Mike Hintze

Practice Areas

Mike Hintze is a partner at Hintze Law PLLC and a recognized leader in privacy and data protection law, policy, and strategy. He advises a wide range of companies, industry associations, and other organizations from startups to large global technology companies. With more than 20 years of experience in privacy and data protection, Mike emphasizes pragmatic and actionable advice that enables his clients to meet their objectives while complying with the law and managing risk.

Mike teaches privacy law at the University of Washington School of Law. He has testified before Congress, state legislatures, and European regulators. He is a sought-after speaker and regularly published author.

Career

Mike was previously Chief Privacy Counsel at Microsoft, where, for over 18 years, he counselled on data protection compliance globally and led strategic initiatives on privacy differentiation and public policy. Prior to Microsoft, he was at Steptoe & Johnson LLP and held a judicial clerkship with the Washington State Supreme Court.

Professional Memberships

Mike is a Senior Fellow with the Future of Privacy Forum and has served on advisory boards for the American Law Institute’s Information Privacy Principles, the International Association of Privacy Professionals, Berkeley Center for Law & Technology, and Children’s Advertising Review Unit (CARU).

Publications

Publications:

Blog series on the Washington My Health My Data Act, at https://hintzelaw.com/hintzelaw-blog (2023)

“Can Synthetic Data Help Organizations Respond to 'Schrems II'?” International Association of Privacy Professionals (IAPP), Privacy Tech, (14 Sept. 2020) (co-author).

“Does De-Identification Require Consent Under the GDPR and English Common Law?” Journal of Data Protection and Privacy, Vol. 3, No. 3, at 291 (2020) (co-author).

“Automated Individual Decisions to Disclose Personal Data: Why GDPR Article 22 Should Not Apply” (2020), available at https://ssrn.com/abstract=3630026.

“Washington Privacy Act: Amendments jeopardize protections for consumers,” Seattle Times (4 March 2020).

Testimony:

Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board public meeting on “Defining Privacy,” November 12, 2014, Washington, DC

Washington State House of Representatives, Technology and Economic Development Committee hearing on “Invasive Technology,” November 19, 2013, Olympia, WA

U.S. House of Representatives, Committee on Energy & Commerce, Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing and Trade hearing on “Understanding Consumer Attitudes About Privacy,” October 13, 2011, Washington, DC

U.S. House of Representatives Committee on the Judiciary, Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights, and Civil Liberties hearing on “ECPA Reform and the Revolution in Cloud Computing,” September 23, 2010, Washington, DC

U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science & Transportation, Subcommittee on Consumer Protection, Product Safety, and Insurance hearing on “An Examination of Children's Privacy: New Technologies and the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act,” April 29, 2010, Washington, DC

European Union Article 29 Data Protection Working Party, 69th Plenary Session, testimony on “Microsoft and Search Privacy,” February 10, 2009, Brussels, Belgium

U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation hearing on “Privacy Implications of Online Advertising,” July 9, 2008, Washington, DC

U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Energy and Commerce, Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade, and Consumer Protection hearing on “Data Security: The Discussion Draft of Data Security Legislation,” July 28, 2005, Washington, DC

California Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on “Privacy: In Home Television Services,” April 25, 2000, Sacramento, CA