ByrneWallace conference assists over 100 business leaders with GDPR preparations

The one-day conference in the law firm’s offices was attended by over 100 CEOs, directors and business professionals representing leading companies, financial institutions, and state and public sector bodies.

A panel of industry and legal experts - including John Keyes, assistant commissioner of investigations for the Data Protection Commissioner; Paul Hogan, co-founder and CTO of Ward Solutions; and Seán O’Donnell, ByrneWallace partner and head of corporate crime, regulatory investigations and enforcement - discussed the changing regulatory landscape under the GDPR and provided practical guidance on how to adapt to the change.

Mr O’Donnell said: “As the first large Irish law firm certified with ISO 27001, ByrneWallace has a unique understanding of the challenges organisations face in relation to data security, cybercrime and the onerous task of ensuring future compliance with the GDPR.

“The introduction of the new GDPR on 25 May 2018 will herald a new era in data protection regulation for Irish companies and state bodies. It will require a fundamental change in the mind set and behaviours of organisations in relation to how they manage personal data.”

Under the GDPR, companies face onerous financial penalties and fines for non-compliance and breaches – with potential fines of up to €20 million or 4 per cent of global annual turnover, whichever is greater.

However, Mr O’Donnell warned that many businesses in Ireland “have not yet started to prepare”, adding: “Recent research in the UK shows that over half the SMEs surveyed are not aware of GDPR. While many companies have it on their agenda, they may not yet have taken the necessary steps to address it within their organisations.

“Businesses need to understand how the regulations will impact upon them. But more importantly, they should be acting now to prepare for the commencement date.”

ByrneWallace has established a multi-disciplinary team of lawyers to deal with a high volume of queries regarding the GDPR, ranging from employment queries to contractual issues.