal data law.
• Sector regulations (finance, healthcare, etc.).
• Expertise in IT contracts.

Technical skills

• Knowledge of cybersecurity basics (cryptography, firewalls).
• Understanding of the ISO 27001 and NIST standards.

Soft skills

• Excellent communication skills.
• Rigour and analytical skills.
• Problem-solving under pressure.

Which training to become a lawyer specialising in cybersecurity?

What is the salary of a lawyer specialising in cybersecurity?

Career prospects for a cybersecurity lawyer

A lawyer specialising in cybersecurity can move on to roles such as:

• Data protection officer.
• Cybersecurity law consultant.
• Expert for European or international institutions.

Why is this job in high demand?

With increasingly strict regulations (such as the NIS2 directive) and rising cyberattacks, companies are actively looking for experts who can navigate a complex legal framework.

Lawyer specialising in cybersecurity or data protection officer: what’s the difference?

Both roles deal with compliance, but their scope and position are not the same:

FAQ about the lawyer specialising in cybersecurity job

What are the prerequisites for this job?

Dual skills in law and cybersecurity are essential, complemented by internships in companies.

Do I need to be an IT expert?

No, but an understanding of technical concepts is indispensable.

Is this job suited to remote working?

Yes, but regular face-to-face meetings may be needed for crisis management.

What are the main difficulties?

Constant legal monitoring and handling emergencies such as data breaches.