Addleshaw Goddard continues to grow its Scottish and Data Protection offerings, hiring Burness Paull's Head of Privacy, Ross McKenzie.

An accredited data protection specialist, Ross, who joins the firm's Aberdeen office, has vast experience in IP, IT, privacy, commercial contracts and information law issues, predominantly in the oil, gas and technology sectors.

With a masters in IT & Telecommunications law, over the past three years, Ross has been at the helm of Burness Paull's data protection offering, advising high profile technology and energy clients across the UK.

Ross also advises clients on all stages of the IP development cycle from innovation through to exploitation, and has undertaken a number of audits of software companies servicing the oil and gas sector through the IPO IP Audit scheme, and was the only lawyer in Aberdeen appointed to do so.

Data Protection is a key area of growth area for AG, and is an enabler too much of the advice the firm provides, be it ongoing GDPR compliance, complex regulatory framework, IT and commercial advice.

Helena Brown, partner and Head of Data at AG stated; "Data remains a serious source of concern for our clients. With GDPR bringing a heightened awareness of the risks a, continued strong regulation, significant fines for data breaches, coupled with growing cyber security concerns – clients continue to seek advice on how to navigate this evolving landscape.

"The growing importance of this service line, and the rare opportunity to recruit a talented young partner like Ross, who is passionate about data, made this an opportune and additive hire.  Ross brings the right blend of technical data and commercial skills and is a perfect fit for our team, ensuring we can fully exploit the numerous new opportunities to deliver data work to either new clients or existing clients."

Regarded as one of the leading data and information practices in the UK, with a global network of data and information specialist lawyers in all key jurisdictions, AG's data team advises a full spectrum of clients on issues such as; regulatory compliance audit, gap analysis; GDPR legal change implementation; critical compliance advice in corporate and commercial transactions, strategic advice on commercialisation, merger and harmonisation of databases, marketing strategies; data protection notices, privacy policies and all aspects of data commercialisation and data breach management. 

This appointment is the latest in a series of significant later partner hires including; Lorna Finlayson, former head of Burness Paull's financial services regulatory practice, consumer finance specialist Clare Hughes from Eversheds, corporate partner Richard Hunt from Squire Patton Bogs and construction partners, Paul O'Kane & Paul Burge from DWF.