Because a forensic investigation by a security firm often drives the critical path of incident response, companies are best positioned to respond quickly and effectively to potential incidents by identifying and onboarding a security firm before an incident arises. With a myriad of firms from which to choose, not only must a company carefully select the right one, but both sides must communicate effectively to build a trusting relationship. With advice from in-house and outside cybersecurity counsel as well as forensic and security experts, our three-part article series on forensic firms addresses these and other considerations. This third installment provides advice on evaluating the forensic firm to determine if it has the right expertise and how to communicate and collaborate with these experts once they are brought on board. Part two examined contract considerations, key terms and what companies should expect in deliverables. Part one explained the expertise of forensic firms, why they are used, and their role before and after an incident. See also “Key Strategies to Manage the First 72 Hours Following an Incident“ (Feb. 8, 2017).