Cybersecurity and AI threats are intensifying corporate litigation exposure across key US industries in 2026, new Norton Rose Fulbright survey finds
Publish Date: 2026-06-10 11:31:00
Source Domain: www.manilatimes.net
Federal and state-level pressures converge as policy shifts compound compliance risk across energy, financial institutions, healthcare and technology
Houston, TX, June 10, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Norton Rose Fulbright’s 2026 Annual Litigation Trends Survey: A midyear industry pulse shows exposure to cybersecurity and data privacy disputes has deepened across the energy, financial institutions, healthcare and technology sectors since the start of the year – far outpacing earlier expectations. Corporate counsel in those sectors also report increased litigation risk around artificial intelligence (AI) and employment issues but note improvements in litigation readiness.
This new poll of 135 general counsel and in-house litigation leaders found cybersecurity and data privacy is the top area of heightened dispute exposure across all four industries, with 56 percent reporting increased risk at the federal level and 53 percent at the state level. By contrast, in late 2025, just 29 percent of respondents from those sectors expected to face greater cybersecurity and data privacy exposure in 2026. Respondents also cite increased litigation concern around AI, with 46 percent reporting more federal dispute exposure and 42 percent reporting state-level increases.
Employment and labor risk remains a major issue, with 39 percent of all respondents citing increased federal dispute exposure and 44 percent reporting more at the state level. This reflects increased compliance complexity as California, New York and other states pass new employment-related requirements.
Cybersecurity and workforce issues also dominate class action concerns. More than half (51 percent) of all respondents cite data or cybersecurity breaches as a likely trigger of such litigation, while 47 percent cite workforce changes such as layoffs. AI tools appear to be an emerging class action catalyst, with 41 percent of all respondents identifying…
