Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP is pleased to announce that Erin Jane Illman and Steven T. Snyder, attorneys in the firm’s Charlotte office, are among the first North Carolina lawyers to earn the new Privacy and Information Security Law Specialty certification through the State Bar Board of Legal Specialization.

“We congratulate Erin and Steve on earning distinction as North Carolina board-certified Privacy and Information Security Law attorneys,” said Bradley Charlotte Office Managing Partner Christopher C. Lam. “Erin’s and Steve’s leadership in this emerging industry has established Bradley as the go-to firm for advice and counsel on the ever-evolving complex issues of privacy and data security. Our clients greatly benefit from Erin’s and Steve’s deep knowledge and experience for helping businesses address growing privacy threats and deal with data loss or misuse of information assets. This certification is a confirmation of their demonstrated skill and highest standards of commitment to this critical area of importance to businesses.”

Created by the North Carolina State Bar, the Board of Legal Specialization certifies qualified North Carolina lawyers as specialists in designated areas of law. The new specialty certification focuses on North Carolina, as well as federal and international law, and is based upon the Certified Information Privacy Professional-US (CIPP/US) national certificate issued through the International Association of Privacy Professionals (IAPP).

Ms. Illman and Mr. Snyder both hold CIPP/US status, accredited by the American National Standards Institute. Mr. Snyder also holds the IAPP-issued Certified Information Privacy Technologist (CIPT) credential. Ms. Illman and Mr. Snyder also serve on the North Carolina Bar Association’s Privacy and Security Committee.

A partner and co-chair of Bradley’s Cybersecurity and Privacy Practice Group, Ms. Illman regularly advises clients on state and federal privacy and data security requirements, global data protection laws, and guides clients on risks and potential liabilities associated with inadequate privacy and data security practices. She also manages privacy-related enforcement actions and litigation. Her practice includes representing companies in reactive incident response situations, including insider cybersecurity threats, electronic and physical theft of trade secrets, and investigation, analysis, and notification efforts with respect to security incidents and breaches. In addition, Ms. Illman counsels clients on a variety of e-commerce, electronic marketing, digital contracts, and emerging technologies such as blockchain. She also has broad experience in complex loan transactions, including trade finance, capital-backed subscription lines, and multi-bank, multi-state and international lending arrangements.

A senior attorney and member of Bradley’s Banking and Financial Services and Cybersecurity and Privacy teams, Mr. Snyder leverages his industry experience as a network engineer and cyber risk manager to assist clients in navigating the increasingly complex matters related to data protection arising from emerging technologies. He represents clients in cyber risk assessment and mitigation in many industries, including financial services, healthcare, retail, e-commerce, health and fitness, and education. Mr. Snyder is a thought leader in privacy and data security and routinely writes and speaks on cybersecurity topics.

A registered patent attorney, Mr. Snyder also is certified in Cybersecurity Fundamentals by ISACA, a leading global association for IT audit, risk, governance and security professionals.