COLLEEN THERESA BROWN focuses on privacy, cybersecurity, data protection, and emerging technology issues for a diverse group of companies, including those in the financial, life sciences, energy, telecommunications, media, retail, and manufacturing sectors. She has focused her practice on global data protection compliance, digital governance, litigation and regulatory enforcement actions relating to privacy, cybersecurity, consumer protection issues, data breach response, crisis management, and internal investigations. Colleen is ranked in Chambers Global (USA) (2023) and Chambers USA (2022–2023) as an “Up and Coming” privacy and data security lawyer who “approaches complex legal issues in a practical way.” Global Data Review named her to its “Women in Data” list in 2022, The Lawyer Network recognized her as “Cybersecurity Lawyer of the Year” in Washington, D.C. in 2021 and 2022, and Euromoney’s Women in Business Law listed her as one of the world’s leading female practitioners in Privacy and Data Protection in 2022. Washingtonian named her among its “Top Lawyers” for Cybersecurity in 2019. Colleen is also a recommended lawyer by Legal 500 USA for Cyber Law, which notes, “Colleen Brown demonstrates ‘confidence in making judgment calls on complex issues.’”
Colleen's counseling experience includes cyber risk and data breach management, corporate data protection and privacy compliance programs, international data protection and cross-border transfer, applied and generative Artificial Intelligence, Big Data, Internet of Things, electronic surveillance, trade secrets, social media, cloud computing, and online brand protection. She also has significant experience in counseling and strategy under CAN-SPAM, CCPA, CFAA, COPPA, ECPA, ESIGN, FCRA, FOIA, GDPR, GLBA, HIPAA, the Privacy Act, TCPA, Unfair and Deceptive Trade Practices, state privacy, and common law claims including defamation and privacy torts, privacy regulations and enforcement in federal agencies including the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the Federal Communications Commission, and industry self-regulation on privacy matters, including those related to online advertising and PCI DSS compliance. Colleen is a Certified Information Privacy Professional (CIPP)/United States through the International Association of Privacy Professionals (IAPP). She is on the Advisory Boards of the Electronic Privacy Information Center and the Future of Privacy Forum in her personal capacity.
In addition to counseling and litigation related to data protection, Colleen's work also includes counseling and negotiation of data-driven agreements, as well as privacy and cybersecurity diligence, and integration planning for mergers and acquisitions.
At Sidley, Colleen co-founded Women in Privacy® (WIP), a networking group for women working as in-house counsel, compliance officers, and other professionals in the field of privacy. WIP holds regular meetings in the U.S. and the EU and is dedicated to thought leadership for women privacy professionals. She is also a frequent speaker, writer, and commenter on privacy and cybersecurity legal developments, and the chief editor of the Sidley Blog Data Matters.