A privacy lawyer represents clients who believe their legal right to privacy has been violated by individuals, organizations, or the government. A privacy attorney is also known as a privacy lawyer or a privacy counsel. Because privacy violations can occur in a variety of contexts, a privacy attorney’s practice can coexist with a variety of traditional legal specialties, including business, financial, communication, employment, and criminal law.
With the advancement of the Internet, more opportunities for spying, meddling, and intrusion into people’s personal lives have arisen. Most privacy lawyers play an important role in assisting clients with credit history, employment and medical records, e-mail and computer monitoring, and identity theft violations. They may also be useful in cases involving other types of electronic abuse.
A privacy attorney’s clients can be individuals or businesses, and some large corporations now have a privacy attorney on staff. A privacy attorney will frequently review contract security and confidentiality provisions and comment on or propose changes to those provisions. They may be tasked with gathering and analyzing data, as well as collaborating with others to develop policies, procedures, or a comprehensive privacy strategy.
Some privacy attorneys assist in ensuring that data privacy regulations are followed, as well as managing any privacy breaches that may occur. A privacy attorney’s responsibilities may also include handling complaints and data transfer issues. Reviewing a company’s handling of confidential information could be part of their job responsibilities, and they could make suggestions for improvements.
People who want to work as privacy attorneys should be familiar with and have experience with data protection, local and national law, and information technology. Skills in analytical thinking, project management, and written communication are frequently sought. A bachelor’s degree in law from an accredited law school and admission to the bar are common educational requirements.
Some businesses hire privacy officers who aren’t always lawyers. Privacy officers have a lot of the same knowledge as privacy attorneys about privacy laws and practices, but they aren’t lawyers. A Certified Information Privacy Professional (CIPP), which can be obtained from the International Association of Privacy Professionals, may be requested by a few employers (IAPP).
Postgraduate data privacy courses are typically offered by institutions, including law schools, for any lawyer interested in becoming a privacy attorney. Non-attorneys with an interest in the field can usually enroll in the classes. Some of these courses are accredited, and they can lead to a bachelor’s or master’s degree in law.