Guests spoke to law students about career paths in privacy and cybersecurity law
On October 19, the Privacy and Cybersecurity Law Group (PCLG) welcomed Kate Robertson, David Goodis, Tina Saban, and Monica Cop to speak to U of T Law students on the diverse range of careers in privacy and cybersecurity law.
Kate Robertson is a lawyer and senior research associate at the Citizen Lab at the Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy. Robertson highlighted the need for privacy lawyers to mediate the relationship between government powers and individual privacy rights, drawing on her experience in policy reform and litigating privacy rights before the Supreme Court of Canada, as well as her experience as a criminal lawyer.
David Goodis spoke to how privacy law has evolved in recent years and highlighted the imminent need for more young privacy lawyers in the face of impending major legislative reforms. Goodis drew upon his extensive career in privacy law, from his work at Ontario’s Information and Privacy Commissioner to his current position as a partner at INQ Law, which specializes in access to information and privacy.
Tina Saban shared insights from her privacy and cybersecurity career in Osler’s Privacy and Data Management Group. Saban spoke to the unique features of incident response as a fast-paced, exciting practice area that requires balancing competing interests and navigating legal obligations between those building innovative technologies and those interpreting the law.
Monica Cop is a Senior Advisor/Manager in the Business Advisory Directorate at the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada (OPC). Cop described her role as advising other directorates on policies, promoting compliance with privacy regulations in communities, and advising private actors on ways to better their compliance practices.
The speakers shared insights on how to build a career in privacy law. Each speaker highlighted that there is no single path to success in the field, but rather a myriad of different opportunities available within privacy and cybersecurity law. Robertson shared that she was lucky to chart her career course based on issues she felt passionate about, and she encouraged students to lean into their interests. Goodis highlighted numerous certifications and higher-learning opportunities that students may take advantage of to set themselves apart and learn more about the field, including the Osgoode Certificate in Privacy and Cybersecurity Law and the Ontario Bar Association Privacy Law Summit. Saban emphasized the importance of mentorship and finding a place early in your career surrounded by people you are excited to learn from. Cop reassured students that a technical background is not necessarily required to break into the field, and students should take advantage of opportunities whenever possible.
The speakers discussed challenges facing privacy law in coming years and the major developments in the field. Cop and Goodis highlighted the changes expected to come with the enactment of Bill C-27, which those in the legal field anticipate will bring significant reforms to consumer privacy protection, personal information and data protection standards, and artificial intelligence and data use. Robertson noted a philosophical conflict: traditionally, Canada has organized privacy law into public and private sectors, but she sees a convergence between those spaces, and by regulating each independently, there is a risk of losing control of privacy-impacting dynamics. Saban noted that threat actors in the field constantly innovate and identified several challenges in addressing those innovations.
The speakers also commented on the movement identifying privacy as a human right. Goodis shared interesting jurisprudence already affirming the importance of privacy. Robertson shared the different ways privacy as a human right may be perceived in consumer spaces versus the right to be free from unreasonable search and seizure.
“We are so incredibly grateful to all our speakers for giving their time to U of T law students,” said Christian D’Ambrosi, a 1L executive with the PCLG who moderated the panel. “Thank you to our speakers for their time, their enthusiasm to share their insights, and the valuable guidance they provided.”
