Prime Highlights-
- US provider Lineal acquires Swiss digital forensics and cybersecurity specialist Forentec, expanding its international presence and expertise in investigations.
- Forentec founder Lionel Bloch stays on and joins Lineal, while former UBS manager David Kern oversees the company’s EMEA expansion.
Key Facts-
- Forentec has 28 full-time positions and Lineal has 290, with Forentec based in Dübendorf.
- Forentec serves banks, insurers, law firms and authorities in digital forensics, eDiscovery and open-source intelligence.
Background-
US legal-tech provider Lineal is acquiring Forentec, a Swiss specialist in digital forensics and cybersecurity, to expand its international presence. The deal broadens Lineal’s expertise in digital forensics, cybersecurity and complex investigations.
The companies kept the price and other financial terms private. Forentec, based in Dübendorf, has 28 full-time positions, while Lineal has 290.
Forentec investigates and preserves digital evidence. It supports banks, insurers, law firms and authorities during cyber incidents, litigation and internal investigations. Its services include digital forensics, eDiscovery for analyzing large data sets and open-source intelligence, which gathers and studies information from public sources.
Forentec’s existing clients gain access to Lineal’s international services, and Lineal gains access to the Swiss firm’s technical specialists.
Founder and Managing Partner Lionel Bloch stays on and joins Lineal. He said the deal lets Forentec keep its specialization and discretion while it draws on the technology of a larger international group. Lineal CEO Major Baisden sees new business opportunities where digital investigations, cybersecurity and electronic evidence preservation meet.
The deal supports Lineal’s growth across Europe, the Middle East and Africa. General Manager EMEA David Kern, a former UBS Global Head of Processing and Review Management for eDiscovery in Zurich, leads that push. He said Forentec gives Lineal a Swiss presence to support clients in cross-border investigations.
Lineal, a provider of electronic evidence preservation, data analysis and legal technology services, is based in Kansas City, Missouri, and now has an operating site in Switzerland.