Massachusetts Data Privacy Bill Would Increase Litigation Risks: Melanie Conroy and Peter Guffin Author Law360 Article

On October 13, 2021, the Joint Committee on Advanced Information Technology, the Internet and Cybersecurity — newly created by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts — held a public hearing on pending legislation, including a comprehensive data privacy bill.

While the hearing's agenda covered a range of topics including net neutrality, equitable broadband access, and technology in education, comprehensive data privacy was a central focus of public comment.

The bill in question is An Act establishing the Massachusetts Information Privacy Act. If enacted, the proposed law could reshape how businesses interact with Massachusetts consumers and employees, increase the cost and complexity of privacy design and compliance, and expose companies to new and significant enforcement and litigation risks.

Please click here to read the complete article as published by Law360.

Melanie Conroy focuses her practice on class action defense and complex commercial litigation. She has experience in investor and consumer class actions based on alleged consumer fraud and unfair practices, consumer privacy, medical device marketing, product recalls, website accessibility, banking disclosures, change of control transactions, insurance claims, securities laws, and fiduciary duties.

Peter Guffin is chair of Pierce Atwood's Privacy & Data Security Practice group, a Visiting Professor of Practice at the University of Maine School of Law, and co-director of the school's Privacy Law Program. Peter is a frequent speaker and author on issues of privacy and cybersecurity.