Emilio Cividanes

One of the country’s first privacy lawyers, Emilio W. Cividanes focuses his practice on assisting companies to develop and implement regulatory, government relations, and litigation strategies to preserve and expand their use of data in connection with 21st century business models.

He has repeatedly been acknowledged globally as a leading authority on data protection and as an effective problem solver. Milo co-leads the eCommerce, Privacy, and Cybersecurity Group, which has been recognized as one of the top privacy practices and top advertising practices in the United States.

A preeminent advocate, Milo has extensive experience successfully representing companies in connection with congressional and regulatory investigations arising from data privacy and security breaches. He has lobbied Congress and federal agencies, and participated in drafting nearly every federal privacy regulation implemented during the past thirty years.

He helps clients manage risks associated with data privacy and cybersecurity practices, and develop and pursue strategies to address challenges to their product development, sales, and other business operations.

Experience :

• Persuading federal and state consumer protection authorities to close investigations pertaining to privacy, marketing, and data security practices
• Counseling clients on how to minimize the risk of personal data security breaches and mitigate the risks when they occur
• Advising companies on how to structure their business models, employment practices, and corporate acquisitions to reduce the burden of complying with privacy regulations
• Performing audits of companies’ practices to help management or potential acquirers assess the companies’ compliance with relevant laws, regulations, and self-regulatory programs
• Counseling Internet and telecommunications service providers, and cable TV operators, on compliance with federal and state wiretap laws
• Advising U.S. companies with operations abroad on compliance with requirements for the transfer of personal data from Europe to the United States
• Challenging privacy regulations in court and filed “friend of the court” briefs in landmark cases.

Education :

• J.D. University of Pennsylvania Law School 1983
• B.A. Haverford College 1979

Bar Admissions : District of Columbia

Professional Memberships :

• Former member, board of trustees, Public Defender Service for the District of Columbia
• Former member, board of directors, Hispanic Bar Association of the District of Columbia
• Fellow, American Bar Foundation
• Former president, board of directors, District of Columbia Bar Foundation
• Former president, board of directors, ACLU of the District of Columbia