Shawn Ford, LLM, Esq.

Shawn Ford is a seasoned lawyer with a background in technology-focused organizations and a passion for entrepreneurship. As a Canadian citizen and former General Counsel for an international health tech company, Shawn has honed his skills in advising clients on privacy, data protection, cybersecurity, and crisis and risk management. With his experience as a data security technology business owner, Shawn has worked with organizations and high net worth individuals on data security and privacy compliance and incident response matters.

As the Firm's lead incident response lawyer, Shawn has a deep understanding of state breach notification and privacy laws, regulatory requirements, and industry standards. He offers comprehensive legal guidance to help companies and organizations assess the scope of a data breach, develop a response plan, communicate with stakeholders, protect their reputation, and mitigate legal risk. Shawn's extensive experience working with law enforcement and regulators and his proven track record of successfully guiding clients through complex and challenging breach scenarios make him highly sought after by organizations of all sizes.

In addition to providing legal guidance, Shawn values helping clients understand and operationalize their privacy and cyber obligations. He recognizes the challenges that technology companies face in balancing compliance with innovation and works to turn these obligations into opportunities for building trust and advancing business goals. He assists multinational institutions in developing enterprise-wide privacy policies, third-party risk management programs, and incident response plans and helps privacy officers implement their privacy program throughout their organization.

In crisis and risk management situations, Shawn leverages his expertise in strategic communications and negotiation to provide executive-level strategies for preventing and responding to crises. He takes a 360° approach to understand his clients' organization and helps them leverage data security, privacy, and technology best practices to build brand trust and resilience.

Shawn's mission is to help clients understand their position and ability to use data security, privacy, and technology to enhance their brand and resilience. By taking a holistic approach, Shawn ensures that clients are well-equipped to navigate the complex and rapidly-evolving landscape of data privacy and security.


Professional Associations

• International Association of Privacy Professionals (IAPP), Member
• Canadian Bar Association, Member
• Ontario Bar Association, Member
• Can-Tech Law, Member

Accreditations, Licenses & Certifications

• Licensed to practice law in Ontario and federally in Canada.

Education

• LLM, Osgoode Hall Law School – York University
• LLB, University of Law – London, UK
• BA in Legal Studies, University of Ontario Institute of Technology

Recognition and Leadership

• Speaker at 2022 IAPP Symposium in Toronto, Canada