Data breaches are no longer unprecedented events — they are an unfortunate corporate reality. The financial, legal, and reputational consequences of a breach continue to expand, and the legal framework governing response obligations has simultaneously grown increasingly complex. Drawing on lessons learned from thousands of incident responses, this GT Advisory provides a practical overview of the current threat landscape, applicable legal obligations, the wide spectrum of breach-related costs, and some of the most common and consequential mistakes companies make in responding to an incident.

Click here to read the full GT Advisory.

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Photo of Reena Bajowala Reena Bajowala

Reena R. Bajowala has deep experience in artificial intelligence (AI), cybersecurity, data privacy, and information technology law. With advanced certifications as a Certified Information Privacy Manager (CIPM), a Certified Information Privacy Professional U.S. Private-Sector (CIPP/US), and a Certified Information Privacy Technologist (CIPT), and…

Reena R. Bajowala has deep experience in artificial intelligence (AI), cybersecurity, data privacy, and information technology law. With advanced certifications as a Certified Information Privacy Manager (CIPM), a Certified Information Privacy Professional U.S. Private-Sector (CIPP/US), and a Certified Information Privacy Technologist (CIPT), and being named a Fellow of Information Privacy (FIP) by the International Association of Privacy Professionals, Reena is a trusted advisor to clients navigating complex privacy and cybersecurity challenges. Her leadership extends to her role as Vice Chair of the American Bar Association Business Law Section’s Cyber and Tech Committee and serving on the Steering Committee of the U.S. Secret Service’s Chicago Cyber Fraud Task Force. Reena was previously selected as a 2021-2023 Fellow of the ABA BLS’s Cyberspace Law Subcommittee.

Reena helps companies stand up AI governance programs, including creating policies, procedures, disclosures, vendor management, and trainings for a defensible compliance program. She drafts agreements for companies that are developing and/or deploying AI tools. She keeps up to date on AI legislation and regulatory enforcement domestically and globally. She has helped regulated companies institute programs that navigate complexities of existing privacy regulation and artificial intelligence laws.

When faced with a data breach, including in business email compromise, ransomware, or wire transfer fraud scenarios, clients turn to Reena to investigate, remediate, and comply with legal obligations. She conducts risk assessments, develops privacy and InfoSec compliance programs, and leads proactive incident response planning, including developing incident response and communications plans, and conducting executive tabletop exercises. Reena helps regulated entities comply with cybersecurity requirements.

Reena’s compliance and investigation guidance is informed by her historical wide-ranging litigation and trial experience, including over 100 days of first-chair trial experience. She continues to represent buyers and providers of IT services regarding issues ranging from billing and performance disputes arising from Master Services Agreements and Service Level Agreements to copyright and licensing disputes pursuant to Software Licensing and SaaS agreements in pursuing pre-litigation resolutions, working with the Firm’s experienced litigators as needed to pursue formal claims. Reena also works to protect the interests of companies during software audits.

Reena has been widely recognized for her leadership and pro bono work. She has been named a “cornerstone” of SABA North America, a “best under 40” by NAPABA, and a “powerful and influential woman” by the Illinois Diversity Council. Her dedication to justice has earned her accolades from organizations such as the Shriver Center on Poverty Law and the Public Interest Law Initiative. In 2005, she founded the University of Michigan Law School’s Origins Public Interest Fellowship, which has provided hundreds of thousands of dollars of funding to public interest students.

Photo of Jena M. Valdetero Jena M. Valdetero

Jena M. Valdetero serves as Co-Chair of the firm’s U.S. Data Privacy and Cybersecurity Practice, and is a trusted advisor to clients facing complex and high-stakes data privacy and security challenges. With a track record of leading thousands of data breach investigations for…

Jena M. Valdetero serves as Co-Chair of the firm’s U.S. Data Privacy and Cybersecurity Practice, and is a trusted advisor to clients facing complex and high-stakes data privacy and security challenges. With a track record of leading thousands of data breach investigations for more than 20 years, Jena combines her broad litigation experience with a deep understanding of the evolving privacy landscape to protect her clients’ interests. She is highly skilled in defending companies in privacy and data breach litigation, particularly class actions, and is proactive in helping clients prepare for incidents by designing and facilitating customized tabletop exercises.

Jena offers practical, results-driven counsel on data privacy and security compliance programs and guides clients through privacy and cyber risk considerations in mergers, acquisitions, venture capital, and securities transactions. Her experience spans a wide range of privacy laws, including the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), the Gramm Leach Bliley Act (GLBA), and the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). Certified as a privacy professional through the International Association of Privacy Professionals (CIPP/US),  Jena provides clients with actionable insights on both current and emerging privacy regulations. She previously served as KnowledgeNet Co-Chair for the International Association of Privacy Professionals, further reflecting her leadership in the field. Jena is a founding board member of the Chicago Compassion Project, a nonprofit supporting low-income families in Chicago.

Jena has been recognized by Chambers USA as a leading privacy and data security lawyer, with clients praising her “very deep knowledge of subject matter” and calling her “extremely responsive and business-minded.” She is trusted for her “great strategic advice” and practical approach to complex data privacy issues, with one client saying, “I’d unequivocally recommend her to anybody with any kind of privacy or data breach concerns.”