Allison Spears

Data Privacy and Cybersecurity Attorney at McDonald Hopkins LLC

Catlettsburg, KY, United States

Details

Education: Doctor of Law - JD

Wake Forest University School of Law

2019 : 2022

Bachelor of Science - BS

Neuroscience

University of Kentucky

2015 : 2019

Experience: • Provides incident response services and breach coaching to institutions experiencing malware, ransomware, business email compromise, or paper record incidents to assist in data security and compliance obligations.

• Communicates on behalf of clients with federal law enforcement.

• Prepares breach notification materials to individuals and regulators.

• Responds to state and federal investigations that result from an incident.

• Communicates on behalf of clients with forensic vendors to assist in investigation and mitigation measures to restore systems back to regular business operations.

2023 : Present

McDonald Hopkins LLC

Data Privacy and Cybersecurity Associate Attorney

• Incident response, breach coaching, data security and compliance, data privacy and notifications.

• Other experience in labor and employment, tort liability, and healthcare litigation.

2022 : 2023

Freeman Mathis & Gary, LLP

Associate Attorney

• Assisted in enforcing all hospital policies and regulations to facilitate safe and efficient operation.

• Assisted in responding to alleged violations of rules, regulations, policies, procedures, and standards.

2022 : 2022

Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist

Legal Intern

• Served as an advocate for low income former service members from across North Carolina to correct injustices in their records by problem solving and presenting an oral argument for a discharge upgrade in front of the Army Discharge Review Board.

• Worked one-on-one with the client, collaborated with mental health professionals in a multidisciplinary approach, and learned

transferable legal skills, including client interviewing and trauma-informed counseling, writing, fact investigation, and deliberate case planning.

2021 : 2021

Wake Forest Law Veterans Legal Clinic

Student Attorney

• Developed basic working legal knowledge, oral communication skills, and written communication skills

within the military community through weekly meetings and trainings, oral briefings with commanders and colleagues, over ten legal reviews, AFI and MCM research, time hacks of seven victim interviews, and two proof analyses.

• Participated in six group physical training sessions, assisted with legal assistance days, attended three changes of command, planned and executed one group physical training session, developed leadership skills, and executed educational training on emotional intelligence for the office at Seymour Johnson.

2021 : 2021

U.S. Air Force JAG Corps

Legal Intern

Company: McDonald Hopkins LLC

Years of Experience: 3

Spoken Language: English

Skills Advising, Analytical Skills, Attention to Detail, Civil Law, Collaboration, Communication, Counseling, Customer Service, Cybersecurity, Data Privacy, Goal setting, High Achiever, Integrity, Leadership, Legal Assistance, Legal Compliance, Legal Issues, Legal Research, Legal Writing, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Office, Microsoft PowerPoint, Microsoft Word, Oral Communication, Outgoing, Positivity, Public Speaking, Regulatory Compliance, Restorative, Strategic Thinking, Team Motivation, Teamwork, Time Management, Vendor Management, Witty, Woo, Written Communication

About Allison Spears is an Associate in the Litigation Department at McDonald Hopkins and part of the firm’s national Data Privacy and Cybersecurity Practice Group. Her practice focuses on providing incident response services and breach coaching to institutions experiencing malware, ransomware, business email compromise, or paper record incidents to assist in data security and compliance obligations. Allison has experience advising clients on incident response, communicating on behalf of clients with federal law enforcement, preparing breach notification materials to individuals and regulators, and responding to state and federal investigations that result from an incident. She also has experience communicating on behalf of clients with forensic vendors to assist in investigation and mitigation measures to restore systems back to regular business operations.

Allison earned her J.D. from Wake Forest University School of Law and her Bachelor of Science in neuroscience from the University of Kentucky.

Currently preparing to obtain the CIPP/US certification.