Overview
With a background in both business and law, Joe Dickinson has a unique understanding of the challenges his clients face, and he crafts data privacy and security programs for real-world applications.
Joe has more than 35 years of experience in the areas of data governance, privacy, and cybersecurity. He regularly advises technology and healthcare companies and government entities, helping to identify their data privacy and cybersecurity risks. Joe also defends clients against state and federal governmental agency enforcement investigations and assists with data breach response and data privacy assessments, information security compliance audits, and cyber investigations, including managing third-party forensic investigations. He has also led diligence efforts on all levels of business transactions, identifying and managing data-related issues with 7-figure potential impacts, representing buyers, sellers and investors.
Before re-entering private practice, Joe served in-house as Chief Privacy and Chief Information Security Officer for a large Midwest academic medical system. He also previously oversaw global data sharing legal operations for a Big 4 accounting and consulting firm, giving him deep insight into the complexities of multinational privacy and security requirements.
Joe’s experience spans the full range of privacy and security issues facing organizations both in the private and public sectors. He has worked with clients on the development of data privacy and cybersecurity programs, global data breach response, cross-border data transfers and compliance with HIPAA, GDPR, CAN-SPAM, and CCPA, as well as related state, federal and international regulatory frameworks. He also assists with technology licensing and transfer agreements, contracts involving data flows, and the management of legal risks associated with intellectual property, information technology, cybersecurity, government investigations and corporate internal investigations and compliance.
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Representative Matters
Advised a private equity fund and its healthcare solutions portfolio company in the acquisition of a consulting and data management company
Has led the privacy and cyber security diligence efforts on multiple multi-million-dollar transactions
Managed a global data breach involving 27 countries and more than 500 data servers
Led the response teams for hundreds of national and international data incidents and breaches
Leads engagements for breach analysis, notification obligations, incident investigations, and regulatory compliance
Coordinates forensic investigations
Leads post-breach privacy and security gap remediation
Oversees the buy-side and sell-side privacy/cybersecurity due diligence efforts for multi-million-dollar transactions
Leads incident response preparations and tabletop exercises
Develops and leads privileged forensic investigations, vulnerability assessments, and compliance reviews
Assesses and operationalizes international data processing and data transfer protocols
Recognition & Honors
Honors & Recognitions
Certified in Health Care Privacy Compliance (CHPC®)
Press & Publications
News
Speaking Engagements
Community & Professional
Associations
North Carolina Technology Association; Board of Advisors
Duke Law Center for Judicial Studies - North Carolina Thought Leadership Committee; Member
International Association of Privacy Professionals; Member
Health Care Compliance Association; Member
University HealthSystem Consortium; Data Privacy and Security Committee
Center for Cybersecurity and Privacy Protection; National Advisory Board
Center for Health Law & Policy; Advisory Council
The Sedona Conference®; Member, Working Group Series Program, Data Security and Privacy Liability - Working Group 11; Member
American Health Lawyers Association
Association of Corporate Counsel, Northeast Ohio Chapter
North Carolina Bar Association, Privacy & Data Security Section
Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association, Healthcare Practice Group
Ohio State Bar Association
American Bar Association
National Asian Pacific American Bar Association American Bar Association
Credentials
Education
Malone University; B.A., 1989
Cleveland State University Cleveland-Marshall College of Law; J.D., cum laude, 1993
Court Admissions
United States District Court, Northern District of Ohio
United States Supreme Court
Seminars & Presentations
Seminars & Presentations
Panelist, "Cybersecurity: Risks to Virginia Localities," Virginia Local Government Attorneys Spring Conference, 2025
Co-Presenter, "Cybersecurity Considerations, The New Basics: Reexamination of Key Concepts for Construction Attorneys," NC Bar Association, Construction Law Section Winter Program, 2024
Co-Presenter, “How Safe is “Safe Harbor?" Balancing De-identification, Anonymization and Pseudonymization of Health Data with Privacy Risks," HCCA Compliance Institute, 2024
Speaker, “Like Healthcare Providers, Credit Unions are High Priority Targets for Hackers,” Carolinas Credit Union League (CCUL), 2023
Speaker, “Information Blocking: Chaos, Confusion, and Non-Compliance?” American Health Law Association (AHLA), Physicians and Hospitals Law Institute, 2023
