Reena R. Bajowala is a partner in Ice Miller’s Litigation Group and a member of the Firm’s Data Security & Privacy and Benefit Disputes groups. With a broad-based background in complex dispute resolution, Reena represents clients in technology matters involving Information Technology (IT) disputes and data security and privacy issues. Reena is a Certified Information Privacy Technologist (CIPT). She is one of two Chicago Office Recruiting Partners.
Reena defends buyers and sellers of IT services in disputes involving contract, tort and copyright. She also regularly advises clients on data privacy and security issues, including developing privacy and security programs, proactive planning to avoid or mitigate data security risks and defending data breach litigation. Reena also helps navigate clients through issues relating to emerging technologies, including blockchain, Internet of Things and artificial intelligence.
Reena also has substantial experience representing employers and service providers in lawsuits involving the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA), as well as the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). She is adept at dealing with the intricacies of class, collective and plan-wide litigation in the employment and consumer fraud spaces. Reena has extensive litigation and trial experience from filing of complaint to settlement or verdict, including over 100 days of first-chair trial experience.
Reena regularly speaks and writes on topics relevant to her practice. She is a member of the CBA Financial and Emerging Technologies Committee, the Chicago Electronic Crimes Task Force and the International Association of Privacy Professionals. She is also an advisory board member for Hub88, a technology incubator in the Chicagoland area. She also serves on the Firm’s Ideation Committee. Reena is also an adjunct professor at the University of Michigan Law School.
Reena received the "Best Under 40" award from NAPABA, the POW! award from Womenetics and a "Most Powerful and Influential Woman" award from the Illinois Diversity Council. She is a 2013 Fellow of the Leadership Council on Legal Diversity. Additionally, Reena currently serves as Co-Chair of the Diversity & Inclusion Working Group for the Lawyers Trust Fund of Illinois. She also serves on Ice Miller's Diversity & Inclusion Council and its Racial Justice Task Force.
Reena is recognized for her public interest work in the areas of fair housing, civil rights and human trafficking, as well as her work towards ensuring system access to justice. In 2018, she received a Distinguished Alumni award from the Public Interest Law Initiative (PILI). In 2005, she founded the Origins Fellowship at the University of Michigan Law School, which has distributed almost $125,000 to dozens of students dedicated to careers in public interest. In 2019, she was elected to the Emerging Leaders Council of the Legal Services Corporation. She also serves on the advisory board of the Chicago Volunteer Legal Services Foundation, and as Vice President of the board of the Albany Park Theater Project. Her previous board service includes PILI, the National Immigrant Justice Center and Apna Ghar.
Reena joined the Firm in 2018 after spending almost 13 years as an associate and partner at an AmLaw 100 international law firm based in Chicago.
Firm Publications
News
Blog Posts
Published In
- "Understanding Software Developer Liability and Mitigating Legal Risk," Bloomberg Law, September 2019
- "A Tool to Combat Health Care's Cybersecurity Crisis," Inside Indiana Business, June 25, 2019
- "A Recent Wave of Lawsuits Hits Manufacturers for Using Fingerprint Scans," Illinois Manufacturer's Association, February 19, 2019
- "The Impact of Blockchain on the Manufacturing Industry," The Illinois Manufacturer, First Quarter 2019
- "Illinois Supreme Court to Hear Oral Arguments in Key Biometric Data Privacy Suit," Biometric Update, November 20, 2018
- "Illinois High Court Set to Shape Biometric Privacy Litigation," Law360, November 19, 2018
- “An Inch, 3% Or 10 Calories: Which Is Material?” Law360, October 6, 2017
- “Since Ill. law applied to Facebook, expect more BIPA lawsuits,” LegalNewsLine, July 5, 2016
- “What Sort of Risk is Enough to Place Information Under Seal?” Daily Journal, April 14, 2016
- “ERISA Answer Book,” Practicing Law Institute, 2013, 2018 edition pending publication
- "The Final Chapter of the Stock Drop Story? Judicial Considerations from Final Adjudications in Three Stock Drop Cases," Benefits Law Journal, Summer 2011
Speaking Engagements
- “Cybersecurity in M&A: Responding to Risk,” AM&AA (Association of Mergers & Acquisitions Advisors) Virtual Summer Conference, August 6, 2020 (virtual)
- “Life After the Curve: Navigating Private Law Practice in the Era of COVID-19,” South Asian Bar Association of Chicago, July 28, 2020 (virtual)
- “Data Security/Privacy – What You NEED To Know!” and “A Typical Day in the Life of a Credit Manager – Examining Slow Pay and Other Issues Credit Managers Face: Is It a Traditional Bankruptcy Issue, or Could a Data Security Issue Be Brewing Instead?” 2020 Portland Credit Retreat, Credit and Financial Development Division (CFDD) of the National Association of Credit Management (NACM), March 13, 2020 (Troutdale, OR)
- “Data Privacy: Get Behind the Headlines and Learn the Real Story,” CFDD Portland Chapter Meeting, March 12, 2020 (Portland, OR)
