Matt Van Hise utilizes his privacy, security and regulatory enforcement experience to enable clients to make decisions about the use of data and technology, build and enhance security programs, guide clients through the response to security incidents and defend clients from privacy and security related investigations and enforcement actions.
As a former Illinois assistant attorney general, Matt has conducted countless privacy and data security investigations. These include matters brought by the Illinois Attorney General’s Office and multistate attorney general coalitions and working groups, as well as investigations conducted in conjunction with federal counterparts, including the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights (HHS). In his roles as an Illinois assistant attorney general, as leader of the National Association of Attorneys General Privacy Working Group and as the first-ever appointed chief privacy officer for the Illinois Attorney General’s Office, Matt gained understanding of both the laws governing the privacy and data security of personal information and also the granular technologies associated with comprehensive information security programs, cybersecurity tools and resources, as well as the staffing, training and funding associated with achieving tangible results.
For nearly a decade and a half as the leader of the attorneys general privacy working group, Matt maintained a leadership role in nearly every major state attorneys general multistate regulatory investigation into privacy and data security matters affecting the nation’s consumers. This pivotal position allowed Matt to aid in leading the coordination of more than 200 state attorneys general preeminent attorneys and staff nationwide, throughout all aspects of regulatory engagement. During this time, Matt provided a leadership role in regulatory actions tied to nearly every industry group, including – a 48 attorneys general multistate settlement involving a nationwide retail chain, a 50 attorneys general multistate settlement involving a major hospitality group, a 51 attorneys general settlement with a transportation software giant and a 50 attorneys general and partnering federal agency settlement with a major credit reporting agency. Additionally, Matt was appointed chief privacy officer during a ransomware crisis in which he led the agency’s response, aided in its recovery and enhancement and assisted in building its comprehensive security program, a program which is now a model and benchmark for other government agencies.
Matt focuses on strengthening clients' cybersecurity and data privacy posture by leading efforts in assessment, enhancement and the strategic integration of technological, digital and personnel resources. His work ensures the development of robust network infrastructures and the implementation of essential cybersecurity safeguards, as well as supporting organizational compliance with state and federal regulations and laws. Matt is also adept at regulatory engagement, including post-incident communications with regulatory agencies, ensuring statutory compliance with data security, privacy and consumer protection laws and guiding clients through regulatory inquiries, meetings and defense strategies. He counsels clients and organizations on navigating long-term and ongoing network infrastructure enhancements and product procurements and his guidance supports both technological advancement and compliance with evolving standards and regulatory requirements.
Matt provides strategic guidance to clients by evaluating both individual task achievements and their alignment within the broader context of an organization’s privacy and cybersecurity posture. As a former chief privacy officer of a large state agency, providing cybersecurity counsel and privacy guidance to nearly 450 attorneys specializing in more than 40 areas of the law, Matt has a real-world appreciation for the day-to-day struggles clients face in ensuring their digital assets and sensitive data receive the highest level of data privacy and cybersecurity protections and care. By approaching digital advisory, cybersecurity readiness and incident response holistically, he helps clients achieve tactical objectives while ensuring that their overall operational frameworks are designed to support long-term cyber resilience and success.
Matt holds the International Association of Privacy Professionals (IAPP) CIPP/US certification and is a frequent panelist speaker at nationwide privacy and data security conferences.
