Divonne Smoyer

Firm/Organization: Reed Smith LLP

Blogs: AdLaw By Request®, Financial Regulatory Report, Financial Services Litigation Report, FinTech Update, Global Regulatory Enforcement Law Blog, Life Sciences Legal Update, Technology Law Dispatch

Latest Articles

Technology Law Dispatch

GA AG Carr talks data privacy at U.S. Chamber of Commerce

By Aaron Lancaster & Divonne Smoyer on July 17, 2019

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce last week gathered a diverse, bipartisan group of policymakers, regulators, industry representatives and thought leaders to discuss all things data privacy at #DataDoneRight, its 2019 privacy summit. Topics included the California Consumer Privacy Act, the possibility of federal privacy legislation and working with privacy regulators, and the summit featured a fireside chat with Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr. In addition to talking about privacy issues at the state level, AG…

Technology Law Dispatch

State AGs continue to consider new ways to protect data privacy

By Aaron Lancaster & Divonne Smoyer on July 9, 2019

As states’ “top cops,” one of the primary responsibilities of state attorneys general (AGs) is consumer protection, and more and more AGs are focusing on how to protect consumer data privacy. Discussions at the recent Conference of Western Attorneys General (“CWAG”) Annual Meeting in Santa Barbara reflect this focus and demonstrate that state enforcers are looking at new authority, and new ways to expand their existing authority, to ensure that their citizens’ data privacy is…

Technology Law Dispatch

Nevada and Oregon expand their data privacy laws

By Divonne Smoyer, Aaron Lancaster & Alexis Cocco on June 6, 2019

May was a busy month for state privacy law updates and amendments. In addition to amendments made by Texas to its breach notification law, both Oregon and Nevada expanded their privacy-related laws this month, while Illinois’s CCPA-like law failed to pass after a variety of amendments related to whether the law would allow for a private right of action. In Oregon, the legislature expanded its data breach notification statute (ORS §§ 646A.600 et seq.).…

Technology Law Dispatch

FTC and DC Attorney General’s office discuss federal and state privacy trends at Reed Smith

By Divonne Smoyer, Aaron Lancaster & Alexis Cocco on June 3, 2019

On May 21, 2019, representatives of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the Office of DC Attorney General (AG) Karl Racine visited Reed Smith to discuss data privacy trends to watch at the federal and state level. In an IAPP KnowledgeNet presentation moderated by Reed Smith partner Divonne Smoyer, Maneesha Mithal (associate director of the FTC’s Division of Privacy and Identity Protection, Bureau of Consumer Protection) and Ben Wiseman (director of AG Racine’s Office of…

Technology Law Dispatch

An interview with Vermont Attorney General T.J. Donovan

By Aaron Lancaster & Divonne Smoyer on April 30, 2019

Check out this month’s edition of The Privacy Advisor, a publication of the International Association of Privacy Professionals (IAPP), for Aaron Lancaster and Divonne Smoyer’s and Q&A with Vermont Attorney General T.J. Donovan. As attorney general, he has taken an active role in advocating for consumers’ rights with respect to privacy and data security by engaging with the community on issues of concern and weighing in on state legislation governing data brokers, among other initiatives.…

Technology Law Dispatch

State Attorneys General and the data economy: lead, protect, enforce

By Divonne Smoyer, Aaron Lancaster & Alexis Cocco on March 19, 2019

With the passage of the California Consumer Privacy Act but no clear federal consumer privacy law on the imminent horizon, state Attorneys General (AGs) continue to investigate and analyze how best to protect their consumers. To further that goal, the National Association of Attorneys General hosted a panel entitled Emerging Issues in the Data Economy at its Winter Meeting in Washington, D.C. The panel was convened to discuss the role AGs can and should play…

Technology Law Dispatch

Preemption, enforcement and consumer choice, oh my! The House and Senate explore a federal privacy law

By Divonne Smoyer & Alexis Cocco on March 5, 2019

On February 26 and 27, 2019, the House Subcommittee on Consumer Protection and Commerce, and the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, respectively, held hearings to explore the potential passage of a national privacy law. In both houses, members of Congress and the panelists agreed that the federal government should enact legislation to protect consumers’ private data without stifling innovation or hurting small businesses. Both hearings were full of much discussion but minimal agreement…

Financial Services Litigation Report

New Jersey Bureau of Securities provides formal Notice of Pre-Proposal regarding Fiduciary Standard

By John Lukanski & Divonne Smoyer on October 15, 2018

Today the New Jersey Bureau of Securities began rulemaking on a proposed uniform fiduciary standard for investment professionals. Attached below is the Bureau’s Notice of Pre-Proposal. Comments on the Pre-Proposal are due to the Bureau by December 14, 2018, and the Bureau will hold two (2) informal conferences (on November 2 and November 19, 2018) in order to take testimony, gather facts, and provide for the opportunity of public comment. Reed Smith will continue to…

FinTech Update

Federal Regulation of Virtual Currency and Digital Tokens: Preemption, Jurisdiction, and Clarity. But will States Push Back?

By Divonne Smoyer & Le-el D. Sinai on October 1, 2018

In September of this year, certain congressmen expressed their intention to preempt state regulation of virtual currency regulation. Rep. Darren Soto (D-Fla.) expressed a need for “partial federal preemption” of state laws and Rep. Warren Davidson (R-Ohio) plans to introduce a bill that may seek federal preemption of state licensing and oversight requirements of virtual currency exchanges. We have seen state push-back on attempts by the federal government to regulate parts of the FinTech space,…

Technology Law Dispatch

An interview with North Carolina AG Josh Stein

By Divonne Smoyer & Kimberly Chow on September 27, 2018

Check out this month’s edition of The Privacy Advisor, a publication of the International Association of Privacy Professionals (IAPP), for Divonne Smoyer and Kimberly Chow’s Q&A with North Carolina Attorney General (AG) Josh Stein. Throughout his tenure as AG, Stein has shown a clear commitment to data privacy and security through his advocacy for strong protection of individuals’ personal information, both in North Carolina and on the national stage. In the interview, he shares his…

Divonne Smoyer

GA AG Carr talks data privacy at U.S. Chamber of Commerce

State AGs continue to consider new ways to protect data privacy

Nevada and Oregon expand their data privacy laws

FTC and DC Attorney General’s office discuss federal and state privacy trends at Reed Smith

An interview with Vermont Attorney General T.J. Donovan

State Attorneys General and the data economy: lead, protect, enforce

Preemption, enforcement and consumer choice, oh my! The House and Senate explore a federal privacy law

New Jersey Bureau of Securities provides formal Notice of Pre-Proposal regarding Fiduciary Standard

Federal Regulation of Virtual Currency and Digital Tokens: Preemption, Jurisdiction, and Clarity. But will States Push Back?

An interview with North Carolina AG Josh Stein

Company

Support

New to the Network