In an increasingly globalized economy, the practice of law has expanded across borders as companies’ employees, actions and influence continue to spread through multiple jurisdictions. The varying privacy laws of different countries, industries and even states have far-reaching implications for law practitioners within the electronic discovery sphere. The growth in big data and cloud storage has only compounded these challenges for e-discovery professionals.
In the first two articles of this series, we explored the challenges around data privacy laws that exist within the United States and international jurisdictions outside the European Union. Here, we will examine how cultural expectations, history and legal approaches concerning data privacy differ markedly between the United States and EU countries, and the practical implications for in-house counsel.