Ranked by a leading IT trade publication as having one of the ten best privacy practices in the world, Covington’s Privacy and Data Security practice combines sophisticated substantive expertise with an unrivaled understanding of the IT industry. One of our core strengths is the ability to advise clients on relevant privacy and data security rules worldwide, and to help them structure globally valid compliance programs. In recent years, our privacy and data security lawyers in the United States and European Union (EU) have helped write landmark legislation, counseled clients on complex transactions, developed compliance strategies covering a wide variety of statutes and regulations, helped respond to numerous security breaches, and represented clients in investigations, enforcement actions, and litigation.
Many of our privacy and data security lawyers have extensive experience in complementary areas, which enables us to counsel clients thoughtfully and efficiently on the full range of privacy and security laws. We have experts in the IT, telecommunications, media, financial services, health care, labor and employment, and food and drug sectors. Our privacy and data security attorneys include litigators, transactional lawyers, and legislative and regulatory strategists with decades of high-level experience on Capitol Hill and with federal agencies. In 2008, the former Deputy General Counsel of the Federal Trade Commission, John Graubert, joined our team.
Representative Matters
- We are representing leading companies on high-stakes issues at the intersection of our privacy and white-collar expertise. For example, our work has included comprehensive analysis of the privacy issues posed by various investigative tactics, including pretext phone calls. We also have represented executives of a top Internet company in a federal investigation into the disclosure of subscriber information and e-mail to foreign officials. We have since reviewed, revised, and restructured that company’s worldwide law enforcement compliance policies and procedures.
- We have advised on regulatory compliance and enforcement matters in connection with dozens of security breach incidents, including among the largest breaches ever reported. We also have handled litigation claims arising out of major security breaches.
- We are at the forefront of the debate over behavioral advertising. F or instance, we are advising clients on state online advertising legislation, helping clients address self-regulatory principles proposed by the Federal Trade Commission and others in industry, and advising on the intricate set of federal and state privacy issues posed by the use of deep packet inspection to serve targeted ads.
- We have advised clients on the privacy implications of internal audits and corporate investigations. In this context we have assisted our clients with delicate issues such as evidence gathering, employee monitoring and facilitating transfers of personal information between Europe and the US. We are a leading authority on the European privacy issues associated with e-discovery, involving the collection and transfer of personal information in response to foreign (generally US) civil litigation or investigations.
Accolades
- Ranked By Chambers USA as a leading Privacy & Data Security Practice (2007).
- Covington Privacy & Data Security partners, Erin Egan, Martin Hansen, and Mark Plotkin, ranked by Chambers USA as leading lawyers (2008).
- Covington Privacy & Data Security partner, Erin Egan, ranked by Practical Law Company (PLC) as a leading lawyer (2006-2007).
- Ranked by ComputerWorld as one of the leading Privacy Consultancies (2006).
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