Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati Expands Consumer Regulatory Practice

PALO ALTO, Calif., Jan. 13 /PRNewswire/ -- Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, the premier provider of legal services to technology, life sciences, and growth enterprises worldwide, today announced that Lydia Parnes will join the firm as a new partner in March. The current director of the Bureau of Consumer Protection (BCP) at the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), Parnes is a highly regarded expert in the field of consumer protection, particularly in the areas of privacy, data security, Internet advertising, and general advertising and marketing practices. She will be based in the firm's Washington, D.C., office.

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"The global regulatory climate has grown more stringent and complex, and we have seen an increasing need for expanded expertise on consumer-protection issues from our clients, especially those in the technology and digital media sectors," said CEO John Roos. "As one of the country's foremost consumer-protection officials, Lydia brings unparalleled experience to the firm's regulatory practice when it comes to privacy, security, and other consumer concerns."

During her tenure at the FTC, Parnes has played a pivotal role in the development of the nation's privacy and security laws and policies. She joined the agency in 1981 as attorney advisor to the chairman, and then served in a variety of management positions, including assistant director of the Division of Policy and Evaluation and associate director of the Division of Marketing Practices. In 1992, she was appointed deputy director of the Bureau of Consumer Protection and was named director in 2004, the year in which the President conferred on her the rank of Meritorious Executive in the Senior Executive Service. As director of BCP, Parnes oversaw the enforcement of a wide range of laws designed to prevent fraud and deception in the commercial marketplace, safeguard consumer privacy, and provide consumers with important information about the goods and services they purchase. She also represented the bureau in international settings and on Capitol Hill in connection with such issues as information security and privacy, Internet advertising, and identity theft. In 2006, she served as the deputy executive director of the President's Task Force on Identity Theft, coordinating the efforts of 17 federal agencies in developing a national strategic plan to combat identify theft in both the private and public sectors. Parnes received her J.D. from the Washington College of Law at American University in 1977, and earned a B.A. in political science from American University in 1974.

About Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati

Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati's broad range of services and legal disciplines is focused on serving the principal challenges faced by the management and boards of directors of business enterprises. The firm is nationally recognized as a leader in the fields of corporate governance and finance, mergers and acquisitions, private equity, securities class action litigation, employment law, intellectual property, and antitrust, among many other areas of law. With long-standing roots in Silicon Valley, Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati has offices in Austin, New York, Palo Alto, San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle, Shanghai, and Washington, D.C. For additional information, please visit www.wsgr.com.

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