Bret S. Cohen | Washington, D.C. | Hogan Lovells

Bret S. Cohen
Cohen Bret
  • Overview
  • Experience
  • Credentials
  • Insights and events

Bret Cohen helps technology and brick-and-mortar businesses comply with privacy, cybersecurity, Internet, and consumer protection laws. He also represents companies in litigation and government investigations in these areas. As a lawyer and technologist, Bret has a knack for translating legal standards into practical technical requirements that are easy for clients to use.

With a particular focus on the Internet and e-commerce, Bret has advised extensively on legal issues related to cloud computing, social media, mobile applications, online tracking and analytics, and software development. He counsels and is a frequent speaker on strategic compliance with global privacy laws, including cross-border transfer restrictions, data localization requirements, and the impact of government surveillance on the digital economy. Bret also spearheads efforts on cybersecurity incident preparedness and response, student privacy, marketing privacy, and workplace privacy.

With the global privacy landscape rapidly changing, Bret stays plugged into policymaking developments worldwide to help companies focus on both the legal requirements of today and the likely obligations of the future. He writes regularly on these developments, including for the Hogan Lovells Chronicle of Data Protection blog, for which he serves as the Managing Editor. Bret also strongly believes that privacy is not a zero-sum proposition and advises companies on how adopting privacy-enhancing policies and technologies can benefit business and enhance customer engagement in the long run.

During law school, Bret was an articles editor for The George Washington Law Review, and was awarded the Laurence E. Seibel Memorial Award for Excellence in Labor and Employment Law. He graduated with honors from the University of Maryland with dual degrees in computer science and business information systems.

Representative experience

Helped establish a comprehensive privacy program for Bloomberg L.P. consisting of governance infrastructure, policies, and procedures.
Performed and published a detailed review of Uber's privacy program.
Helped a global company comply with privacy laws in over 50 countries, focusing on privacy notices, cross-border transfers, and data use restrictions.
Represented numerous companies in privacy and cybersecurity investigations by the FTC and state regulators that resulted in no enforcement action.

Credentials

Education
  • J.D., The George Washington University Law School, with high honors, Order of the Coif, 2008
  • B.S., University of Maryland, cum laude, with honors, 2005
Bar admissions and qualifications
  • District of Columbia
  • Maryland
Memberships
  • American Bar Association
  • International Association of Privacy Professionals
  • Maryland State Bar Association

Recognition

Media, Technology, and Telecoms: Cyber Law (Including Data Privacy and Protection), Recommended

Legal 500 US

2020-2021

Events

Webinar

09 November 2021 | 3:00 PM (CET)

Webinar

Wednesday, 29 September 2021 (8 a.m. PTD / 11 a.m. EDT / 4 p.m. BST / 5 p.m. CEST)