Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP announces the fifth edition of ‘Data Protection Law and Practice’, written by Rosemary Jay, Hunton Andrews Kurth Senior Consultant Attorney, and published by Sweet & Maxwell. This edition has been re-written to provide a thorough review of the current state of data protection law in the UK, together with details of relevant background context.

Increasingly, data protection is a business critical issue, and personal data lies at the heart of most organizations, whether public or private sector. Frequently, personal data underpins the value of commercial organizations, while technological innovation ensures that ever larger quantities of personal data are created, used and shared around the globe. Consequently, the law governing data protection has evolved to reflect the complexity of data processing, and the challenge of protecting individuals’ rights in their personal data.

The introduction of the EU General Data Protection Regulation (“GDPR”), which was supplemented in the UK by the 2018 Data Protection Act and subsequently incorporated into UK law, was the most significant change in the data protection landscape since the 1998 Data Protection Act. This new regime has already had a widespread impact on how organizations use personal data, how individuals enforce their rights, and on how regulators ensure personal data is safeguarded. Given such far-reaching changes to the data protection regulatory environment, the comprehensive and insightful commentary offered by this latest edition of Rosemary Jay’s book has been eagerly awaited.

The book includes contributions from significant industry thought leaders and covers the GDPR, its application in the UK, the implementation of Directive 2016/680 (the Law Enforcement Directive) and the new data protection regime which governs the UK intelligence services, as well as the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations and the revised rules on the monitoring of business communications. The impact of Brexit is also considered throughout the book.

Lead author and editor Rosemary Jay stated: “Completing the new edition has been a tremendous challenge, but it has been a privilege to work with a team of incredibly knowledgeable lawyers. I hope it proves a useful contribution to the field.” Rosemary Jay’s practice focuses on EU and UK data protection issues. She has practiced in privacy law for more than 30 years and is recognized as one of the most prominent and insightful data protection lawyers in the UK, with Chambers and Partners recognizing her as a “Senior Statesperson” in data protection in 2020. This book has been curated by a true thought-leader in data protection who has first-hand insight into the changing nature of this field.

Fellow contributor and partner at Hunton Andrews Kurth, Bridget Treacy added, “I am delighted to see this edition published, and congratulate Rosemary on producing such a detailed yet accessible analysis of what is now a complex area of the law. Rosemary brings true insight and deep expertise in data protection law and practice, and this edition will undoubtedly become a staple on the desk of all those with an interest in or need to know about data protection.”