Keri L. Bennett

Counsel

Co-lead, Canadian Data Protection, Privacy and Cybersecurity Group

Emailkeri.bennett@ca.dlapiper.com

Call+1 604 643 6325

Toronto Vancouver

About

Keri Bennett provides strategic advice and representation to public and private sector clients in all areas ‎of privacy, data protection, access to information and workplace law matters‎.

Keri builds strong relationships with her clients and works collaboratively with them to find practical ‎solutions to their legal issues. She advises on development of privacy programs and procedures, ‎privacy impact assessments, information sharing agreements, consent requirements, and data mapping exercises. She advises on cybersecurity preparedness, incident response and statutory ‎breach notification obligations. Keri also advises on policies and procedures for AI implementation and governance, as well as related compliance and litigation risks.

Keri assists clients in compliance with access to information obligations ‎while managing litigation risks. She regularly represents clients in investigations, complaints, inquiries and other matters ‎before federal and provincial information and privacy commissioners. ‎

Keri also advises employers on all stages of the employment relationship. She drafts employment ‎agreements and effective workplace policies, advises on workplace accommodations, bullying and ‎harassment, employee monitoring, social media, discipline and terminations.

Keri is certified by the Information and Privacy Professionals Association (IAPP/C), past Chair of the ‎CBA Freedom of Information and Privacy Law Section (BC Branch) and is an executive member of the ‎Canadian Association of Counsel for Employers privacy committee. Keri regularly speaks and writes on ‎privacy law issues and is recognized in the Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory for Data Protection and ‎Privacy and in the Technology & Health Sciences special edition, as well as Best Lawyers in ‎Canada.

Areas of FocusEmployment Data, Privacy and Cybersecurity Regulatory and Government Affairs Litigation, Arbitration and Investigations Artificial Intelligence and Data Analytics

Bar admissionsBritish Columbia, 2014Ontario, 2011

EXPERIENCE

Represent private sector clients in investigations by the federal Office of Information and Privacy ‎Commissioner, including investigations into marketing practices, video surveillance, collection of ‎medical information; successful defence of investigations.‎
Represent public body in multiple matters before the B.C. Office of the ‎Information and Privacy ‎Commissioner filed by employees, media and other third parties. Successful ‎defence of requests for ‎review, inquiries and complaints. ‎
Advise Boards and C-suite in the public and private sector on development, drafting and implementation ‎of policies and procedures on all manner of governance issues, including AI governance issues. ‎
Advise on risks and issues under applicable human rights legislation and issues of bias in AI software ‎tools. ‎
Advise on investigations, including investigations into misconduct related to AI software tools. ‎
Advised private sector client on development of global privacy program, including ‎issues regarding location of data storage and data transfer requirements.‎
Advise public and private sector clients on statutory breach notification obligations and incident response.
Advised private sector client on creation of privacy policy and approach for ‎implementation of new video surveillance system in the unionized workplace. Advised on grievance and successful defence of ‎grievance.
Advised non-profit organization collecting highly sensitive medical information on ‎the development of comprehensive privacy program, including strategy, policies, workflow and risks ‎relating to collection of children’s personal information, capacity and consent issues.‎
Advise public bodies on information sharing agreements, management of employee ‎and third party information, development of policies.
Successful defence of complaint to the OIPC alleging over collection of medical ‎information. ‎
ICBC and BC Hydro and Powertech v. CUPE, 2021 BCLRB 181‎.
Demsky v. Bentall Kennedy Group and others, 2018 BCHRT 257.‎
Aubrey v. Teck Highland Valley Copper, 2017 BCCA 144‎.
Teck Highland Valley Copper v United Steel, Paper and Forestry, Rubber, Manufacturing, Energy, Allied ‎Industrial and Service Workers International Union, Local 7619, 2015 CanLII 79419.‎

Languages

AWARDS AND RECOGNITION

Education

B.F.A., University of Regina, ‎‎1996‎

J.D., University of Toronto, 2010‎

CIPP(C)‎

Publications and media

Seminars

‎Speaker, “Privacy and Surveillance Technology Issues”, Employment Law Masterclass West, November ‎‎1, 2022‎
Chair, “Privacy - Data Breaches: How to Prepare for the Worst and Get Through the Rest”, Canadian ‎Association of Counsel to Employers Conference, September 23, 2022‎
Moderator, “Access to Information in the Digital Age”, Canadian Bar Association Webinar, September ‎‎22, 2022‎
Speaker, “Employee Privacy in Canada” Employment Law Alliance (ELA) podcast, part of the ELA ‎Employment Matters podcast series, April 27, 2021 ‎
Panelist, “An In House Guide to Privacy and Access Law”, Canadian Bar Association Webinar, February ‎‎20, 2020 ‎
Chair, CBA BC Privacy Law Conference 2019‎
Panelist, “Canadian Update”, CBA Access to Information and Privacy Law Symposium, October 18-19, ‎‎2019‎
Panelist, “The business impact of changes to privacy laws”, BC Legal Innovation Forum, November 2019 ‎
Panelist, “Workplace Privacy in a Digital Age,” Foundational Cases and Recent Developments, October, ‎‎2019‎
Speaker, “Privacy Issues in the Labour and Employment Context”, CLEBC, May 2018‎
Panelist, “Drones in Privacy”, Reboot, Privacy and Security Conference, February 2017‎

Media Mentions

Memberships and Affiliations

‎Past Chair and Executive Member, Canadian Bar Association – B.C., Freedom of Information + Privacy ‎Law Section ‎(2015-2021)
Executive Member, Canadian Bar Association – National, Privacy and Access Section (2017-2024)
Executive Member, Privacy Committee - Canadian Association of Counsel to Employers
Law Society of British Columbia
Law Society of Ontario
BC Privacy Professionals Network