Suzy is a leading commercial and technology lawyer specialising in privacy and data protection. She regularly assists clients on a wide range of privacy, data, and cyber related matters in what is an evolving and complex compliance landscape.
Suzy has experience helping private and public sector clients navigate compliance requirements under the Privacy Act 2020 and the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), including privacy policies, data transfer agreements, privacy impact assessments, direct marketing permissions, and the use of AI and other new technologies. Suzy advises on the management and response to privacy and data breaches and other cyber related incidents. She also helps with assessing and responding to individual personal information requests and investigations by the Privacy Commissioner.
Providing clients with pragmatic, strategic, and commercial advice is one of Suzy’s key strengths. Her personable and down to earth approach means she is regularly sought after by clients to provide simple advice and guidance on understanding complex and niche legal requirements.
Given the cross-jurisdictional compliance requirements in this area of law, Suzy works closely with our offshore MinterEllison colleagues and a network of internationally recognised law firms to provide seamless privacy related advice to clients operating on an international scale.
Suzy also serves on the Executive Council of Digital Identity New Zealand, where she contributes to advancing a trusted and inclusive digital identity ecosystem across the country.
In addition to her privacy law practice, Suzy is an experienced commercial lawyer helping clients with a wide range of legal matters such as technology agreements, consumer protection and unfair contract terms, supply and distribution agreements, and other commercial contracts.
Suzy has in depth experience representing clients in the technology, financial services, sports, and health and pharmaceutical sectors.
Prior to joining MinterEllisonRuddWatts in 2016, Suzy worked as an in-house lawyer in both New Zealand and London. This extensive in-house experience developed and refined Suzy’s ability to draft and provide concise and commercially focused advice taking into account internal client drivers, priorities, and business needs.
Suzy is regularly sought after by the New Zealand Law Society CLE programme, Legalwise, and industry specific bodies to provide specialist and insightful privacy training to lawyers and other professionals across New Zealand. She also offers clients tailored in-house training sessions on all aspects of privacy, consumer and commercial law.
Career highlights
Providing advice and assistance to a New Zealand financial services provider on the management of and response to a major data breach.
Providing advice and assistance to a range of local and international clients on the implementation and compliance requirements required by the new Privacy Act 2020, including updating privacy policies, drafting data breach response plans, and offshore data transfer agreements.
Advising a large international pharmaceutical company on local regulatory compliance requirements under the Medicines Act and contractual negotiations with PHARMAC for the supply of pharmaceuticals.
Assisting a number of major New Zealand banks and other corporates on the implementation and compliance requirements of the unfair contract terms regime for both consumer and small trade contracts.
Assisting a major international media company with the launch of a new online game in New Zealand, including providing privacy, regulatory, and consumer related advice and the drafting of applicable terms and conditions.
Achievements and recognition
- Leading Associate, Data Protection and Cyber Security, The Legal 500 Asia-Pacific
- Band 1 team, Technology, Media & Telecommunications (TMT), Chambers Asia-Pacific
- Tier 1 team, Technology, Media & Telecommunications (TMT), The Legal 500 Asia-Pacific