Profile
Reena R. Bajowala has deep experience with data security, privacy, artificial intelligence, and information technology issues. She is a Certified Information Privacy Technologist (CIPT), a Certified Information Privacy Professional – US (CIPP/US) and a Certified Information Privacy Manager (CIPM). Through a competitive process, she was selected as a 2021-2023 Fellow of the American Bar Association’s Business Law Section with the Cyberspace Law Subcommittee. She serves on the Steering Committee of the U.S. Secret Service’s Chicago Cyber Fraud Task Force.
When faced with a data breach, including in business email compromise, ransomware, or wire transfer fraud scenarios, clients turn to Reena to investigate, remediate, and comply with legal obligations. She conducts risk assessments, develops privacy and InfoSec compliance programs, and leads proactive incident response planning, including drafting incident response and communications plans, and conducting tabletop exercises.
Reena also helps companies stand up artificial intelligence governance programs, including creating policies, procedures, and trainings associated with a defensible compliance program. She also assists companies evaluate the risks associated with emerging technologies.
Reena helps regulated entities comply with cybersecurity requirements. She assists public companies with compliance with the SEC’s cyber rules. She also assists ERISA benefit plan sponsors with implementing cybersecurity policies and service provider management programs. The Department of Labor’s current emphasis on cybersecurity allows Reena to utilize her combined decade-plus ERISA and benefit plan counseling and litigation experience and her deep cybersecurity and vendor management practice.
Reena has wide-ranging litigation and trial experience, including over 100 days of first-chair trial experience. She represents buyers and providers of IT services regarding issues ranging from billing and performance disputes arising from Master Services Agreements and Service Level Agreements to copyright and licensing disputes pursuant to Software Licensing and SaaS agreements. Reena also works to protect the interests of companies during software audits.
Reena is an advocate for diversity, equity, and inclusion, and has a dedicated pro bono practice; both of which have been widely recognized. She has been touted as a “cornerstone” of SABA North America, a “best under 40” by NAPABA, a “powerful and influential woman” by the Illinois Diversity Council, a “transformative leader” by Womenetics, and a “woman with drive” by JKYog. She has also been acknowledged for “championing access to justice, fairness and opportunity” by the Shriver Center on Poverty Law, and for her “efforts and dedication to pro bono and public interest law service” by the Public Interest Law Initiative. In 2005, she founded the University of Michigan Law School’s Origins Public Interest Fellowship through the Asian Pacific American Law Student Association, which awards thousands of dollars to students annually.
Concentrations
- Data breach response
- Risk assessments
- Counseling on artificial intelligence
- Privacy and information security compliance programs
- Vendor management
- ERISA plan cybersecurity policies
- Software audits
Capabilities
Experience
- Served as outside privacy counsel for a $15 billion financial company.°
- Conducted a global multi-disciplinary risk assessment for a social media platform.°
- Conducted a cybersecurity risk assessment and implemented a vendor management program for an international university.°
- Resolved multimillion-dollar IT dispute on behalf of a fast-food company.°
- Resolved contentious software audit dispute for client, reducing demand for licensing fees by 97%.°
- Conducted multiple table-top exercises to test incident response plans on behalf of clients.°
- Served as data breach coach in ransomware, business email compromise, and fraudulent wire transfer incidents, including for health care, financial services, and government contractor clients.°
- Counseled a web-based food delivery service on international contract and criminal laws applicable to its global call centers.°
- Directed global analysis of laws applicable to data centers of leading cloud-based storage provider.°
- Analyzed international digital marketing laws for a payroll processing company.°
- Won dismissal of wage and hour claims against global IT company in a hybrid class and collective action.°
- Defeated plaintiffs in a series of related state and federal consumer fraud class actions against a leading American distributor and Japanese automobile manufacturer.°
- Dissolved an improperly obtained temporary restraining order obtained against a top online marketplace in a trademark litigation challenging company’s central business model.°
°The above representations were handled by Ms. Bajowala prior to her joining Greenberg Traurig, LLP.
- Certified Information Privacy Professional U.S. Private-Sector (CIPP/US), 2021
- Certified Information Privacy Manager (CIPM), 2021
- Certified Information Privacy Technologist (CIPT), 2018
- Adjunct Professor, University of Michigan Law School, 2020
- PILI Fellow, American Civil Liberties Union, Roger Baldwin Foundation, 2005
- PILI Intern, Chicago Volunteer Legal Services Foundation, 2003
Recognition & Leadership
- Recipient, South Asian Bar Association (SABA) North America, “Cornerstone Award,” 2023
- Business Leadership Award, JKYog, 2023
- Selected, Leading Lawyers, 2024
- Emerging Lawyer – Class Action/Tort Defense, Commercial Litigation, 2019
- Distinguished Alumni, Public Interest Law Initiative, 2018
- Listed, Super Lawyers magazine, Illinois Super Lawyers Rising Stars, 2011, 2013, 2018-2019
- Selected, National Asian Pacific American Bar Association, Best Under 40, 2017
- Selected, Womenetics, POW! Award, 2015
- Selected, Illinois Diversity Council, Most Powerful & Influential Women, 2014
- Member, American Bar Association, Business Law Section, 2018-Present
- Fellow, Cyberspace Law Subcommittee, 2021-2023
- Member, Leadership Council on Legal Diversity, 2013-Present
- Fellow, 2013
- Regional Programming Lead, 2021-2023
- Chair of Outreach Committee, 2014-2015
- Steering Committee Member, Cyber Fraud Task Force – Chicago, 2021-Present
- Co-Chair, Illinois Legal Aid Diversity & Inclusion Working Group, Lawyer’s Trust Fund, 2019-2021
- Board Member, Albany Park Theater Project, 2014-Present
- President, 2022-Present
- Advisory Board Member, Chicago Volunteer Legal Services Foundation, 2016-Present
- Member, South Asian Bar Association, 2005-Present
- 2008 Conference Co-Chair (Chicago), 2007-2008
- Co-Chair, Women’s Committee (Chicago), 2012-2013
- Chair, Membership Committee (National), 2010-2011
- Board Member, Public Interest Law Initiative, 2015-2018
- Tech Council Member, 1871, 2018-2022
- Co-Chair, Drone Interest Group’s Legal & Regulatory Subcommittee, 2019-2022
- Member, Emerging Leaders Council, Legal Services Corporation, 2019-2021
Credentials
- J.D., cum laude, University of Michigan Law School, 2005
- B.A., University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 2001
- Illinois
- U.S. District Court for the Central District of Illinois
- U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois
- U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana
- U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit