General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)

Defining the Legal Foundation for Global Data Protection

The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) applies to any organization that processes personal data of EU residents, regardless of where the organization is located.
Its scope extends far beyond Europe, influencing privacy laws and corporate practices across the world.

Our lawyers help clients understand GDPR’s core principles: lawfulness, fairness, transparency, purpose limitation, data minimization, accuracy, storage limitation, integrity, and accountability.

We interpret how these principles apply to real-world business models—whether in digital marketing, HR management, or data-driven innovation.

We also advise on lawful bases for processing, including consent, contract necessity, legitimate interest, and compliance with legal obligations, ensuring that organizations operate within the boundaries of data protection law.

Building Practical Frameworks for Sustainable Data Governance

Our GDPR advisory work begins with designing compliance frameworks that align regulatory obligations with operational realities.
We conduct gap assessments to evaluate current policies, systems, and controls against GDPR requirements.

Our lawyers assist in drafting or refining privacy notices, consent mechanisms, and records of processing activities (ROPAs).
We help clients establish governance structures, including data protection committees and internal reporting lines, that demonstrate accountability to regulators.

Navigating Cross-Border Data Flow Regulations Under GDPR

The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) places stringent restrictions on the transfer of personal data outside the EU and UK to jurisdictions without “adequate” data protection standards.
Our team advises on appropriate safeguards, including Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs), Binding Corporate Rules (BCRs), and derogations under Article 49.

We assist clients in evaluating transfer mechanisms post–Schrems II and conducting Transfer Impact Assessments (TIAs) to ensure lawful and secure cross-border data flows.
For U.S.-based entities, we provide guidance on adherence to the EU–U.S. Data Privacy Framework and other adequacy arrangements.

Our experience extends to helping multinational clients harmonize data transfer compliance across multiple regions—Europe, North America, and Asia-Pacific—without disrupting business operations.

Clarifying the Obligations of Controllers, Processors, and Joint Controllers

GDPR defines distinct roles for data controllers and processors, each with unique obligations.
Our GDPR lawyers help clients determine their classification and draft contractual clauses that allocate responsibility appropriately.

We prepare and review Data Processing Agreements (DPAs) that satisfy Article 28 requirements, ensuring that both parties maintain proper technical and organizational safeguards.
We also advise on joint controllership arrangements, sub-processing chains, and vendor management programs to maintain full visibility and control over data operations.

Through clear contractual frameworks and documentation, we help clients demonstrate accountability across their entire data ecosystem.

Enabling Transparency and Empowering Individuals

GDPR grants individuals extensive rights, access, rectification, erasure (“right to be forgotten”), restriction, portability, and objection.
Our lawyers design and implement internal procedures to ensure that organizations respond to Data Subject Requests (DSRs) within statutory deadlines.

We also advise on verification, recordkeeping, and communication processes that balance transparency with data security.
By integrating DSR management into day-to-day operations, clients can enhance trust while reducing administrative risk.

Protecting Organizations and Individuals in Crisis Scenarios

Under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), organizations must notify regulators of data breaches within 72 hours, unless the breach is unlikely to result in risk to individuals’ rights and freedoms.
We help clients establish robust incident response plans that include detection, containment, assessment, and notification protocols.

Our team coordinates internal investigation, forensic analysis, and communication with supervisory authorities and affected individuals.
We also advise on managing reputational impact, remediation, and post-incident audits to strengthen future resilience.

When enforcement action follows, we represent clients in regulatory investigations and defend against administrative fines or corrective orders.

Defending Clients Against Regulatory Actions and Civil Claims

GDPR violations can lead to severe penalties—up to €20 million or 4% of global annual turnover, whichever is higher.
Our GDPR defense team represents clients in investigations, audits, and enforcement actions before EU data protection authorities (DPAs) and the UK Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO).

We handle complex issues such as cross-border jurisdiction, lead supervisory authority determination, and one-stop-shop procedures.
Our lawyers also defend clients in civil litigation brought by individuals or consumer organizations under Article 82, often coordinating defense across multiple jurisdictions.

By combining litigation experience with regulatory insight, we help clients achieve negotiated resolutions and mitigate reputational harm.

Applying Data Protection Principles to AI, IoT, and Cloud Environments

Technology innovation continuously tests the limits of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).
We counsel clients developing or deploying artificial intelligence, Internet of Things (IoT), blockchain, and cloud computing solutions on how to incorporate privacy-by-design principles.

Our team advises on algorithmic transparency, automated decision-making (Article 22), and data minimization in AI training datasets.
We also assist in negotiating data processing terms with cloud service providers to ensure contractual compliance and security alignment.

By embedding GDPR compliance into emerging technologies, we help clients achieve innovation with integrity.

Tailoring Compliance to Industry Requirements

Different industries face unique GDPR challenges.
Our GDPR team provides specialized advice across:

• - Financial Services: Managing customer data, AML/KYC obligations, and regulatory reporting.

- Healthcare and Life Sciences: Handling sensitive health and genomic data under Article 9 restrictions.

- Retail and Marketing: Balancing consent management with legitimate interest in targeted advertising.

- Technology: Navigating consent for cookies, analytics, and user profiling.

- Employment: Managing employee monitoring, cross-border HR systems, and internal investigations.

By tailoring compliance programs to industry context, we ensure that GDPR obligations are practical and commercially viable.

Building Accountability Within the Organization

The appointment of a Data Protection Officer (DPO) is mandatory for many organizations under GDPR.
We advise clients on whether they require a DPO, how to structure the role, and how to balance independence with integration into business functions.

Our lawyers draft DPO charters, establish escalation procedures, and train compliance teams on governance responsibilities.
We also provide outsourced DPO advisory services for organizations lacking in-house expertise, ensuring ongoing compliance oversight and regulator engagement.

Coordinating Compliance Across Jurisdictions

As global privacy regimes proliferate, GDPR often serves as the benchmark.
We assist multinational clients in harmonizing compliance programs with overlapping requirements from U.S. state laws (CCPA/CPRA), Brazil’s LGPD, Japan’s APPI, and other frameworks.

Our lawyers develop “one policy, many laws” strategies, streamlining global operations while ensuring that local obligations are met.
We also guide companies expanding into new jurisdictions on how to replicate GDPR-level protections that facilitate cross-border trust and data adequacy.

Embedding a Culture of Privacy Compliance

True GDPR compliance is not static, it requires continuous improvement.
We develop customized training programs for employees, management, and data handling teams to build organizational awareness.

Our lawyers conduct periodic audits to verify that controls remain effective and aligned with regulatory changes.
We also assist in preparing annual compliance reports and responding to supervisory authority inquiries with well-documented evidence of accountability.

Comprehensive Compliance. Strategic Governance. Global Perspective.

At SJKP LLP, our General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) practice brings together lawyers from privacy, technology, cybersecurity, and regulatory disciplines.
We offer clients an integrated, forward-thinking approach to global data governance—combining legal rigor, operational practicality, and industry-specific insight.
Whether designing compliance programs, negotiating data transfer frameworks, or defending against enforcement actions, we help clients protect their data assets and maintain the trust that defines long-term success in the digital age.