Elisabeth Dehareng

Elisabeth Dehareng

Partner
Baker & McKenzie CVBA/SCRL

Biography

Elisabeth Dehareng joined Baker McKenzie's Brussels office in 2003 and is a partner since 2014 in the Information Technology & Communications and Intellectual Practice Groups. She was admitted to the Brussels bar in 2003. She is a member of the EMEA IP Tech Steering Committee.

Elisabeth is regularly mentioned in publications such as Legal 500 and Chambers.

Practice Focus

Elisabeth advises clients in all fields of IT, IP and new technology law, with a special focus on data protection and privacy aspects. Her practice focuses on European and worldwide data protection compliance projects, in the field of which she advises on GDPR-readiness programs, cross-border data transfer strategies, processing of special categories of personal data, cybersecurity and data breaches management, and provides strategic advice on other areas such as internal compliance issues, digital media and online applications, as well as in relation to privacy litigation.

Elisabeth also advises on data protection aspects of corporate transactions and reorganizations.

Elisabeth also advises clients in relation to e-commerce, digital media and online applications, including legal aspects of big data and internet of things.

Representative Legal Matters

  • Advised multinational companies on new requirements under the EU General Data Protection Regulation and consequences on existing data protection compliance framework and strategies.

  • Assisted with all data protection and privacy aspects of corporate transactions and restructuring (mergers and spin-off) and their impact on data protection compliance structures in place.

  • Advised on the data protection aspects related to the conduct of internal investigations and trade compliance reviews, including legal issues related to the review of employees' electronic communication data and e-monitoring.

  • Represented a group in legal proceedings before the Chairman of the Court of Commerce of Brussels (cessation action) initiated by a Belgian consumer protection association for alleged violation of privacy rights.

  • Advised a global medtech group on its data protection requirements in a highly regulated industry, including the drafting and negotiation of GDPR-compliant customer-facing and clinic-facing documents (terms of use, privacy policy, privacy notices and consents).

  • Advised on the implementation of an online platform for patients, users and healthcare professionals, processing and sharing health-related data in a cloud environment, as well as the transfer of such data worldwide.

  • Assessed the qualification of telecom operators under data protection laws, updated privacy and data protection consumer and provider-facing documentation in light of GDPR, and advised on appointment of a data protection officer.

  • Advised on the legal aspects and issues related to the use of a third party software to carry out account aggregation (including IP aspects under computer programs and databases rights).

Professional Honors

Legal 500 EMEA 2018 - Belgium

EU regulatory - Privacy and data protection Tier 1

Baker McKenzie CVBA/SCRL’s group has ‘great expertise in privacy matters’, with notable strength in cross-border data transfers. Data security obligations, international investigations and GDPR compliance are other areas of note. Belgium managing partner Daniel Fesler heads a team that includes ‘excellent negotiator’ Elisabeth Dehareng. Clients include major multinationals operating in the technology, telecoms, logistics and financial services fields.

Belgium: Intellectual Property Tier 2

Baker McKenzie CVBA/SCRL’s team is sought out by household-name multinationals for assistance in customs and IP enforcement work. The broad practice takes in contentious and non-contentious trade mark, copyright and patent issues. Data protection is another area of strength. Koen De Winter heads the practice and Elisabeth Dehareng is also noted.

Belgium: Industry focus IT and Telecoms Tier 3

Baker McKenzie CVBA/SCRL’s TMT practice is headed by Daniel Fesler and specializes in EU regulatory work. E-commerce and fintech are particular areas of expertise. Elisabeth Dehareng is a key contact in the field of data protection and privacy.

Chambers Europe 2018

Notable practitioners: The firm's EMEA group is headed by the Rome-based Raffaele Giarda. Other key names include Elisabeth Dehareng in Brussels, Steve Holmes in London, and Joachim Scherer and Michael Schmidl in Frankfurt and Munich respectively.

Professional Associations and Memberships

  • EMEA IP Tech Steering Committee - Member

Admissions

  • Brussels~Belgium (2003)

Education

  • University of Liège (Post Graduate Degree European Law, Cum Laude - exchange program at the University of Rome 'La Sapienza' in Italy) (2003)
  • University of Liège (Law Degree, Magna Cum Laude - exchange program at the University of Ottawa in Canada) (2002)
  • Catholic University of Leuven (Complementary degree Philosophy, Cum Laude) (2000)
  • (CIPP/E (IAPP Certification))

Languages

  • English
  • French
  • Italian

Author, "La structure des cabinets d'avocat : RGPD à deux vitesses?", Le Forum Nr. 271, November 2018

Author, "Le Règlement Général sur la Protection des Données Personnelles pour les avocats", Le Pli Juridique, March 2018

Co-author, Belgian chapter of Global Privacy Handbook, Baker McKenzie and IAPP, 2018

Co-author, "The tangled web of communication to the public", in Managing IP, September 2017

Co-author, "Belgium’s Privacy Commission Issues Recordkeeping Guidance for GDPR" , August 2017