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Cynthia J. Larose

Member / Co-Chair, Privacy & Cybersecurity Practice

[email protected]

+1.617.348.1732

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Cynthia is a highly regarded authority in the privacy and security field and a Certified Information Privacy Professional (CIPP). She handles the full range of data security issues for companies of all sizes, from startups to major corporations. Cynthia is masterful at conducting privacy audits; crafting procedures to protect data; advising clients on state, federal, and international laws and regulations on information use and data security; helping organizations respond to breaches; and planning data transfers associated with corporate transactions. She is an in-demand media commentator and speaker on privacy and cybersecurity issues.

Cynthia is Co-chair of the firm's Privacy & Cybersecurity Practice, a Certified Information Privacy Professional-US (CIPP-US), and a Certified Information Privacy Professional-Europe (CIPP-E).

She represents companies in information, communications, and technology, including e-commerce and other electronic transactions. She counsels clients through all stages of the corporate life cycle, from startups through mid- and later-stage financings to IPO, and has broad experience in technology and business law, including online contracting issues, licensing, domain name issues, software development, and complex outsourcing transactions. She is also a key contributor to MintzEdge, an online resource for entrepreneurs that includes useful tools and information for starting and growing a company.

Cynthia has extensive experience in privacy, data security, and information management matters, including state, federal, and international laws and regulations on the use and transfer of information, behavioral advertising, data security breach compliance and incident response, and data breach incident response planning, as well as data transfers in the context of mergers and acquisitions and technology transactions. She conducts privacy audits and risk assessments to determine data and transaction flow and to assess privacy practices, and assists with drafting and implementation of privacy policies and information security policies and procedures and monitoring of privacy best practices across all levels of the enterprise.

Cynthia is a frequent speaker on privacy issues at conferences and media appearances and presents privacy awareness and compliance training seminars to client companies.

During law school, she was editor-in-chief of the Probate Law Journal.

Cynthia is a highly regarded authority in the privacy and security field and a Certified Information Privacy Professional (CIPP). She handles the full range of data security issues for companies of all sizes, from startups to major corporations. Cynthia is masterful at conducting privacy audits; crafting procedures to protect data; advising clients on state, federal, and international laws and regulations on information use and data security; helping organizations respond to breaches; and planning data transfers associated with corporate transactions. She is an in-demand media commentator and speaker on privacy and cybersecurity issues.

Experience

viewpoints

Mintz’s pro bono work for The Food Project, a nonprofit focused on youth development and reducing food insecurity, has included advising the organization on governance, real estate, employment, privacy, and litigation matters.
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Preparation for 2021 Fiscal Year-End SEC Filings and 2022 Annual Shareholder Meetings

January 18, 2022 | Advisory | By Megan Gates, John Condon, Anne Bruno, Melanie Ruthrauff Levy, Daniel T. Kajunski, Cynthia Larose, Breton Leone-Quick, Page R. Hubben

Read about key regulatory and other developments, including board diversity and other ESG matters, which public companies need to consider as they prepare for their fiscal year-end SEC filings and 2022 annual shareholder meetings.
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FTC Warns Companies to Remediate Log4j Security Vulnerability

January 5, 2022 | Blog | By Cynthia Larose

Before the holidays, we warned of a critical vulnerability in a widely-used Java logging utility that could affect tens of thousands of companies.   Since that original alert, multiple US and foreign government cybersecurity agencies published a joint advisory and guidance for affected organizations recommending that patches or workarounds be applied immediately to mitigate the vulnerabilities and exposure.   The US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency also ordered US federal civilian executive branch agencies to patch within days of the order. 
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CRITICAL ALERT: Log4Shell

December 13, 2021 | Alert | By Cynthia Larose

CVE-2021-44228 — dubbed Log4Shell — can easily be exploited to gain complete access to the targeted system by getting the application to log  a specially crafted string. Government organizations and the private sector are responding to the disclosure of a critical vulnerability affecting the widely used Log4j logging utility, as exploitation attempts are on the rise.
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Time to Update Your Incident Response Plans

