Add a bookmark to get started

Kieran de Terra

Kieran de Terra

Associate
About

Kieran de Terra is an Associate in the Intellectual Property and Technology practice group (Data Protection, Privacy, and Security sub-group) in the firm's Downtown San Diego office.

Originally from Ireland, Kieran has been working as a privacy and cybersecurity attorney in San Diego since 2015. As this practice area has grown into prominence for all businesses over the previous years, Kieran has been at the forefront in assisting both start-ups and Fortune 100 companies with their global privacy compliance needs, both from a legal and consulting approach.

Kieran holds three certifications from the International Association of Privacy Professionals (IAPP) – Certified Information Privacy Manager (CIPM), and both Certified Information Privacy Professional EU and US (CIPP/E & CIPP/US). He is also a Fellow of Information Privacy with the IAPP.

Kieran has advised clients on privacy law in numerous industry sectors including news and media publishing, financial services, ad-tech, blockchain, cannabis, retail, multifamily housing PaaS and SaaS providers, wearable health and medical devices, social media, and IoT. He has worked with many of these clients to drive and manage initial Gap Analyses to identify areas of opportunity to improve compliance efforts within the entity's privacy program. These Gap Analyses typically cover CCPA, CPRA, GDPR, HIPAA, GLBA, and LGPD, as well as leading privacy frameworks such as NIST Privacy Framework, GAPP, and ISO standards.

Kieran's practice also involves privacy remediation efforts, including advising clients on implementing overarching data governance programs, utilizing PETs such as the OneTrust platform (for which Kieran holds multiple module-specific certifications) and other privacy enhancing technologies to control the data lifecycle, implementing internal measures and training to handle and respond to privacy rights requests, selecting appropriate cross-border transfer mechanisms, conducting privacy impact assessments and data protection impact assessments, and drafting and implementing data inventories and records of processing activities.

Kieran has also assisted clients with FTC consent order independent assessments and compliance, including privacy governance audits.

Additionally, Kieran has experience providing broad corporate governance, contract drafting and negotiation, and IP support to small and mid-size entities, including non-profit formation and rehabilitation, and trademark prosecution and licensing.

Kieran brings an international viewpoint to his practice, having grown up and attended undergraduate in Ireland and New Zealand, law school in the US and Singapore, and having worked in London and Sydney.

Bar admissionsCalifornia
Education
  • University of San Diego School of Law (2015) J.D.
  • Singapore Management University Law School (Study Abroad) (2014)
  • University College Dublin, Business/Commerce (2011) BComm

Seminars

  • Panelist, Update on International Data Transfers: GDPR, UK GDPR, and Privacy Engineering Behind Transfers (hosted by the IAPP)
  • Panelist, CCPA, CPRA, Schrems II, and LGPD (hosted by PrivacyConnect San Jose)
  • Moderator, "A Practical Guide To Completing Transfer Impact Assessments"
  • Moderator, "Data Breach: The First 48 Hours"
  • Moderator, "The KNOws’ of Communicating with Customers and Prospects"
  • Moderator, "Cookies, Consent, and Advertising Technology Under the CCPA"
  • Moderator, "Best Practices for Highly Effective Relationships Between In-House and Outside Counsel"

Prior Experience

  • Assisted and advised Chief Privacy Officer of large California municipality on building out the municipality’s privacy governance structure.
  • Managed a team operating as part of an independent assessor to provide auditing and assessment services under FTC consent orders.
  • Lead data breach investigation and remediation efforts as breach counsel for a multinational company with two impacted US subsidiaries.
  • Established a privacy rights request program for a large media organization, including training customer service reps on how to handle privacy requests.
  • Drafted privacy policies, terms of use, cookie consents, and terms of sale for dozens of websites, including NFT marketplaces, PR companies, marketing agencies, web design companies, and property management companies.
  • Cleared and prosecuted dozens of trademark applications.
  • Assisted more than thirty clients in curing delinquency with the California Attorney General and Franchise Tax Board.

Pro Bono

Redlined and assisted with negotiation of a multi-party agreement involving a non-profit, the Cities of San Diego and Tijuana, and a Canadian design-focused non-profit to help San Diego and Tijuana with its bid to be awarded the 2024 World Design Capital.

Memberships And Affiliations

  • Executive Committee Board Member, California Lawyers Associate IP Section
  • Vice Chair, CLA IP Section Technology, Internet, and Privacy Interest Group
  • Vice Chair, CLA IP Section In-House Interest Group

Connect