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VAIL, COLO.—Womble Bond Dickinson attorney Orla O’Hannaidh spoke on “The Impact of GDPR on US Colleges and Universities” at the 2018 National Association of Independent College and University State Executives (NAICUSE) Summer Workshop.

In addition, Beth Tyner Jones, a leader of the firm’s Education and School Law Team, represented the firm at the event, which took place July 29-August 1 in Vail.

O’Hannaidh’s presentation examines how the European Union’s new General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) will affect American colleges and universities. The GDPR went into effect May 25 and protects the personal data of individuals located in the EU, regardless of their citizenship or residency.

Colleges and universities can be impacted in a number of ways, for example:

  • If the college has a study abroad campus or research facility in Europe;
  • When the college offers services to EU individuals, including offering admission to European students; and
  • If the college tracks EU visitors on its website or sends them marketing materials.

The GDPR gives individuals broad personal privacy rights, and the cost of non-compliance can include steep fines, litigation and even a ban on doing business in the EU. However, many specific details remain unknown, which has created a great deal of unease and uncertainty among US organizations.

O’Hannaidh’s presentation was on Wednesday, Aug. 1. She and other Womble Bond Dickinson attorneys in both the US and UK have assembled an extensive toolkit on GDPR compliance. Click here for more information.

NAICUSE consists of the leaders of state associations representing independent colleges and universities. Currently, 37 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico are represented in NAICUSE.  The organization is part of the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities (NAICU).

Orla O’Hannaidh is an experienced intellectual property attorney who helps clients manage data privacy risks. She works with companies on complying with state, federal, and international laws governing customer and employee data, and counsels clients on transfers of data across international borders and online marketing and advertising campaigns. Born in Ireland and educated in the EU and US, Orla previously worked for the Irish Department of Foreign Affairs in Dublin and Washington, DC. She co-chairs the Raleigh/RTP KnowledgeNet Chapter of the International Association of Privacy Professionals (IAPP) and co-chairs the International Privacy Law Subcommittee of the North Carolina Bar Association.

Beth Tyner Jones has nearly three decades of experience counseling employers on all facets of employment law matters. She leads the firm’s US-based Labor & Employment Team, which represents employers in labor and employment litigation as well as counsels employers proactively to manage risk and to help prevent such disputes. She also is a leader of the firm’s Education and School Law Team and serves on Womble Bond Dickinson’s Firm Management Committee. Jones is the Managing Partner of the firm’s Raleigh and Research Triangle Park offices.

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