Annie Haggar

Partner | Head of Cybersecurity, Australia
Norton Rose Fulbright Australia

Annie Haggar

Annie Haggar

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Biography

Annie Haggar is a cybersecurity and technology lawyer based in Canberra, Australia.

Annie has 20 years of experience advising government and private sector clients in technology law, enterprise security risk, procurement security considerations, global security regulation, and cybersecurity risk in M&A.

Annie has supported clients from start-ups to global Fortune 500 enterprise clients on technology development, product launch, and global regulatory compliance in cybersecurity, as well as complex technology transactions, acquisitions. Annie has also worked as advisor to Australian Commonwealth and State government agencies, including on extended secondment.  

Prior to joining the firm, Annie founded and was the principal lawyer for a boutique cybersecurity and technology law firm Cyber GC in 2023, advising clients on cybersecurity, critical infrastructure security, security in procurement, and supporting cyber incidents. Annie was awarded the Sole Practitioner of the Year Award and Cyber GC was a finalist for the Boutique Firm of the Year in the Lawyers Weekly Australian Law Awards, 2024.

Annie’s deep technical understanding of technology and cybersecurity issues was gained during her 12 years as legal counsel for one of the world’s largest technology companies, Accenture, including 6 years as global legal counsel for its global cybersecurity business. During Annie’s time in this role, Annie supported the acquisition of 14 cybersecurity businesses, led negotiation of world-first ‘everything-as-a-service’ transactions for global clients, and complex multi-tower outsourcing and systems integration projects and some of Australia’s first hyperscale cloud deals.  Annie was awarded the Lawyers Weekly Australian Law Awards General Counsel of the Year, and Lawyers Weekly, Corporate Counsel Awards, Technology, Media and Telecommunications Lawyer of the Year awards for her work in this role in 2021.

Annie has also advised government, critical infrastructure and private sector clients on cybersecurity in procurement, developing tailored precedents, clause-banks, training and resources for legal and procurement teams, and advising on and negotiating complex security service and technology procurements.

Annie’s brings to her advice a deep understanding of business at the global and local scale, and provides value beyond traditional ‘legal’ spheres, as trusted advisor and part of the team. 
 


Professional experience

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  • Graduate, Australian Institute of Company Directors, July 2023
  • Batchelor of Laws (LLB) Australian National University, December 2006
  • Batchelor of Arts (BA) Australian National University, December 2006
  • Graduate Diploma Legal Practice (GDLP) Australian National University, June 2007
  • Supreme Court of the Australian Capital Territory 2007
  • High Court of Australia 2007
  • Finalist: International Women in Cyber Day (Canberra Awards) for The Paragon Alliance (2024)
  • Winner: Sole Practitioner of the Year, Australian Law Awards, Lawyers Weekly (2024) 
  • 50 Must Follow Women in Cybersecurity - global list, Cyber Security Champion (2024)
  • Winner: General Counsel of the Year, Australian Law Awards, Lawyers Weekly (2021)
  • Winner: Technology, Media and Telecommunications Lawyer of the Year, Corporate Counsel Awards, Lawyers Weekly (2021) 
  • Winner: Australian In-House Counsel of the Year, Australasian Law Awards, The Lawyer Mag (2021)
  • Australian Cyber Security Conference - Panellist: "Technology can be inherently political. Is a balance between innovation and policies achievable?" 
  • Black Hat Asia Executive Summit, Singapore: Cybersecurity in Mergers and Acquisitions    
  • Australian Cyber Security Summit Panellist: How to prepare your business for the aftermath of a cyber security incident
  • Private Healthcare Security Forum: Risk, Regulations and Reasonableness: Legal insights for Healthcare Cyber Executives 
  • Thomson Reuters Australia Regulatory Summit Panellist: Cyber resilience: Strategies against AI-driven threats in the next wave of digital crime.
  • itSMF Conference Presenter: Blurred Lines: MSPs, Security, and Cyber Incidents – what does the future hold?
  • La Trobe University guest lecturer: Cybersecurity and privacy for Entrepreneurs and Startups 
  • Law Council of Australia, Futures Committee
  • Law Society of the Australian Capital Territory
  • Australian Institute of Company Directors (AICD)
  • Australian Information Security Association (AISA)
  • The Paragon Alliance (Co-Founder) 
  • Music for Canberra, Vice-Chair
  • Australian Cyber Network, Non-Executive Director
  • English