- “Litigating Privacy: Smart Strategies to Curb Your Company’s (or Your Client’s) Exposure,” ABA Business Law Section’s Cyberspace Law Institute and Working Meeting, January 24, 2020 (Phoenix, AZ)
- “Cyber Warfare,” Chicago Electronic Crimes Task Force, November 20, 2019 (Chicago, IL)
- “Blockchain in Healthcare,” Society of Physician Entrepreneurs, November 13, 2019 (Chicago, IL)
- “Privacy 101,” Itron Utility Week 2019, October 14, 2019 (San Marco, FL)
- “Data Security & Privacy in Private Equity,” Opus Connect NYC Chapter September Healthcare Summit, September 10, 2019 (New York, NY)
- "A Lawyer's Guide to Responding to a Data Breach," DuPage County Bar Association Business Law MCLE Meeting, July 16, 2019 (Wheaton, IL)
- "Technology and the Law," 7th Annual Minority Bar CLE Conference, June 28, 2019 (Chicago, IL)
- "General Data Protection Regulation ("GDPR"): What is its Impact so Far, and Why U.S. Employers Should Care," ABA National Symposium on Technology in Labor & Employment Law, April 11, 2019 (Chicago, IL)
- "IA Considerations in Light of Increasing Privacy Regulations Globally," 59th Annual Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA) Chicago Chapter Seminar, April 1, 2019 (Rosemont, IL)
- "The BIPA Roller Coaster: BIPA Compliance and Mitigating Litigation Risk post-Six Flags," Ice Miller, RSM, FinTex and the CBA Financial and Emerging Technologies Committee, March 15, 2019 (webinar)
- “Making a Difference: How You Can Get Engaged,” IL Supreme Court Commission on Access to Justice, Law Student Leaders Access to Justice Summit, February 22, 2019 (Chicago, IL)
- "Blockchain Can Help Lawyers – Inside and Out," American Bar Association Corporate Counsel CLE Seminar, February 15, 2019 (San Antonio, TX)
- "A Day in the Life of a Data Privacy and Security Lawyer," University of Notre Dame Law School, January 24, 2019 (Notre Dame, IN)
- “Demystifying ‘the Cloud’: A Practical Road Map to Help Companies Set Cloud Strategy,” Crowe Year-End CPE Seminar, December 14, 2018 (Columbus, OH)
- “Internet of Things and Everything As A Service: The Convergence of Security, Privacy and Products Liability,” IG3 (ING3ENIOUS) West, December 3, 2018 (Huntington Beach, CA)
- “Has Skynet Finally Arrived? Artificial Intelligence and the Law of the Future,” 2018 National Asian Pacific American Bar Association Conference, November 10, 2018 (Chicago, IL)
- “The Journey: Panel with STEAM Leaders,” STEAMfest @ Hub88, November 9, 2018 (Naperville, IL)
- “Privacy and the Future of Data Regulation,” RSM 2018 Risk Advisory Executive Forum, November 1, 2018 (Chicago, IL)
- “Your Expert is Your Friend: How to Effectively Deliver Expert Testimony,” ABA Section of Litigation, Woman Advocate Committee Regional CLE Program: Raising the Bar, October 11, 2018 (Chicago, IL)
- "Digital Security and Ethical Obligations,” PLI’s Illinois Basic Skills for Newly Admitted Attorneys, October 1, 2018 (Chicago, IL)
- "Global Cyber Security and Data Privacy - A Look at GDPR, Managing an International Privacy Program and Cross-Border Data Transfer," ABA Business Law Section Meeting, September 14, 2018 (Austin, TX)
- "Fault and Fairness: Navigating the Legal Issues of Artificial Intelligence, IoT and Other Emerging Technologies," Hub88 Tech Talk, September 12, 2018 (Naperville, IL)
- "Cybersecurity Legal Update," Chicago Electronic Crimes Task Force, August 29, 2018 (Chicago, IL)
- "Incorporating Pro Bono Into Your Career," Public Interest Law Initiative (PILI), August 8, 2018 (Chicago, IL)
- "Emerging Technology: Data Privacy in the Legal Industry," Thomson Reuters, May 23, 2018 (Chicago, IL)
- “Revamping Employee Data, Cloud & Social Media Policies and Training to Mitigate Legal Risks,” 18th Annual SuperConference, May 22, 2018 (Chicago, IL)
- "The Future of Blockchain," MER Conference, Plenary Session, May 7-9, 2018 (Chicago, IL)
- “Avoiding and, If Necessary, Defending Information Technology Disputes,” ApexCLE, December 14, 2017 (Online)
- “Newbie Litigation School: Federal Rules of Civil Procedure Refresher and Appellate Procedure 101, Financial Poise,” September 28, 2016; October 11, 2017 (Webinar)
- “Wrangling Witnesses – Real World Advice on Successful Depositions,” South Asian Bar Association of North America Convention, July 15, 2017 (Washington, DC)
- “How to Navigate Federal and State Practice and Procedure, Leadership Council on Legal Diversity," Fellows Alumni Conference, June 24, 2016 (Chicago, IL)
- “Forensic Challenges: Cloud and Mobile Devices," Chicago Association of Litigation Support Managers, February 25, 2016 (Chicago, IL)
- “Litigating India-US Cross Border Disputes," Society of Indian Law Firms, February 18, 2016 (New Dehli, India)
- "Origins Banquet," Asian Pacific American Law Student Association at the University of Michigan Law School, March 26, 2015 (Ann Arbor, MI)
- “Third Annual Leadership Roundtable,” Illinois Diversity Council, June 5, 2014 (Deerfield, IL)
- “Class Action or Bust,” Hispanic National Bar Association Annual Convention, September 5, 2013 (Denver, CO)
- “Recent Developments in Employee Benefits: Litigate: What Cases Might Affect My Clients?” Chicago Bar Association, Employee Benefits Committee, March 12, 2013 (Chicago, IL)
- “Women’s Leadership Coalition Roundtable,” Northwestern University Law School, January 22, 2013 (Chicago, IL)
- “Hot Topics in Worker Classifications,” North American South Asian Bar Association National Conference, June 25, 2011 (Los Angeles, CA)