CEDRIC BURTON
CEDRIC BURTONAssociate
Privacy & Data Security
Consumer Regulatory & Privacy
Cédric Burton is an associate in Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati's Brussels office, where he assists clients with all aspects of privacy and data protection, information technology, data security, advertising and marketing, and e-commerce laws.
Cédric has substantial experience advising companies on all facets of global, European, and Belgian privacy and data protection law. His privacy and data protection practice covers all sectors and includes a wide range of activities, such as:
- defining global and pan-European strategies for compliance, advising on complex data flows and international data transfer requirements, implementing multifaceted compliance programs, and preparing data breach response schemes;
- developing creative and practical advice on unsettled topics such as online profiling and behavioral advertising, data analytics, cloud computing, social networking, mobile devices and location-based services, facial recognition, RFID, smart grids, employee monitoring, whistleblowing hotlines, CCTV, and data security;
- counseling clients on how to resolve or mitigate risks related to conflicts between EU data protection law and foreign requirements such as e-discovery procedure, SOX and OFAC requirements, and data requests from foreign governments, law enforcement, and intelligence units;
- assisting clients with the review of the European data protection legal framework, including preparing strategic advice and impact analysis and drafting language in the context of the review of Directive 95/46 and Directive 2002/58 EC;
- representing clients in their dealings with the European Commission, the Article 29 Working Party, and the data protection authorities, including the Belgian Privacy Commission; and
- handling notification procedures, joining the U.S. Safe Harbor program, and implementing Binding Corporate Rules and Standard Contractual Clauses.
Along with other members of the Brussels privacy and data security team, Cédric helped create the WSGR EU Data Protection Regulation Observatory, which tracks developments related to the EU legislative proposal for a General Data Protection Regulation.
Cédric was recognized as a "Leader in his Field – Associate to Watch" by Chambers Europe in 2012. He has authored many articles relating to privacy and data protection law and has spoken regularly on
Prior to joining the firm, Cédric was an associate in the Brussels office of Hunton & Williams. Earlier in his career, he worked as a research fellow in privacy and data protection law at the Research Center on IT and Law (CRID) of the University of Namur (Belgium) and at the Center on Law and Information Policy (CLIP) of Fordham University (New York). Cédric is fluent in French and English.
SELECT REPRESENTATIONS:
- Advised a major credit card company on all aspects of its European data protection compliance scheme, in particular its strategy for compliance in all EU member states, self-certification to the U.S. Safe Harbor Program, marketing and data analytics legal requirements, implementation of online rewards and loyalty programs, registration with local data protection authorities, and review of privacy policies, terms and conditions, and service provider agreements
- Advised a multinational company on its strategy for international data transfers in more than 50 countries
- Advised a major U.S.-based company regarding the conflict between European data protection law and foreign legal obligations requiring the disclosure of consumers' personal data to intelligence units
- Advised a major Belgian company in connection with the migration of its email server to a cloud computing platform
- Assisted a U.S. company in responding to a request for information from the Belgian data protection authority regarding its privacy notice and consent language
- Attended Council of Europe sessions on profiling on behalf of the ICC
- Advised an online career and recruitment company regarding its data protection compliance strategy, including its privacy notice, terms of use, DPA registrations, and international data transfers
- Advised a European company on how to comply with European data protection requirements in the context of an SEC investigation
- Prepared two studies for the European Commission on the interaction between online copyright enforcement and data protection in 11 selected member states
- LL.M., Intellectual Property and Information Technology Law, Fordham University School of Law, 2007
- LL.M., IT Laws and Management, University of Namur, Belgium, 2006
Magna Cum Laude; Recipient, "Best Interdisciplinary Student Award," 2005; Recipient, "Best Brief Prize" as winner of International Moot Cyber-Tribunal Contest, 2005 - J.D., University of Liège, Belgium, 2004
Cum Laude
- Member, International Association of Privacy Professionals (IAPP)
- Member, International Technology Law Association (ITechLaw)
- Recognized as a leader in his field and ranked as an "Associate to Watch" in Chambers Europe, 2012 and 2013
- Co-author, "The Proposed EU Data Protection Regulation One Year Later: The Albrecht Report," Bloomberg BNA Privacy & Security Law Report, January 2013
- Co-author, "Procédures d'e-discovery et protection des données : l'archivage électronique entre le marteau et l'enclume," L'Archivage Electronique et le Droit, Editions Larcier, May 2012
- Co-author, "The Belgian Yahoo! Case: Supreme Court Provides Broad Interpretation of Concept of 'Electronic Communication Service Provider'," BNA International World Data Protection Report, April 2011
- Co-author, "Belgian DPA Issues Guidance on Mobile Mapping Applications," BNA International World Data Protection Report, January 2011
- "Protection des données; la Commission européenne présente sa stratégie pour la révision des règles applicables au sein de l'Union européenne," www.droit-technologie.org, November 2010
- Co-author, "Study on Online Copyright Enforcement and Data Protection in Selected Member States (Netherlands, Poland, UK)," DG Internal Market and Services, European Commission, April 2010
- Co-author, "Study on Online Copyright Enforcement and Data Protection in Selected Member States," DG Internal Market and Services, European Commission, November 2009
- "Disclosure of Personal Data for Criminal Investigations in Belgium," E-Commerce Law & Policy, Volume 11, Issue 6, June 2009
- Co-author, "Les autorités européennes prennent position sur le conflit entre les règles d'e-discovery et la protection des données à caractère personnel," Revue Lamy Droit de l'Immatériel, No. 47, March 2009
- Co-author, "Le conflit de droit entre les règles américaines d'e-discovery et le droit européen de la protection des données à caractère personnel ... entre le marteau et l'enclume," Revue Lamy Droit de L'Immatériel, No. 46, February 2009
- Co-author, "Convergence of the Telecommunications, Audiovisual Media and Information Society Sectors and Repartition of Powers in Belgium," external report prepared for the Belgian Ministry of Economics, June 2007
- Co-author, "A propos de l'avis de la commission de protection de la vie privée sur l'encadrement des listes noires," Revue de Droit des Technologies de l'Information, No. 23, December 2005
- Moderator, "Mobile Devices and Applications: Risks, Challenges, Opportunities, and Future Trends" panel, 6th International Conference, Computers, Privacy & Data Protection, Reloading Data Protection, Brussels, Belgium, January 2013
- Presenter, "How to Regulate Corporate Social Media in Compliance with European Privacy and Data Protection Law," FEDISA Belgium, Social Media, Law and Ethics, Brussels, Belgium, June 2012
- Presenter, "Update on Electronic Archiving, e-Discovery and Data Protection: Electronic Archiving between the Rock and the Hard Place," CRID, JURITIC, Namur, Belgium, May 2011
- Presenter, "Location-Based Services, Mobile Devices, Location Technologies & Shifting Values, Evolving Values Regarding Vocational Privacy – the European Legal Framework," Fifth Annual Fordham Law & Information Society Symposium, New York, New York, March 2011
- Presenter, "Update on European Data Protection," ABA Privacy Information & Security Law and ABA Antitrust Section/Privacy & Security Committee Webinar, October 2009
- Brussels Bar
