About the IAPP

Leonard Rivera is the Managing Attorney of the Law Office of Leonard R. Rivera in New York. Leonard’s firm evolved from a civil litigation firm handling matters in both Federal and State courts in New York City and Long Island regions to expanding representation in the technology, data privacy, and data protection spaces. He counsels clients on matters relating to regulatory compliance, information management, including data inventory and classification, privacy program development, incident response, workforce training, accountability, data retention and disposal, online privacy, privacy notices, and vendor management. He also serves as a data privacy advocate to start-up and SME executive leadership, addressing the implications of data privacy laws, compliance and risk management to these vulnerable entities.

He is a participating member of the NIST Privacy Workforce Public Working Group, which provides a forum for participants from the general public, including private industry, the public sector, academia, and civil society, to create the content of the NIST Privacy Workforce Taxonomy. The group creates Task, Knowledge, and Skill Statements aligned with the NIST Privacy Framework and the National Initiative for Cybersecurity Education Workforce Framework for Cybersecurity. Leonard is also a member of the Cybersafety Standards Task Force, a group dedicated to improving cyber safety and evolving COPPA standards for K12 industry stakeholders, providing help, resources, and assessments for those engaged with digital youth, children, and teens.

As a native New Yorker, Leonard is also proud of his Pro Bono Attorney Service for the Trial Lawyers Care Project, representing the 9/11 Victim Compensation Fund claimants. He is a member of the IAPP and IAPP Training Advisory Board. He possesses the IAPP CIPP-US certification and a Specialization in Regulatory Compliance from the University of Pennsylvania. He also received his Juris Doctor (J.D.) from Touro College, Jacob D. Fuchsberg Law Center, and his Bachelor of Business Administration (B.B.A.) from Hofstra University School of Business.

As an avocation outside of the office, Leonard has served his local community as a volunteer firefighter for over 30 years, achieving the rank of Chief Officer, receiving several Medals of Valor and Commendation during his tenure.