October 22, 2021 | Blog | By Cynthia Larose

Our Mintz Matrix has been updated to reflect the new 2021 requirements and should be a part of your information security toolbox.
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Privacy Implications of the Facebook Whistleblower Testimony

October 20, 2021 | Blog | By Cynthia Larose, Christian Tamotsu Fjeld

Vice President of ML Strategies Christian Fjeld provided insights for a feature article published by The National Law Review examining the privacy implications of Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen’s testimony before a Congressional Subcommittee regarding harms perpetuated by the tech giant.
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California Update

October 7, 2021 | Blog | By Cynthia Larose

Legislation is starting to move off California Governor Gavin Newsom’s desk including the Genetic Information Privacy Act, which will take effect on January 1, 2022.
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What We’re Reading – September 24, 2021

September 24, 2021 | Blog | By Cynthia Larose

Welcome to Fall 2021!   We’re trying to curate some of the week’s privacy and cybersecurity news to keep you up-to-date.
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California’s New Privacy Regulator Invites You to Comment

September 23, 2021 | Blog | By Cynthia Larose

The California Privacy Protection Agency Board (“CPPA Board”), has issued an invitation for preliminary comments from the public related to a wide swath of areas over which the CPPA Board has rulemaking authority. According to the invitation, comments may be used in developing new regulations under the CPRA, and determining whether changes to the existing regulations are needed to implement the CPRA.
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What We’re Reading – September 17, 2021

September 17, 2021 | Blog | By Cynthia Larose

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News & Press

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Events & Speaking

May
1
2025

Mintz's Annual Employment Law Summit 2025 - New York

Convene, 601 Lexington Ave, New York, NY 10022

Speaker
Mar
16
2022

Hot Topics in White Collar Crime and Government Investigations: Considerations for Corporate Counsel

Association of Corporate Counsel, San Diego and Mintz

Virtual Event

Webinar Reference Image
Speaker
Feb
9
2022
Seminar Reference Image
Moderator
Speaker
Apr
27
2020
Speaker
Apr
15
2020
Webinar Reference Image
Speaker
Speaker
Mar
4
2020
Speaker
Panelist
Sep
25
2019
Moderator
Jun
19
2019

Health Care & Cybersecurity: A Powerful Combination

ML Strategies, 701 Pennsylvania Ave, NW, Suite 900, Washington, DC 20004

Speaker
Panelist
Apr
29
2019

AHAM Annual Member Meeting 2019

Know the Score

The Ritz-Carlton Washington DC

Moderator
Mar
6
2019

The Third Annual Boston Conference on Cyber Security (BCCS 2019)

Boston College, Gasson Hall, Room 100, 140 Commonwealth Avenue Chestnut Hill, MA

Speaker
Feb
4
2019

Cybersecurity Best Practices for Legal Services Providers 2019

Practising Law Institute

PLI New York Center, 1177 Avenue of the Americas, (2nd floor), entrance on 45th Street, New York, New York

Speaker
Nov
13
2018

CTAM End of Year Meeting

HBO Theater, New York, NY

Oct
3
2018

Ascendant Compliance Conference

State of the Data Breach

San Diego, California

Speaker
May
7
2018

2018 Onsolve User Conference

Arizona Biltmore Hotel 2400 E Missouri Avenue Phoenix, AZ

Speaker
Apr
18
2018

Legal Issues in Museum Administration 2018

American Law Institute Continuing Legal Education (ALI CLE)

Revere Hotel Boston Common 200 Stuart Street Boston, MA

Speaker
Mar
19
2018

2018 Cyber Liability Conference

Mohegan Sun Resort & Convention Center 1 Mohegan Sun Blvd Uncasville, CT

Speaker
Mar
15
2018

Higher Education Legal Conference

Boston Bar Association

Sheraton Boston Hotel 39 Dalton Street Boston, MA

Moderator
Mar
7
2018

The Second Annual Boston Conference on Cyber Security (BCCS 2018)

