Kristen Poetzel is an associate in the firm's Privacy and Data Security Group who concentrates on data privacy and cybersecurity matters, including breach response and investigation, risk assessment, proactive breach planning, regulatory investigation and compliance, and privacy litigation defense. Kristen's cybersecurity clients include financial institutions, corporations from various industries, health care entities, municipalities, and educational institutions. She uses her technical knowledge of ransomware, phishing, hacking, malware, Trojans, botnets, and DDoS attacks to provide counsel on data protection strategies and has represented clients in working in cooperation with federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies on investigations.
Kristen advises clients on regulatory compliance with federal and state laws, including HIPAA, HITECH, Gramm-Leach-Bliley, and securities laws. Her experience also includes advising clients on business acquisitions, real estate transactions, labor and employment agreements, contract disputes, and tax matters.
During law school, Kristen worked as a student attorney and certified mediator at the Mediation Clinic at the University of Maryland School of Law. She also worked in a competitively selected intern program at the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), where she investigated SEC employee and whistleblower complaints and advised on compliance with federal laws and regulations.
