legal
Uphoalding the law ∠ the highest standards
Our Legal Team provides high quality advice and support, and conducts litigation on behalf of the ICO.
Upholding the law and the highest of standards
We have a number of lawyers working in freedom of information and data protection who provide advice and prepare for tribunals, enforcement and prosecutions. We also have a Central Lawyer who manages our own corporate legal work such as procurements and contracts.
Our work does overlap. But as a rule, our lawyers specialise in one of two areas:
- Regulatory enforcement: This involves advising on and drafting information for enforcement notices and handling subsequent appeals
- Prosecutions: We conduct these on behalf of the Commissioner, liaising with our Investigations Team, reviewing prosecution files and attending court hearings as prosecutor.
As well as casework, our lawyers and paralegals are involved in wider projects and policy development, advising on and drafting statutory guidance that sets out how the ICO should use its powers when organisations have seriously breached the law. We also provide input on specific instances when penalties are issued and deal with any subsequent appeals. This is a challenging area of litigation that offers plenty of variety and involves some groundbreaking work.
What skills do we look for?
We recruit qualified lawyers from a range of legal specialisms. Attention to detail, the ability to interpret and advise upon complex legislation and strong interpersonal skills are essential.
