Cooley Reinforces Leading Privacy Practice for Major Tech Companies

Why It Matters

The move positions Cooley to capture growing demand for sophisticated privacy counsel as regulators intensify scrutiny of data‑driven advertising, especially with AI integration. It also sharpens the firm’s competitive edge in high‑stakes privacy litigation for major tech clients.

Key Takeaways

• Meredith Halama and Katie Cramer join Cooley as privacy partners
• Both bring over 20 years of ad‑tech privacy expertise
• Cooley’s cyber/data/privacy group now serves more major tech firms
• Hire bolsters Cooley’s defense of federal and state privacy investigations

Pulse Analysis

Regulators worldwide are tightening rules around consumer data, and the advertising technology sector sits at the epicenter of that pressure. The U.S. Federal Trade Commission, state attorneys general, and emerging AI‑specific guidelines are prompting a surge in investigations and class actions. Law firms that can translate complex privacy statutes into practical, growth‑enabling strategies are in high demand, and Cooley has long cultivated a reputation for marrying technical insight with litigation prowess. By reinforcing its privacy bench, Cooley signals to the market that it can navigate both the advisory and defensive dimensions of this evolving landscape.

Halama and Cramer arrive with deep roots in ad‑tech privacy, having steered policy at the Network Advertising Initiative and led high‑profile defenses at Perkins Coie. Their combined experience spans cross‑border data transfers, consent mechanisms, and the nascent challenges posed by AI‑generated content. For Cooley’s existing tech clients—from social platforms to programmatic ad exchanges—their expertise translates into faster, more nuanced guidance on compliance, risk mitigation, and courtroom strategy. The partners will also collaborate with Cooley’s extensive litigation team, creating a seamless pipeline from regulatory counseling to aggressive defense when investigations turn litigious.

The broader legal market is witnessing a talent arms race as firms vie for the limited pool of privacy specialists. Cooley’s recent hiring spree, which includes former government officials and top‑tier litigators, underscores a strategic push to dominate the tech‑focused privacy niche. Clients can expect a more integrated service model that anticipates regulatory trends, leverages AI‑driven compliance tools, and offers robust representation in class actions. As data‑centric business models expand, firms like Cooley that embed privacy expertise at the partnership level are likely to capture a larger share of high‑value advisory and litigation work.