Boston College

Gasson Hall, Room 100 140 Commonwealth Avenue Chestnut Hill, MA

Speaker
Jan
19
2018
Speaker
Jan
17
2018
Speaker
Nov
30
2017
Speaker
Nov
29
2017
Speaker
Nov
28
2017
Speaker
Speaker
Nov
2
2017

Cyber Security & Liability

New Hampshire Bar Association

Concord, NH

Speaker
Oct
25
2017

Staffing World 2017

American Staffing Association

Chicago, IL

Speaker
Oct
10
2017

Ascendant Compliance Conference

Ascendant Compliance Management

Napa, California

Panelist
May
24
2017

Privacy & Cybersecurity Conference

Boston Bar Association

Boston, MA

Speaker
May
11
2017

2017 ASA Staffing Law Conference

American Staffing Association

Washington, DC

Moderator
Mar
8
2017
Speaker
Jun
3
2016

Director Bootcamp

NACD New England

Boston, MA

Speaker
May
11
2016

2016 NEDRIX Spring Conference

NorthEast Disaster Recovery Information X-Change

Boston, MA

Speaker
Dec
1
2015

Increased Scrutiny by Regulators of Cybersecurity

The New England Broker/Dealer and Investment Adviser Association

Boston, MA

Speaker
May
13
2015
Moderator
Mar
10
2015

Not If, But When: Cyber Security for Companies in an Age of Inevitable Hacks, Attacks & Breaches

National Association of Corporate Directors, New England Chapter

Newton Marriott Hotel, Newton, MA

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Cynthia is a highly regarded authority in the privacy and security field and a Certified Information Privacy Professional (CIPP). She handles the full range of data security issues for companies of all sizes, from startups to major corporations. Cynthia is masterful at conducting privacy audits; crafting procedures to protect data; advising clients on state, federal, and international laws and regulations on information use and data security; helping organizations respond to breaches; and planning data transfers associated with corporate transactions. She is an in-demand media commentator and speaker on privacy and cybersecurity issues.

Recognition & Awards

  • BTI Consulting Group Client Service All-Star (2022)

  • Best Lawyers in America: Privacy and Data Security Law (2018 – 2027)

  • Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly: Go-To Cybersecurity / Data Privacy Lawyer (2022, 2024)

  • Top Author for Cybersecurity, JD Supra’s Readers' Choice Awards (2018 – 2021)

  • Chambers USA: Noted Practitioner, Nationwide – Privacy & Data Security (2018 – 2019)

  • National Law Review: Go-To Thought Leadership Award, Cybersecurity (2018)

  • Chambers USA: Nationwide – Privacy & Data Security (2010 – 2016)

  • Chambers Global: Privacy & Data Security (2011 – 2012, 2016 – 2017)

  • Legal 500 Recommended Lawyer – Cyber Law (2026)

  • National Diversity Council: Top 50 Most Powerful Women in Technology (2016)

  • Woman of Technology 2001 by Women in Technology, Inc.

  • Two Thousand Notable American Women (2001)

  • Women's Business Boston: Top 10 Women Lawyers in Boston (2005); Top 10 Corporate Lawyers in Boston (2009 – 2010)

  • Boston Magazine: Rising Star (2011)

  • Leila Josephine Robinson Award, Boston University Woman's Law Association (2010)

  • Boston Digital Industry News: Best General Lawyer for a High-Tech Firm

  • Massachusetts Super Lawyers: Rising Star – Information Technology / Outsourcing (2005)

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Cynthia is a highly regarded authority in the privacy and security field and a Certified Information Privacy Professional (CIPP). She handles the full range of data security issues for companies of all sizes, from startups to major corporations. Cynthia is masterful at conducting privacy audits; crafting procedures to protect data; advising clients on state, federal, and international laws and regulations on information use and data security; helping organizations respond to breaches; and planning data transfers associated with corporate transactions. She is an in-demand media commentator and speaker on privacy and cybersecurity issues.

Involvement

  • Member, International Association of Privacy Professionals
  • Member, Computer Law Association
  • Member, Federal Communications Bar Association
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Cynthia J. Larose

Member / Co-Chair, Privacy & Cybersecurity Practice

Boston