Abdul M. Hafiz

Associate, New York

Biography

Overview

Abdul is a Data, Privacy, and Cybersecurity associate in White & Case's New York office.

Abdul provides strategic legal and business advice for a variety of commercial and financial clients. Specifically, he advises on compliance with data privacy and cybersecurity laws, including the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) and California Privacy Rights Act (CPRA), the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), the Virginia Consumer Data Protection Act (VCDPA), the Colorado Privacy Act (CPA), the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA), the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA), and the Illinois Biometric Information Privacy Act (BIPA). Abdul advises global clients on data privacy and cybersecurity matters that arise in corporate transactions, including mergers, acquisitions, financings, and securities offerings. Abdul often counsels multi-national corporations in building privacy programs to comply with the evolving legal landscape. Abdul also advises clients in responding to cybersecurity incidents and emerging cyber threats including business impersonation and SIM swap fraud. Abdul is a Certified Informational Privacy Professional (CIPP/US).

Abdul also has experience representing clients in complex commercial litigation and high-stake antitrust matters, including the representation of global pharmaceutical manufacturers in federal courts.

Abdul is actively involved in pro bono matters, with a particular focus on criminal appeals, racial justice and reform, and human rights. Abdul led a successful appeal where an appellate panel of New York's Appellate Division, Second Department unanimously granted our client a new trial. Abdul is also involved in several bar associations, and currently serves as Secretary for the New York City Bar Association's Civic Education Task Force and the Vice President of the Muslim Bar Association of New York (MuBANY).

Abdul also clerked for the Hon. Katharine H. Parker in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York.

Prior to joining White & Case, Abdul worked in the Managing Attorney's Office of a large global law firm and has also worked in the in-house legal departments of several multi-national corporations.

Bars and Courts
New York State Bar
Education
Bachelor of Arts
International Affairs & Political Science
Northeastern University
Juris Doctor
Fordham University School of Law
Languages
English
Hausa

Experience

Speaking Engagements

"SEC Cybersecurity: Compliance Best Practices," Berkeley Center for Law & Technology, 12th Annual BCLT Privacy Law Forum, March 7, 2024

"Cybersecurity 101: An Expensive Game of Whac-A-Mole," Richmond County Bar Association, October 11, 2023

"Privacy and Cybersecurity: Data Protection as an Opportunity and a Challenge in 2023," Fordham University School of Law, January 13, 2023

"Crossfire: Responding to Data Breaches and Cyber Attacks Across Borders," ABA International Section's Spring Meeting, May 4, 2023

Publications

"California Consumer Privacy Act Enforcement Update: New Investigative Sweep of Streaming Services & Restoration of the CPPA's Enforcement Authority", White & Case Alert, March 1, 2024 (with F. Paul Pittman)

"Conn. Data Privacy Enforcement Takeaways For Cos.", Law360, March 1, 2024 (with F. Paul Pittman)

"Connecticut Attorney General Issues Report on the First Six Months of the Connecticut Data Privacy Act – Highlighting Enforcement Priorities", White & Case Alert, February, 14 2024 (with F. Paul Pittman)

"New Jersey Enacts Comprehensive Data Privacy Law", White & Case Alert, February 5, 2024 (with F. Paul Pittman)

"What to Expect in U.S. Privacy for 2024", White & Case Alert, December 22, 2024 ( with F. Paul Pittman and Hope Anderson)

"The SEC's Charges Against SolarWinds and its Chief Information Security Officer Provide Important Cybersecurity Lessons for Public Companies", White & Case Alert,  November 14, 2023 (with F. Paul Pittman, Tami Stark, Michelle Rutta, Maia Gez, Joel M. Cohen, and Yuhan Wang)

"Oregon Passes Comprehensive Data Privacy Law", White & Case Alert, September 20, 2023 (with F. Paul Pittman and Nathan Swire)

"Florida Enacts the Digital Bill of Rights, Joining the Growing Privacy Landscape", White & Case Alert, September 20, 2023 (with F. Paul Pittman and Yuhan Wang)

"Delaware Enacts Comprehensive Data Privacy Law", White & Case Alert, September 15, 2023 (with F. Paul Pittman and Andrew Hamm)

"CPRA Enforcement Activity Underway Despite Court Ruling to Delay", White & Case Alert, August 15, 2023 (with F. Paul Pittman and Yuhan Wang)

"Texas Passes Comprehensive Data Privacy Law", White & Case Alert, July 19, 2023 (with F. Paul Pittman)

"Montana Joins the Growing Number of States with a Comprehensive Data Privacy Law", White & Case Alert, June 23, 2023 (with F. Paul Pittman and 
Andrew Hamm)

"Tennessee Passes Comprehensive Data Privacy Law", White & Case Alert, June 23, 2023 (with F. Paul Pittman and Yuhan Wang)

"The CPPA Issues Statement of Reasons for the California Privacy Rights Act Regulations Providing Guidance on Implementing the CCPA", White & Case Alert, May 26, 2023 (with F. Paul Pittman)

"Indiana Becomes the Seventh State to Enact a Comprehensive Data Privacy Law", White & Case Client Alert, May 10, 2023 (with F. Paul Pittman and Andrew Hamm)

"Iowa Enacts Data Privacy Legislation with Senate File 262", White & Case Client Alert, April 21, 2023 (with F. Paul Pittman and Nathan Swire)

"Colorado Privacy Act Rules Finalized Ahead of July 1, 2023 Effective Date", White & Case Client Alert, April 14, 2023 (with F. Paul Pittman and Andrew Hamm)

"Analysis: FTC Encouraged to Ban or Limit Non-Compete Agreements in July 9, 2021 Executive Order; Breaks with Tradition, And Follows Trend of Heightened Antitrust Focus on Labor Markets," White & Case Client Alert, July 19, 2021 (with J. Mark Gidley, Kathryn Mims, Kristen O’Shaughnessy, Eric McNamee, Kevin Adam and Jaclyn Phillips)

"Sweeping US Order on Promoting Competition", White & Case World in Transition Insight, July 12, 2021 (with J. Mark Gidley, George Paul, Jack Pace, Kathryn Mims, Kristen O’Shaughnessy, Erin McNamee, Kevin Adam and Jaclyn Phillips)

"Colorado Privacy Act: US Consumer Data Privacy Framework Continues Expansion," White & Case Client Alert, July 9, 2021 (with F. Paul Pittman, Mark Williams and Kyle Levenberg)

"DOJ Antitrust Division quietly walks back prior administration-era support of Standard Essential Patent holders," White & Case Client Alert, May 26, 2021 (with Noah Brumfield, Kathryn Mims, Jaclyn Phillips and Trina Rizzo)

"Virginia joins California in regulating consumer information: Virginia enacts the Consume Data Protection Act," White & Case Client Alert, March 5, 2021 (with F. Paul Pittman, Kyle Levenberg and Mark Williams)

"Building a Robust Biometric Compliance Program in the US: A Five-Step Checklist" White & Case Client Alert, November 9, 2020 (with F. Paul Pittman)

"US Government Warns Healthcare Sector of Targeted Ransomware: Outlines Best Practices and Provides Technical Details of Attack," White & Case Client Alert, October 30, 2020 (with F. Paul Pittman, Mark Williams and Kyle Levenberg)

"Most Courts Follow 1st Circ. Generic-Delay Ruling's Standard", Law360, August 2020, (co-author with Michael Hamburger and Abdul Hafiz)

"Considering Legal Implications of Open Sourcing Patents for Sustainable Vehicles," December 3, 2019 (with Bijal Vakil).