International law firm Bird & Bird today launches Bird & Bird Privacy Solutions, which includes two new services to enhance its data protection offering and help clients comply with the GDPR.
Extending its offering beyond legal data protection services, Bird & Bird will provide data protection officer (DPO) services and GDPR Representative Services.
Companies without an EU presence, but that offer goods and services to, or monitor, individuals within the EEA must usually appoint a GDPR representative in a member state. The EU representative's role is to ensure that the organisation complies with the GDPR by facilitating communication with individuals and data protection authorities in the EEA. Bird & Bird Privacy Solutions, from today, will provide this service acting on clients’ behalf in the EEA, guiding clients' approach to GDPR compliance when necessary and helping them maintain their records of processing activities as required by the GDPR.
The GDPR introduces a duty for companies that carry out certain types of processing activities to appoint a data protection officer. DPOs assist clients to monitor internal compliance, inform and advise on their data protection obligations, provide advice regarding data protection impact assessments (DPIAs) and act as a contact point for data subjects and supervisory authorities. Bird & Bird Privacy Solutions, from today, will provide this service for clients and will act as their external DPO in compliance with the GDPR.
To lead both of these new initiatives, Bird & Bird has appointed Vincent Rezzouk-Hammachi as Managing Director. Vincent joins from Mazars UK and France where he was leading the Data Privacy Advisory and Data Protection Officer services. He is qualified to practise law in France (Paris Bar) and specialises in helping organisations comply with regulation. He has been appointed as Data Protection Officer for several organisations and has been working on Monitoring Trustee mandates with competition regulators across the globe.
Bird & Bird Privacy Solutions will be established in the European Union in compliance with the GDPR, offering its services globally.
Ruth Boardman and Ariane Mole, Co-Heads of Bird & Bird's international Privacy and Data Protection Practice say:
"We are very excited to launch our new GDPR Representative and DPO Services offerings for our clients today. In the year since GDPR came into force, we've seen a huge interest in these services, as clients juggle the increasing demands the Regulation has brought.
Vincent’s compliance and consultancy experience in this area is a perfect complement to our legal services, so we're thrilled to welcome him to Bird & Bird to lead these initiatives. He's a trusted pair of hands to help guide our clients through challenging demands, and will work closely with our data protection lawyers where required."
Vincent Rezzouk-Hammachi says:
"I'm extremely excited to join Bird & Bird and to launch Bird & Bird Privacy Solutions, Bird & Bird’s new privacy consultancy offering which includes GDPR Representative and DPO Services. Bird & Bird has a leading reputation in the data protection sphere, so it's a no-brainer that the firm now provides these two offerings to clients to accompany its legal expertise. I look forward to helping our clients around the world manage their GDPR requirements."