Nobody wants to find themselves on the receiving end of a legal allegation, but nor is it possible to completely eliminate this likelihood. If you’re a tech company facing some legal trouble or you just want to prepare yourself for a hypothetical situation in the future, you might be keen to know how to react when an allegation arises.
One of the biggest decisions you’ll face is whether or not you should hire a criminal defense lawyer. Which scenarios call for legal representation, and which can you handle on your own? Here, we’re discussing common situations where you should hire a criminal defense lawyer, so you’re aware of the warning signs before they appear.
How Criminal Liability Can Affect Your Tech Company
There are a few different situations where your tech company may face criminal scrutiny, and not all of them are directly due to a mistake or deliberate act on your part. A legal issue could arise from:
- A data breach
- Insider trading
- Misuse of customer data
- Fraud allegations
These might start out as civil or regulatory issues, but, depending on the exact scenario and the case that the complainant has put together, they could rise to criminal investigations.
Early Warning Signs You May Need Legal Protection
Criminal issues don’t usually appear out of nowhere, so it’s helpful to be aware of the warning signs that you can spot if you know what to look for.
Starting with the obvious, if you receive a subpoena, or a formal notice of investigation, this immediately signals that your company is under scrutiny. Even if the inquiry that’s being instigated seems minor, it’s worth keeping in mind that regulators rarely reach out unless they believe there may be a problem that’s worth pursuing.
Other red flags that might point towards needing legal protection include:
- Sudden interest from a government agency; for instance, if you receive repeated information requests or unexpected audits
- Internal triggers, like an employee whistleblower who reports misconduct to outside authorities
- Cybersecurity breaches, especially those that involve customer data or financial information
In each of these situations, there’s the obvious concern about financial penalties and how your reputation might get harmed. But beyond that, there’s also the potential for these cases to lead directly to criminal allegations against the business or its executives, which is when the matter will really escalate.
Keeping an eye out for these signals early will give you the chance to bring in a reputable criminal defense lawyer, like the attorneys at the Texas Criminal Defense Group, before the matter can get out of hand.
Hiring a Criminal Defense Lawyer in Tech Cases
Defense lawyers differ from corporate counsel: their main goal is to protect you and your company from liability. Their role goes beyond offering the security of professional support and might also involve managing investigations and negotiations, as well as conducting trial preparation and communicating with regulators if needed.
It’s really important that you hire a defense lawyer early, rather than waiting until any charges are filed. The last thing you want is to make a rushed statement without legal counsel or lose the control you have over critical evidence, which will only serve to make the situation worse.
