Liisa Thomas — CEO

I help in‑house legal teams and C‑suite executives at Fortune 500 and multinational companies address complex privacy and cybersecurity laws with practical, defensible programs. For almost three decades, I’ve partnered with organizations in industries including retail, financial services, health care, technology, professional services, insurance, pharmaceuticals, and government contracting to navigate global privacy, cybersecurity, adtech, and compliance challenges. My focus is on solutions that protect data while still enabling the business to move quickly. I combine deep privacy and cybersecurity experience with a Master’s in Learning and Organizational Change from Northwestern, so the programs we design actually work for real people—not just on paper. Some of the ways I support clients include: • Designing actionable privacy and security programs that harmonize overlapping laws (CCPA, TCPA, BIPA, GDPR, and others). • Advising on legal requirements for emerging technologies, including adtech, digital advertising, AI, and new data uses. • Assessing legal compliance and developing pragmatic remediation plans. • Leading data breach responses, including complex notification and regulatory issues. • Supporting product launches, including websites, apps, and digital tools, so innovation and compliance stay aligned.   I work out of both our Chicago and London offices; in Chicago, I serve as the Office Managing Partner. I also co-chair of the firm’s global Privacy and Cybersecurity Practice. Helping develop the next generation of privacy compliance professionals is important to me: I teach at Northwestern Law School on a variety of privacy and security law topics, serve as a formal and informal mentor to lawyers and other professionals, and began Sheppard Mullin's fellowship program several years ago to give entry level opportunities to lawyers interested in the privacy space. If you’re a GC, CPO, or senior in‑house leader looking for strategic, business‑oriented counsel on privacy, data security, or adtech compliance—or if you simply want practical, plain‑English insight on the latest developments—let’s connect here on LinkedIn. You’ll see regular posts on new laws, enforcement trends, and how to turn them into workable plans for your organization.

Stackforce AI infers this person is a Privacy and Cybersecurity expert in the legal industry.

Location: Chicago, Illinois, United States

Experience: 29 yrs 8 mos