Kristin M. Hadgis counsels and defends retail and other consumer-facing companies in matters relating to privacy and cybersecurity, class actions, Attorney General investigations and enforcement actions, the California Consumer Privacy Act, consumer protection laws, retail operations, loyalty and gift card programs, and commercial disputes. Kristin also handles data security incident response crisis management, including any resulting litigation or government investigations.
Kristin has advised hundreds of companies in connection with privacy and cybersecurity compliance issues such as privacy policies, information security policies, incident response plans, and protocols for data collection, storage, and transfer. Her experience includes the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), state data security laws, the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), the Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act (FACTA), US federal and state CAN-SPAM laws, the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA), Federal Trade Commission (FTC) rules, the Securities and Exchange Commission privacy regulations (Reg. S-P), the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA), and the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). Kristin has advised on hundreds of data breaches in her career, counseling clients on how best to give notice to affected individuals or government and consumer reporting entities, following proper compliance protocol. Kristin also represents these companies on any class action and other litigation stemming from the incidents, and instructs them on implementing policies and procedures to prevent and mitigate future breaches.
Kristin also understands the unique issues and challenges facing retail, e-commerce and other consumer-facing companies, and routinely advises these clients on a variety of legal, regulatory, and operational matters. She works closely with clients on retail operations and compliance, including the launch of bricks and mortar stores across the United States and e-commerce platforms. She also counsels retail and consumer-facing clients on loyalty programs, gift cards, marketing and advertising, social media, price comparison, fraud prevention, online contracting and website terms, and privacy and data security compliance.
She is a member of the firm’s retail and privacy and cybersecurity practices as well as its class action working group. Kristin routinely writes articles on developments in the law on consumer and data privacy matters
In her pro bono practice, Kristin represents children in dependency proceedings through the Support Center for Child Advocates.
Prior to joining Morgan Lewis, Kristin clerked for Judge Timothy R. Rice of the US District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. While attending law school, she was a legal extern for Judge Juan R. Sanchez in the same court.
Privacy and Cybersecurity
Retail and E-Commerce
Recognized, Philadelphia, Class Actions, Privacy, Cybersecurity, Lawdragon's 500 Leading Global Cyber Lawyers (2024)
They’ve Got Next: Privacy and Cybersecurity, Bloomberg Law (October 2021)
Distinguished Advocate for Children, Support Center for Child Advocates in Pennsylvania (2021)
Named 2014 Pennsylvania Product Liability Department Of The Year by The Legal Intelligencer
Member, Order of the Coif
Managing Editor, Villanova Law Review
Member, American Bar Association
Member, Philadelphia Bar Association