Home > Services > Cybersecurity, Privacy and Data Governance > Biometric and Genetic Privacy

BIOMETRIC AND GENETIC PRIVACY

Data privacy is a hot-button issue, and privacy laws have expanded nationwide, including those related to biometric and genetic information like fingerprints, facial scans and family medical history. Many of these laws impact businesses and employers in unexpected ways, with judicial interpretations changing frequently.

A business’s best response is a defensive strategy that includes ongoing monitoring of legislative changes and court decisions at all levels. Illinois’ Biometric Information Privacy Act (BIPA) is a case in point. BIPA has significantly impacted businesses by requiring consent for the collection, storage, and use of biometric data. Compliance requires strict data protection measures, which can increase operational costs and legal risks. Non-compliance can lead to costly results and reputational damage. Since BIPA’s enactment, hundreds of companies operating or based in Illinois have faced challenges created in this uncertain landscape. The statute’s expansive definition and enforcement can create millions of dollars of exposure off of a single fingerprint, with up to $1,000 to $5,000 in damages for each biometric scan. Many legal issues remain unexplored.

And it’s not just BIPA – there are laws in other jurisdictions related to biometrics, in states including New York, Texas and Washington. There’s also the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (GINA), which prohibits employer discrimination on the basis of genetic information.

Our attorneys focus on providing strategic advice that will position our clients to resolve liability. We closely monitor the privacy and technology spaces to ensure a defensive strategy incorporating the latest developments. We bring a multi-disciplinary background to defending novel statutory claims, with experience covering cybersecurity, complex commercial litigation matters, e-discovery issues, mass torts, and class actions. When appropriate, we can tap members of our cybersecurity, privacy, and data governance, human resources/labor and employment, and technology transactions groups to reinforce our strategies.

We work to get you back to regular business as soon as possible.

Publications

BIPA Update: Illinois Senate’s BIPA Amendment Passes the House

Silbergeld, Elalami Cover What You Need to Know About Biometric Data Violations for Daily Journal

Where do BIPA claims stand after the Illinois Supreme Court’s decision on the law’s statute of limitations?

Illinois Supreme Court holds that a five-year statute of limitations will apply to all BIPA Claims

Illinois appeals court holds that BIPA Section 15(a) requires retention-and-destruction policies upon possession of any biometric data

Illinois Appellate Panel Upholds Employer Defense Against Employee BIPA Claims: Union Employee BIPA Claims Preempted by Federal Labor Law

Illinois Supreme Court ruling curtails prominent BIPA defense

How to guarantee bad performance from your vendors

New laws may give fiduciaries power to access digital assets

Summary and implications of proposed 'Counteracting Russian Hostilities Act of 2017'

California Highway Patrol seeks to eliminate identity theft in vehicle purchases with proposed new thumbprint requirement

Blog Posts

Fifteen Attorneys General Ask Congress Not to Replace State Privacy Laws With Federal Law

BIPA Update: Illinois Is One Step Closer to Amending How Damages Accrue under BIPA!

BIPA Update: Another Amendment Attempt for Illinois Privacy Law

California AG Announces Second Settlement Under the California Consumer Privacy Act

California Chamber Seeks State Supreme Court Review of Privacy Act Enforcement

NY Department of Financial Services Updates Regulations on Cybersecurity

FTC Issues Final Rule on New Breach Notice Requirement for Non-Bank Financial Institutions

CPPA’s Deputy Director of Enforcement Promises Vigorous Action by Expanded Enforcement Staff

SEC releases long-awaited proposal to revise Regulation S-P

FSA issues GLBA Safeguards Rule guidance

TCLE

The Value of Cyber and Privacy Diligence

Safeguarding the Data and Your Compliance Program – USED and GLBA

Countdown to CPRA

DOJ Cyber Fraud Initiative - Cyber Faces the FCA Hammer

Why Illinois Privacy and Cyber Developments Matter Nationwide

10 Ways To Avoid Cyber & Privacy Lawsuits

Complying with the Revised FTC Safeguards Rule: Lessons from the New York Experience

The Revised FTC Safeguards Rule - What It Means and Why It Is More Important Than You Might Think

California Privacy: CCPA and Beyond

Returning to Work During COVID-19: Employment and Privacy Law Considerations

CMMC and 800-171 in Government Contracting and Higher Education

Election Day Impacts for Cyber and Privacy

Protecting the Ever-Increasing Endpoints in Higher Education

In the Cyber Cross-hairs: Protecting High-Profile Targets

CCPA for Financial Institutions

Using GDPR to Prepare for CCPA, and Vice-Versa

Preparing for the California Consumer Privacy Act: Practical Ways to Mitigate Risk and Develop Litigation Defenses

Colleges Held for Ransom: Responding to a Ransomware Attack

Dealing with Vendors and Data Security

You Don’t Know What You’re Missing: Motivating Performance Through Service Level Agreements

Ethics and Cybersecurity

Associate
St. Louis

Libby assists clients with a wide variety of business litigation matters.

Libby assists clients with a wide variety of business litigation matters.

Elizabeth Casale
Partner
Chicago

David concentrates his practice in product liability and complex commercial litigation in federal and state courts in Illinois and elsewhere.

David concentrates his practice in product liability and complex commercial...

David Duffy
Partner
Dallas

Ryan is an experienced employment law attorney who serves as a trusted advisor and effective litigator for employers of all sizes.

Ryan is an experienced employment law attorney who serves as a trusted advi...

Ryan Gehbauer
Partner
Chicago

Susan is a highly experienced employment law attorney who serves as a seamless extension of her clients' HR and in-house legal teams.

Susan is a highly experienced employment law attorney who serves as a seaml...

Susan Lorenc
Associate
Chicago

Drew applies practical litigation strategies to resolve his client's disputes as efficiently as possible.

Drew applies practical litigation strategies to resolve his client's disput...

Dremain Moore
Partner
Chicago |
Washington, D.C.

Jim serves as a trusted advisor to clients facing complex cybersecurity and privacy issues — particularly those in the country's most highly regulated industries.

Jim serves as a trusted advisor to clients facing complex cybersecurity and...

James Shreve