Ruth is a Harvard trained technology, media and telecommunications lawyer. Her core practice areas include digital governance, data privacy and security, artificial intelligence, intellectual property, and legal and regulatory compliance. She advises corporate, financial and technology entities on a wide range of legal, regulatory and transactional matters, working with in-house counsel, within the business operation and as local counsel.
Experience has included advising:
- Supporting both domestic and multi-national corporations with their data protection and privacy compliance, including:
- advising on data protection and privacy requirements in Uganda and preparation/review/update of their compliance checklists;
- providing legal and risk assessments on the data protection and privacy impact of their business and social activities;
- preparation and review of data protection agreements, clauses, policies, procedures, tools and management frameworks;
- conducting transfer impact assessments for data being transferred into or outside Uganda;
- registration and renewal of data collector, processor and controller licenses with the Personal Data Protection Office; and
- training employees and management on their obligations and the rules applicable to the different kinds of data collected, processed and used by their businesses.
- Supporting registered data controllers with cyber incident response and notification, including the necessary customer and regulatory engagements.
- Advising cybersecurity professional services firms on the regulatory framework guiding cyber defence offerings in Uganda, as part of their legal due diligence.
- Advising different entities on their respective data storage, retention and destruction policies.
- Advising regulated entities, including telecom companies and commercial banks, on their information disclosure obligations to their regulators as against the data protection rules governing the data in their control.
- Providing transaction support to financial service providers and technology companies undergoing business integration, including with contract preparation, review and negotiation.
- Advising several local and international businesses on the establishment and operation of digital platforms and services in Uganda, and on the data-related impact of their activities.
- Advising a leading global technology company on the potential establishment of satellite communication services in Uganda.
- Advising an agricultural machinery company on the regulation of telematics in Uganda.
- Supporting the litigation and dispute resolution teams in technology-related disputes, including breach of privacy and data protection rights cases; copyright infringement cases; online defamation; and cyberfraud liability disputes.
- Supporting a leading telecommunications operator with its annual reporting and compliance obligations, and advising on the establishment of new business lines and the managed separation of the different business lines.
Professional Qualifications
- Advocate admitted to the High Court of Uganda.
- Certified Information Privacy Professional, Europe (CIPP/E)
- Certified Information Privacy Professional, USA (CIPP/US)
Education
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Harvard University Cambridge, Massachusetts: Master of Laws (LL.M), Technology & IP (Digital Governance, Privacy, Artificial Intelligence, Cybersecurity and Intellectual Property)
- Law Development Centre: Post-Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice (bar qualification).
- Makerere University Kampala, Uganda: Bachelor of Laws (Honors, Second Class Upper Division)