Privacy and Data Protection
The increasing use of personal data by companies, governments and institutions has led to a data protection legal framework that is in continuous development. Almost every organisation processes personal data, such as information on employees, business contacts, patients or customers. The Internet of Things ("IoT"), big data analytics and the increasing use of cloud services, as well as growing globalisation, inevitably poses challenges to processing personal data in a way that is secure and compliant with privacy and data protection laws. Contrary to popular belief, we believe that current data protection regimes offer sufficient opportunities to legitimately process personal data, enabling our clients to do business as usual.
Our clients
Our Privacy & Data Protection Team has gained specific expertise within a number of sectors, including e-commerce, automotive, FinTech, real estate, financial services and insurance, healthcare and retail.-
“One client mentioned that 'The Houthoff team is smart, business-minded, and has a solid understanding of the technicalities and nuances of the law'.”Chambers Europe, TMT: IT & IT Outsourcing (2024 Edition) -
“One client states that: ‘The Houthoff team is comprised of real professionals. We have a very short line to contact them and to discuss eventual information related to an specific case. We built a very good working relationship with them and I see them more as real colleagues than as an external partner. They take every single case very serious’."Legal 500, Data Privacy and Data Protection (2024 Edition)
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RecommendedChambers Europe, TMT: IT & IT Outsourcing (2023 Edition)
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"A client stated that: ‘The firm provided a professional analysis of the issues that were discussed. In addition, contributed with a strong legal opinion and supportive action items to be taken in order to address issues and save them'."Legal 500, Data privacy and data protection (2023 Edition)
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"A client commented: ‘The firm provided a professional analysis of the issues that were discussed. In addition, contributed with a strong legal opinion and supportive action items to be taken in order to address issues and save them'."Legal 500, Data privacy and data protection (2023 Edition)
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“A client reports that Houthoff's strong point is its crisp and short advice, with a commercial view on the issues’.”Chambers Europe, TMT: IT & IT Outsourcing (2022 Edition)
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“Practical legal advice, which is short and concise. They know the business really well.”Legal 500, Data privacy and data protection (2022 Edition)
Our expertise on privacy
Houthoff's Privacy & Data Protection Team has extensive experience in the field of privacy and data protection, including the General Data Protection Regulation. We regularly litigate on privacy and data protection matters before supervisory authorities and courts, including the Dutch Supreme Court.Our privacy and data protection specialists advise clients (governments, companies and other organisations) on a variety of topics, such as:
- online advertising and direct marketing;
- connected cars;
- data breach reporting;
- intermediary injunctions;
- privacy complaints (access, rectification, objection, data portability);
- big data analysis;
- clinical trials and healthcare research;
- whistleblowing schemes;
- outsourcing;
- HR and recruitment;
- employee monitoring;
- international/third party data transfers; and
- corporate investigations.
We help our clients to understand the applicable legal framework, and take the required measures in order to comply. This includes:
- negotiating contracts (data processing agreements, service agreements, data transfer agreements, joint controller arrangements);
- advising on day-to-day topics (data transfers, advertising campaigns, prize draws, direct marketing, data sharing, data retention, customer complaints);
- setting up a register of processing activities;
- drafting data protection policies and statements, including data breach protocols and retention policies;
- implementing a cookie policy;
- advising on the implementation of employee monitoring tools;
- advising on connected services, and the related graphic interfaces; and
- carrying out data protection impact assessments and privacy audits.
Our Privacy & Data Protection team also has experience in dealing with the Dutch Data Protection Authority (Autoriteit Persoonsgegevens, "AP"), including responding to inquiries and investigations, and oral hearings. If a client is subject to an investigation, we have the required experience to provide the necessary assistance.
We also work with our experts on areas such as IT, automotive, insurance, litigation, employment law and M&A. This multi-disciplinary approach enables Houthoff to deliver well-thought-out solutions, and our specialists to help clients succeed.
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Advised European private equity firm CastikCapital on the acquisition of TBAuctions, a leading European online auction platform.
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Represented Ola Cabs in data access request proceedings before the Amsterdam District Court. This was the first judgment by an EU court on data portability.
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Represented RDW (Dutch Vehicle Licence Authority) before the Dutch DPA and administrative courts in defence of complaints raised by a group of data subjects.
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Houthoff advised multiple companies on the preparation and negotiation of data processing agreements and data transfer agreements.
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Advised a major car manufacturer on a privacy impact assessment and privacy compliance.
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Houthoff advised various companies on compliance issues with e-discovery requests made in the United States.
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Houthoff advised multiple companies on cross-border personal data transfers, including the use of standard contractual clauses and Binding Corporate Rules.
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Houthoff advised multiple companies on compliance with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).
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Houthoff advised a major car manufacturer on the processing of big data (including personal data, vehicle data and location data) from connected cars.
