MATTHEW STAPLES

Of Counsel
Privacy and Data Protection

EXPERIENCE:

Matthew Staples is Of Counsel in the Seattle office of Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati. Matt's practice focuses on addressing matters relating to consumer data, including privacy and data security matters, in the context of mergers, acquisitions, spin-offs, securities offerings, outsourcing transactions, strategic alliances, services arrangements, and other corporate- and intellectual property-related transactions. He also advises companies on privacy, data security, and other issues relating to the acquisition, use, monetization, and disclosure of consumer data. His experience includes representation of companies ranging in size from privately funded companies to large, multinational public companies in numerous industries.

The International Association of Privacy Professionals has designated Matt as a Certified Information Privacy Professional.

SELECT MATTERS:
  • Conducted due diligence, and negotiated representations, warranties, and covenants, relating to privacy, data security, and other matters relating to consumer data in connection with mergers, acquisitions, spin-offs, and other business transactions
  • Counseled numerous clients regarding practical issues relating to the processing and transfer of consumer data in connection with mergers, acquisitions, asset sales, and other business transfers
  • Assisted several clients in the negotiation of data handling and data security provisions in the context of outsourcing and other services arrangements
  • Counseled numerous clients regarding COPPA and other federal and state privacy laws
  • Counseled clients regarding compliance with data security requirements imposed by the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act (GLB), Sarbanes-Oxley (SOX), and laws in California and numerous other states, including Massachusetts CMR 17.00
  • Counseled clients regarding the CAN-SPAM Act, Telephone Consumer Protection Act, Telephone Sales Rule, junk fax legislation, mobile spam regulations, and other state and federal laws bearing upon marketing communications
  • Assisted several clients, including a number of large public companies, regarding the mitigation of, and other responses relating to, cybersecurity breaches and other data security breaches, including the coordination of nationwide reporting to consumers in compliance with state security breach notification laws
  • Counseled wireless telecommunications carriers regarding location-based privacy, "pretexting," and other issues pertaining to access to, and use and disclosure of, customer proprietary network information (CPNI)
  • Counseled clients regarding compliance with the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard and other security requirements relating to the acceptance of debit and credit cards
  • Prepared website privacy policies and terms of use for several clients
  • Assisted companies with restrictions on cross-border data transfers
  • Counseled developers of platform software, mobile-device applications, and Web-based services regarding privacy, data security, and e-commerce issues
  • Counseled clients regarding compliance with state and federal restrictions on the collection and use of Social Security numbers (SSNs) and other personally identifiable information at the point of sale
  • Counseled mobile payment processing company regarding the development of privacy and security policies and its agreements with merchants and consumers
  • Represented wireless telecommunications carrier in the drafting and negotiation of call center outsourcing agreements with service providers in the U.S. and Canada
  • Assisted online behavioral advertising (OBA) technology provider in the development of internal privacy guidelines relating to its OBA preferences directory, its guidelines for behavioral targeting, and its privacy policy, and with the drafting and negotiation of its inbound and outbound data license agreements
  • Counseled online social network platform provider regarding the development of its privacy management functionality and its public-facing privacy policy
  • Counseled online social networking platform provider regarding privacy and consumer protection issues relating to its targeted advertising offerings
  • Counseled wireless hardware manufacturer regarding the collection and use of location information from wireless devices
EDUCATION:
  • J.D., University of California, Berkeley, Boalt Hall School of Law
    Executive Editor, California Law Review; Senior Executive Editor, Berkeley Business Law Journal; Managing Editor, Berkeley Technology Law Journal; Fellow, Berkeley Center for Law and Technology
  • B.S., Biology, Washington State University
    Summa Cum Laude; Recipient, Presidential Scholarship; Recipient, S. Town Stephenson Award, University Honors College; Member, Phi Beta Kappa, Phi Eta Sigma, and Phi Kappa Phi honor societies
ASSOCIATIONS AND MEMBERSHIPS:
  • Member, American Bar Association Section of Business Law (Privacy and Data Security Committee and Committee on Electronic Commerce)
  • Member, American Bar Association Section of Science and Technology Law (E-Privacy Law Committee and Information Security Committee)
  • Member, Washington State Bar Association
HONORS:
  • Named to Washington Super Lawyers' list of "Rising Stars" in 2011-2017
SELECT PUBLICATIONS:

Matt has authored or co-authored numerous publications, including the following:

SELECT SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS:
  • Panelist, "Dealing in Data: Privacy and Security in Commercial Transactions and M&A," IAPP Global Privacy Summit, Washington, D.C., April 20, 2017
  • Panelist, "Cybersecurity Due Diligence in M&A Transactions," American Bar Association, Business Law Section Spring Meeting, April 2016
  • "Current Privacy Issues: Big Data Analytics and Machine Learning," The Cloud and Big Data 2015, Law Seminars International, April 2015
ADMISSIONS:
  • State Bar of Washington
  • U.S. Patent and Trademark Office

Contact Information

701 Fifth Avenue
Suite 5100
Seattle, WA 98104
Phone | 206-883-2583

Email | Matthew Staplesmstaples@wsgr.com


Areas of Expertise

Privacy and Data Protection

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