Speaker, “Like Healthcare Providers, Credit Unions are High Priority Targets for Hackers,” Carolinas Credit Union League (CCUL), LAUNCH 2023
Co-Presenter, "Research and HIPAA: Why Is It Still a Problem?” HCCA Annual Compliance Institute, 2023
Speaker/Panelist, "State of Technology" NC Tech Association, 2023
Speaker, “Information Blocking: Chaos, Confusion, and Non-Compliance,” American Health Law Association (AHLA), Physicians and Hospitals Law Institute, January 2023
Panelist, "Cyber Panel - Incident Response & Readiness," NC Tech Association, 2022
Speaker, “Data Privacy & Security Ethics,” 21st Annual Maynard Nexsen In-House Counsel Ethics CLE, October 2022
Speaker, “The Privacy Mindset of the U.S. v. EU: Implications for U.S. Businesses in a Post-COVID Era,” Federal Bar Association Annual Meeting & Convention, September 2022
Speaker, "To Infinity and Beyond: Coordinating Incident Response Obligations–HIPAA, State Law, International Law, and Beyond," American Health Law Association Fraud & Compliance Forum, September 2022
Speaker, “Data Privacy & Security Ethics,” 21st Annual Maynard Nexsen In-House Counsel Ethics CLE, 2022
Speaker, “The Privacy Mindset of the U.S. v. EU: Implications for U.S. Businesses in a Post-COVID Era,” Federal Bar Association Annual Meeting & Convention, 2022
Co-Presenter, “The Complexities of Breach Notification: You Have HIPAA Breach Notification Down but What About Other Breach Notification Laws?” HCCA Annual Compliance Institute, 2022
Panelist, "Cybersecurity in the Cloud," NC Tech State of Technology, 2022
Speaker, "Data Privacy & Security Ethics," 21st Annual In-House Counsel Ethics Seminar, Nexsen Pruitt, 2022
Panelist, "Ransomware and Cyber Risks—Preparing and Responding," MPL Association, Technology, Human Resources, and Finance Workshop, 2021
Panelist, "The Business Case for Why Good Design Matters," NC Tech Association, 2021
Panelist, “Health Care Sector Deep Dive,” Cleveland-Marshall College of Law Cybersecurity & Privacy Protection Conference, 2020
Webinar Panelist, “Cybersecurity in the Age of COVID-19,” Curi – A Medical Mutual Co. Webinar, December 8, 2020
Presenter, “GDPR/Data Privacy,” NCACPA 81st Annual Virtual Conference, November 18, 2020
Presenter, “Incident Response,” NCACPA 81st Annual Virtual Conference, November 16, 2020
Co-Panelist, “Health Care Sector Deep Dive,” Cleveland-Marshall College of Law Cybersecurity & Privacy Protection Virtual Conference, September 18, 2020
Webinar Co-Presenter, “Managing Remote Access & Incident Response Remotely Workshop,” NC TECH Webinar in Partnership with TCDI, June 17, 2020
Co-Presenter, “Cyber Security,” NCACPA’s Business & Industry Spring Conference, May 20, 2020
Co-Presenter, “The Role of Cyber-Insurance,” WSJ Pro Cybersecurity Symposium, March 9, 2020
Webinar Panelist, “Cybersecurity in the Age of COVID-19,” A Medical Mutual Co. Webinar, December 8, 2020
Presenter, “GDPR/Data Privacy,” and “Incident Response,” NCACPA 81st Annual Virtual Conference, 2020
Co-Panelist, “Health Care Sector Deep Dive,” Cleveland-Marshall College of Law Cybersecurity & Privacy Protection Virtual Conference, 2020
Co-Presenter, “Managing Remote Access & Incident Response Remotely Workshop,” NC Tech Webinar in Partnership with TCDI, 2020
Co-Presenter, “Cyber Security,” NCACPA’s Business & Industry Spring Conference, 2020
Co-Presenter, “The Role of Cyber-Insurance,” WSJ Pro Cybersecurity Symposium, 2020
Co-Presenter, “Data Privacy, Cybersecurity & HIPAA for Practitioners,” NCACPA's 80th Annual Symposium, 2019
Co-Presenter, “Data Privacy, Cybersecurity, & HIPAA for Practitioners,” NCACPA’s 80th Annual Symposium, November 19, 2019
Co-Presenter, “Cyber Security and Health Care Privacy,” HCCA 2019 Healthcare Enforcement Conference, November 3, 2019
Panelist, “Cybersecurity Panel Discussion,” Total Computer Solutions, Greensboro, N.C., October 17, 2019
Panelist, “Pathways to Employment in International Law,” Duke University School of Law, September 25, 2019
Speaker, “Overview of Data Privacy/Cybersecurity and Practical Implications,” CED Accelerate Series, Research Triangle Park, N.C., June 25, 2019
Co-Speaker, “What Do Carnegie Hall and Good Security Incident Response Plans Have in Common?” HCCA’s 23rd Annual Compliance Institute, April 8, 2019
Panelist, “General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) – Info and Impacts,” Visit North Carolina 365 Conference, April 1, 2019
Co-Presenter, “Cyber Security and Health Care Privacy,” HCCA Healthcare Enforcement Conference, 2019
Panelist, “Cybersecurity Panel Discussion,” Total Computer Solutions, Greensboro, N.C., 2019
Panelist, “Pathways to Employment in International Law,” Duke University School of Law, 2019
Speaker, “Overview of Data Privacy/Cybersecurity and Practical Implications,” CED Accelerate Series, Research Triangle Park, N.C., 2019
Co-Speaker, “What Do Carnegie Hall and Good Security Incident Response Plans Have in Common?” HCCA’s 23rd Annual Compliance Institute, 2019
Panelist, “General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Info and Impacts,” Visit North Carolina 365 Conference, 2019
Panelist, "AI in Healthcare – How is AI Improving Medicine + Patient Care?” NC Tech Association, 2018
“How Big Data is Reshaping Health Care with the Triad Business Journal,” Triad Business Journal, June 2018
