Baker Donelson is pleased to welcome Aldo M. Leiva to the Firm's Fort Lauderdale office as a member of the Data Protection, Privacy and Cybersecurity Team and the Business Litigation Group.

Mr. Leiva, who joins the Firm as of counsel, offers clients strategic legal counsel when facing data breaches, data privacy issues, and complex cybersecurity and privacy law and regulations including HIPAA, data breach notification law, GLB, COPPA, CAN-SPAM, FCRA/FACTA, and EU/Latin America data protection laws. In addition to his legal education and experience, Mr. Leiva has also completed critical infrastructure training programs of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Industrial Control Systems Cyber Emergency Response Team in Cybersecurity for Industrial Control Systems and Operational Security for Control Systems, and has similarly received comprehensive training via DHS and FEMA-authorized programs in the areas of cyber incident analysis and response, disaster recovery for information systems, physical and cybersecurity for critical infrastructure, information risk management and critical asset risk management.

"Al is an exceptional attorney and is well-known throughout the state and the region for his work in cybersecurity," said James M. Talley, managing shareholder of Baker Donelson's Fort Lauderdale and Orlando offices. "His knowledge of the rapidly changing laws impacting data security and privacy at federal, state and international levels will be a tremendous asset to our clients across numerous industries and we are pleased to welcome him to our team."

As a trial attorney, Mr. Leiva has also worked with health care entities, real estate investors and developers, industrial service providers, food manufacturers, and retail companies in a wide variety of cases in both state and federal courts, including business torts, professional liability, contractual disputes, and construction defects. He also has advised physicians and health care entities in regulatory, disciplinary, and rule-challenge matters.

Prior to joining Baker Donelson, Mr. Leiva served as privacy compliance counsel, cybersecurity risk mitigation counsel, and general counsel for numerous companies. His interest in complex technology matters stems from his background as a systems biologist, having served as scientific researcher/instructor in Costa Rica, as well as a comparative legal investigator in Mexico. Mr. Leiva is a board member of the South Florida Chapter of InfraGard, a leading public-private partnership between U.S. businesses and the FBI that focuses on critical infrastructure protection, and was recently recognized by the FBI for exceptional service in the public interest for his role with InfraGard. Mr. Leiva is a member of the Florida Bar Association's Standing Committee on Technology, the U.S. Secret Service Miami Economic Crimes Task Force, the board of directors for the University of Miami's Amigos of the Cuban Heritage Collection, and serves as an advisor for the University of South Florida's Cybersecurity for Executives Program.

Baker Donelson's Data Protection, Privacy and Cybersecurity Team consists of more than 30 attorneys, including lawyers with Certified Information Privacy Professional (CIPP) and Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) certifications. These attorneys assist with a wide range of matters, including issues related to information technology, GDPR, HIPAA, data incident and breach response, and eDiscovery.

Baker Donelson's Business Litigation practice is comprised of more than 100 trial lawyers, including former judges and federal prosecutors who advise clients regarding disputes encompassing business arrangements across a broad spectrum of local, regional, and national industry sectors.

Recognized by FORTUNE magazine as one of the "100 Best Companies to Work For^®," Baker Donelson is among the 60 largest law firms in the country, with more than 750 attorneys and public policy advisors representing more than 30 practice areas to serve a wide range of legal needs. Clients receive knowledgeable guidance from experienced, multi-disciplined industry and client service teams, all seamlessly connected across 22 offices in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and Washington, D.C.