Joanne Bone

Recent successes include:

• Advising a leading national charity on a strategic review of its marketing activities across both its charitable and commercial operations. This included assessing the impact of the Data (Use and Access) Act and helping the organisation align its marketing practices, governance and compliance approach while supporting its fundraising and commercial objectives.
• Supporting a major consumer-facing organisation on several business-critical technology and procurement projects involving the innovative use of personal data. This included advising on data protection compliance, behavioural advertising and retargeting activities, AI-related issues, and the allocation of risk within supplier contracts.

I was part of the project leadership team for two large-scale multinational GDPR and data protection compliance programmes for international manufacturing businesses.

In one matter, the programme spanned 22 jurisdictions and involved coordinating local counsel responses across multiple countries and working closely with in-house teams.

Both programmes resulted in the development of (wherever possible) globally aligned policies, procedures, privacy notices and governance frameworks. The project required balancing local legal requirements with the client's objective of implementing a consistent global compliance approach.

One general counsel commented: “You clearly are experts in this fast moving and new area of law and, in addition to a very heavy workload from us and others, you take the time to make sure you have the most up to date insights as they are being developed."

Another standout matter involved advising a major UK company facing ICO enforcement action arising from alleged direct marketing compliance failures. Working closely with leading counsel and the client's in-house legal team, I helped coordinate a response within challenging timescales, analysing extensive datasets and complex third-party consent issues whilst advising on the most effective strategy in light of other regulatory outcomes. The matter ultimately resulted in a substantial reduction in the proposed fine.

I am recognised by independent legal directories identifying leading lawyers in the UK for my expertise in data protection and privacy law. Clients have described me as “like an extension of our legal team”. Legal 500 highlights my professional yet approachable manner, noting that my advice is “thorough, concise and always on point”.

I am also a Certified Information Privacy Professional – Europe (CIPP/E) through the International Association of Privacy Professionals (IAPP) and a member of both the Licensing Executives Society and the Society for Computers and Law.

In addition, I am a regular speaker on data protection, privacy and artificial intelligence, delivering insights on emerging legal and regulatory developments to organisations across a range of sectors. I have spoken at conferences for the Association of Colleges (AoC) and the Independent Schools' Bursars Association (ISBA) in the education sector and regularly present webinars on data protection and AI-related topics.

Alongside my speaking engagements, I deliver bespoke training programmes for clients across all sectors, covering data protection compliance, responding to data subject access requests (DSARs), managing employee data protection issues, and implementing practical privacy governance frameworks.