Data Privacy Counsel

HKA; Philadelphia (Philadelphia County); On-site; USD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Job summary

HKA, a global leader in risk mitigation, dispute resolution, and expert witness services, seeks a Data Privacy Counsel for the Americas. This role reports to the Senior Legal Counsel and oversees privacy, cybersecurity, and AI governance across North America.

You will lead DPAs, privacy policy initiatives, breach response, and cross-border data transfers, advising on HIPAA and federal privacy laws. Collaborate with business teams to embed privacy-by-design throughout operations.

Qualifications

• JD from an accredited law school.
• Bar membership in good standing (PA or NJ).
• CIPP/US certification.
• 5+ years of legal experience advising on privacy, AI, and data protection matters.
• Deep knowledge of U.S. privacy laws including HIPAA.
• Experience negotiating DPAs and privacy agreements.
• Experience with cybersecurity incidents and AI governance.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the lead legal contact for privacy, cybersecurity, information governance, AI governance, and emerging technologies.
• Advise on federal, state, and sector-specific privacy laws, including HIPAA.
• Draft, negotiate, and manage DPAs, cross-border transfer agreements, vendor agreements, and privacy provisions.
• Partner with business groups to embed privacy-by-design and data governance principles.
• Lead DPIAs, data mapping, inventory, and governance initiatives.
• Advise on data collection, use, sharing, retention, transfer, and disposal.
• Develop and maintain privacy policies, procedures, and standards.
• Monitor privacy, cybersecurity, and AI regulatory developments.
• Support breach response, investigations, and regulatory reporting.
• Assist with privacy and cybersecurity diligence for acquisitions.
• Deliver training and conduct legal risk assessments for emerging technologies.

Skills

Privacy Law

Data Protection

Cybersecurity

DPA Negotiation

Regulatory Compliance

Stakeholder Management

Contract Negotiation

Education

Juris Doctor (JD)

Bar admission (PA/NJ)

Job description

HKA is a global leader in risk mitigation, dispute resolution, and expert witness services. We tackle complex challenges with our multi-disciplinary expertise.

As trusted consultants and advisors, we deliver solutions in uncertain and disputed situations, ensuring the best outcomes for clients worldwide. Our experts have testified globally on major cases spanning across a wide range of industries and sectors.

As Part Of The HKA Team You Can Expect

• A strong collaborative culture with a mutual pursuit of your success alongside the success of our teams.
• The opportunity to solve problems creatively, contribute to our innovative direction, and be valued as an individual
• The ability to leverage HKA's strong network and presence in various industries and reputation for exceptional expert witnesses to accelerate career development and connections.

The Opportunity

Reporting to the Senior Legal Counsel, Americas, the Data Privacy Counsel serves as the primary legal resource for data privacy, cybersecurity, and related compliance matters across North America, with additional support for Central and South America. The role provides practical guidance, manages risk, and helps drive business growth and innovation while ensuring compliance with evolving privacy and AI governance requirements.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the lead legal contact for privacy, cybersecurity, information governance, AI governance, and emerging technologies.
• Advise on federal, state, and sector-specific privacy laws, including HIPAA.
• Draft, negotiate, and manage DPAs, cross-border transfer agreements, vendor agreements, and privacy-related contract provisions.
• Partner with business groups to embed privacy-by-design and data governance principles.
• Lead DPIAs, data mapping, inventory, and governance initiatives.
• Advise on data collection, use, sharing, retention, transfer, and disposal.
• Develop and maintain privacy policies, procedures, and standards.
• Monitor privacy, cybersecurity, and AI regulatory developments.
• Support breach response, investigations, and regulatory reporting.
• Assist with privacy and cybersecurity diligence for acquisitions.
• Deliver training and conduct legal risk assessments for emerging technologies.

Qualifications and Experience

Required

• Juris Doctor (JD) from an accredited law school.
• Pennsylvania or New Jersey Bar membership in good standing.
• CIPP/US certification.
• 5+ years of legal experience advising on privacy, AI, and data protection matters.
• Deep knowledge of U.S. privacy, breach notification, and federal privacy laws, including HIPAA.
• Experience negotiating DPAs and related privacy agreements.
• Experience with cybersecurity incidents, breach response, AI governance, and privacy risk management.
• Strong judgment, analytical skills, communication abilities, and stakeholder management skills.

Preferred

• Professional services or consulting experience.
• Knowledge of Canadian privacy laws, including PIPEDA.
• Knowledge of Central and South American privacy frameworks.
• Additional certifications such as CIPP/C, AIGP, or CIPM.

What We Offer

At HKA we recognize that our people are critical to our ongoing success. Our priority is to provide an inclusive and collaborative culture aimed at providing the best opportunities for our people to thrive and develop in their chosen career path.

Our Global Recruitment team is committed to providing an authentic candidate experience for all those who take the time to apply to HKA. We are committed to providing an efficient and insightful recruitment process giving candidates a true reflection of life at HKA.

Fairness And Equality At HKA

HKA works hard to provide a welcoming environment for all of our employees. We are committed as a business on the continued improvement of our fairness and equality strategy. Please visit our website for further information or feel free to ask our recruitment team for further information.

All HKA employment decisions shall be made in accordance with controlling laws and based on merit.