IAPP Partners with Syracuse University College of Law to Present Inaugural Kurt Wimmer IAPP Westin Scholar Award

Annual award honors longtime privacy professional and encourages students’ exploration of the privacy field

PORTSMOUTH, N.H. – December 06, 2021 - The International Association of Privacy Professionals (IAPP), the largest and most comprehensive global information privacy community and resource, today announces its partnership with Syracuse University College of Law to present the new annual Kurt Wimmer IAPP Westin Scholar Award in memory of Kurt Wimmer, a longtime privacy professional and graduate of the College of Law Class of 1985. With the growing need for well-qualified privacy and data protection professionals, this award will support law students who consider a career in privacy and data protection.

Winners will receive:

  • A $1,000 cash award
  • 2 years of membership with the IAPP
  • Up to 3 complimentary exams for IAPP certifications
  • Unlimited access to virtual training for designated IAPP certification programs 
  • A copy of the book “Privacy and Freedom” with a special nameplate acknowledging the award

“Kurt Wimmer was an exceptional privacy leader and lawyer and has left an indelible mark in the field,” said J. Trevor Hughes, IAPP President and CEO. “We’re pleased to offer this award in Kurt’s memory at a time when developing privacy professionals is essential to the privacy industry, and we look forward to recognizing outstanding students and emerging lawyers with this honor.”

As a privacy and technology lawyer, Wimmer had a passion for working closely with clients including Facebook, Microsoft, Samsung, and other multinationals, in addition to non-traditional clients such as the National Football League and National Hockey League. He provided invaluable counsel in navigating constantly evolving challenges with acumen and alacrity. Most recently, he had served as Co-Chair of Covington & Burling’s global data privacy and cybersecurity practice in Washington, D.C.

“Kurt was an international leader in privacy, cybersecurity, technology, and media law, among many other accomplishments during a career at Covington that spanned more than three decades,” said Doug Gibson, Covington’s chair. “He was a tireless pro bono advocate as well and embodied the very best values of the firm. He was a beloved friend, teacher, and mentor to colleagues of all ages, and this award is a great way to keep his spirit of generosity alive.”

Wimmer was also a proud alumnus of Syracuse University College of Law, often serving as a mentor to law students, lecturing in its classrooms, and volunteering to support and champion Syracuse lawyers. 

On hearing the news of the IAPP award in Kurt’s honor and memory, his wife, Stephanie Wimmer said, “Kurt would be deeply moved by this honor and proud to bring together the field he was so passionate about and his alma mater.” Our children and I look forward to celebrating the Kurt Wimmer IAPP Westin Scholar Award recipients for years to come, knowing that Kurt will have inspired their journeys, as he did countless others. We are eternally grateful,” she continued.

“Kurt was an exemplar for all students at the College of Law. His grace and generosity, his humility and kindness, and his depth of expertise in a field that continues to evolve in challenging and exciting ways have energized many of our students over the years” said College of Law Dean Craig M. Boise. He added, “while we miss Kurt — he was always willing and available to advance the mission of legal education and the success of College of Law students — the Kurt Wimmer IAPP Westin Scholar Award will remind us of the indelible mark he left on the College and inspire us always to continue the trails he blazed.”

The Wimmer family will participate in the presentation of the inaugural award, which is slated to be announced at the end of the spring semester of the 2021-2022 academic year. 

For more information about the award and its requirements, please visit: www.iapp.org/westin-research-center/higher-education/.

About the Westin Scholar Award

The Westin Scholar Awards pay homage to the late Dr. Alan Westin, a foundational voice in the field of privacy and data protection. Throughout his life, Dr. Westin researched and wrote about privacy, data protection, digital identity and the future of how societies will deal with issues at the intersection of law and technology. He is the namesake for the IAPP Westin Research Center and Fellowship Program, which was founded in 2013 and serves as a pathway for future leaders in the community. For more information on the Westin Scholar Award, please visit: https://iapp.org/westin-research-center/higher-education/. 

About IAPP 

The International Association of Privacy Professionals is the largest and most comprehensive global information privacy community and resource. Founded in 2000, the IAPP is a not-for-profit organization that helps define, promote and improve the privacy profession globally. More information about the IAPP is available at www.iapp.org. 

About Syracuse University College of Law

Founded in 1895, Syracuse University College of Law offers a forward-leaning, rigorous legal education that prepares lawyers to succeed in the modern legal profession and related fields. The College is known for innovative programs, such as its online J.D. program, JDinteractive; an expansive externship program; a highly ranked Advocacy Program; three interdisciplinary institutes that together rank the College among the top 10 law schools in grant-funded research; and 11 joint degree options offered in partnership with the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs, S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications, and other schools and colleges at Syracuse University. Through its classroom and practical curriculum, the College of Law ensures that graduates have the knowledge, discipline, and analytical and practical skills required for 21st-century legal practitioners in a fast-changing global and technological environment. Learn more at law.syr.edu.