Privacy Counsel (In-house)

With 500+ professionals and 350+ business professionals, Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP (www.manatt.com), is a multidisciplinary, integrated national professional services firm known for quality and an extraordinary commitment to clients. The Firm’s groundbreaking approach—bringing together legal services, advocacy and business strategy—differentiates Manatt from its competitors and positions the Firm to provide a distinct and compelling value proposition.

Opportunity

This position will work closely with the Legal Risk Management (LRM) team and serve as the Firm’s dedicated subject‑matter expert for privacy‑related issues across all business functions. The Privacy Counsel will oversee and enhance the Firm’s privacy policies and practices, advise on U.S. and international privacy law compliance, review and negotiate privacy and information‑security provisions in client and vendor agreements, and guide the Firm in mitigating privacy and data‑handling risks. This role will support a wide range of stakeholders—including legal, HR, IT, procurement, and leadership—by providing strategic privacy guidance, implementing compliant processes, conducting assessments, and ensuring the responsible management of Firm, client, employee, and candidate data. This role will not be a billing professional but will be a Business Professional role and sit within the Legal and Risk Management department.

Key Responsibilities

• Serve as the Firm’s primary point of contact and resource for all privacy‑related issues, including HIPAA, CCPA, GDPR, and other applicable privacy frameworks.

• Review, negotiate, and draft privacy and information‑security provisions in client agreements, Outside Counsel Guidelines, vendor contracts, Business Associate Agreements, and Data Processing Addendums.

• Manage and respond to client‑driven Information Security and Data Privacy assessments, questionnaires, and audits.

• Partner with internal teams to identify privacy risks and compliance gaps; develop and implement corrective action plans to resolve issues.

• Oversee the Firm’s privacy program, including maintaining and updating the Firm’s privacy policy and ensuring firmwide compliance with data retention standards.

• Support HR with privacy considerations related to employee and candidate personal data, medical information, and access records.

• Work with Firm stakeholders to understand data flows and ensure appropriate privacy and data‑handling controls across Firm systems and processes.

• Assist in assessing and advising on privacy risks associated with new tools, technologies, and EPMO‑supported initiatives.

•  Conduct privacy impact assessments and support audits, regulatory inquiries, and data incident responses as needed.

• Act as an issue spotter—identifying risks in complex factual scenarios and advising on mitigation strategies.

• All other duties as assigned or required.

Qualifications

• Juris Doctor (JD) degree and active bar membership in good standing

• Professional memberships or certifications in privacy (e.g., CIPP/US, CIPP/E, CIPM, CIPT) preferred

• At least 5–6 years of dedicated privacy experience, ideally including both U.S. privacy laws (CCPA/HIPAA) and international frameworks such as GDPR

• Experience implementing or managing privacy compliance programs in a corporate or professional services environment

• Demonstrated experience drafting and negotiating privacy provisions across a wide variety of agreements

• Experience handling privacy impact assessments, audits, or regulatory inquiries

• Strong Outlook, Excel and Word skills required

• Effective and succinct oral communication and clear and concise written communication

• Effective analytical, logical reasoning, and problem-solving abilities

• Experience with legal ethics and privilege issues

• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail

• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment

• Demonstrated professionalism, sound judgment, and discretion

• Commitment to exceptional internal and external client service

• Demonstrated reliability and the ability to work both independently and collaboratively within a hybrid (remote and in-office) team environment. The Firm operates on a hybrid work schedule requiring in-office presence Tuesday through Thursday, with optional remote work permitted on Mondays and Fridays. All employees must remain available for onsite work up to five days per week as business needs dictate. This schedule is subject to change; flexibility is required

​The base annual pay range for this role is between $180,000 - $240,000.  The base pay to be offered will vary and depend on skills and qualifications, experience and location.  A full range of medical, financial and/or other benefits dependent on the position will also be offered.

EEO/AA EMPLOYER/Veterans/Disabled

Manatt is an equal opportunity employer, dedicated to a policy of non-discrimination in employment on any basis including race, color, physical or mental disability, religion, creed, national origin, citizenship status, ancestry, sex or gender (including gender identity, gender expression, status as a transgender or transsexual individual, pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), age (over 40), genetic information, past, current, or prospective service in the uniformed services, sexual orientation, political activity or affiliation, genetic or and any other protected classes or characteristic protected under applicable federal, state, or local law. Consistent with the American Disabilities Act, applicants may request accommodations needed to participate in the application process.