Clare Sellars
Counsel
Clare Sellars joined Ropes & Gray as counsel in the firm’s intellectual property transactions group in June 2016. Clare focuses her practice on a broad range of data protection and privacy, IT, intellectual property and general commercial matters, with a particular emphasis on data protection and privacy issues. Clare advises on a wide range of data protection matters, including data sharing, international data transfers, data audits and general data protection compliance. She also provides advice on outsourcing and IT services agreements, intellectual property assignments and licenses and general commercial contracts.
Clare has acted for a wide variety of both national and international clients in various sectors including insurance industry bodies, technology and software development companies and providers of hotel and restaurant services. Clare also has experience in the healthcare, automotive and music sectors.
Prior to joining the firm, Clare worked in the intellectual property, media and technology departments of a magic circle law firm and another international law firm. She also spent five years as a partner in the commercial team at a top 45 UK law firm and most recently acted as interim head of privacy for a FTSE 100 hospitality company.
Experience
- Advised Integrated Media Company (IMC), a TPG platform dedicated to the new media ecosystem, on the acquisition of a majority stake in Goal from the DAZN Group
Representative clients and matters with which Clare has been involved prior to joining the firm include:
- Advised FTSE 100 hospitality company on general data protection compliance matters, including issues in respect of third party data sharing arrangements and the invalidation of the US “safe harbor” scheme and issues arising in the light of the new European General Data Protection Regulation
- Advised the owner of a mobile software application used for collecting certain data from consumer devices for market research purposes on international data protection issues
- Advised a large international automotive manufacturer on an agreement relating to the development and provision of an online incentive scheme
- Advised a UK insurance industry body on various high value agreements relating to the development, support and maintenance of significant databases for use within the insurance industry
- Advised a UK based company with a chain of high end café-restaurants on its licensing/franchising arrangements in various Middle Eastern territories
- Advised high profile individuals on the assignment of intellectual property rights to a family company for the purposes of various agreements in respect of a book, a documentary and a film
- Advised a group of medical professionals on the sale of the intellectual property rights in a method for treating a particular type of cancer
Publications
- Author, “ICO launches Guidance on AI and Data Protection,” to be published in the next issue of CTLR
- Co-author, “ICO Draft Statutory Guidance on Regulatory Action,” Ropes & Gray Client Alert (October 26, 2020)
- Co-author, “The GDPR and AI: Ensuring Data Protection From the Start,” Bloomberg Law (October 22, 2020)
- Author, “Explaining decisions made with AI,” CTLR (Issue 7, 2020)
- Co-author, “EDBP Guidelines Shed Light on the Use of Health Data to Aid Research Efforts,” Ropes & Gray Client Alert (May 27, 2020)
- Author, “The UK Information Commissioner’s Regulatory Approach and Priorities During COVID-19,” Ropes & Gray Client Alert (May 21, 2020)
- Author, “European Data Protection Board Updates Guidelines on GDPR Consent,” Ropes & Gray Client Alert (May 14, 2020)
- Author, “A "crystal-clear" opportunity for the CJEU to clarify the concept of “consent” under the GDPR?” CTLR (Issue 5, 2020)
- Author, “Nationwide Retailer Fined £500,000 for “Extensive Compromise” of Personal Data Following Point of Sale Cyberattack,” Entertainment Law Review (Issue 4, 2020)
- Author “UK Information Commissioner’s Opinion on the Use of Live Facial Recognition Technology by Law Enforcement,” CTLR (Issue 2, 2020)
- Author, “Schrems II and Standard Contractual Clauses – the Advocate-General’s Opinion,” Ropes & Gray Client Alert (January 8, 2020)
- Author, “EU: EDPS comments on facial recognition technology,” OneTrust DataGuidance (January 2020)
- Quoted, “Businesses Race to Keep Data Flowing Under a No-Deal Brexit,” Bloomberg (August 8, 2019)
- Author, “New Plans to Regulate Internet Connected Consumer Devices Announced,” DataGuidance by OneTrust Platform (July 2019)
- Quoted, “Regulatory action underscores the importance of data privacy,” Tech Wire Asia (July 24, 2019)
- Co-author, “UK Information Commissioner Confirms Intention to Fine British Airways and Marriott International, Inc Under GDPR,” Ropes & Gray Alert (July 16, 2019)
- Author, “GDPR: One Year On,” Ropes & Gray Alert (July 9, 2019)
- Quoted, “Software Supply Chain: Casting Light on the Confusing World of Open-Source Licenses,” HFM Technology (February 2018)
- Co-author, “Countdown to Compliance: 1 Year to Go Until GDPR Enforcement,” Law360 (May 26, 2017)
- “How The GDPR Will Impact Life Sciences And Health Care,” Law360 (February 21, 2017)
- “The ICO’s Review of Data Sharing Between the Public and Private Sectors to Prevent Fraud”, World Data Protection Report (June 2015)
- “The Data Protection Aspects of Information Security”, Legal Compliance Bulletin (February 2015)
- Article regarding the Article 29 Working Party’s Opinion on “The Internet of Things”, World Data Protection Report (October 2014)
- Article regarding the Article 29 Working Party’s Opinion on Personal Data Breach Notification, World Data Protection Report (April 2014)
- Article on the right to be forgotten and the Google Spain case, Entertainment Law Review (September 2013)
- Article regarding the Article 29 Working Party’s Opinion on Purpose Limitation, World Data Protection Report (May 2013)
Disclaimer
Ropes & Gray International LLP is a limited liability partnership registered in Delaware, United States of America and is a recognised body regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (with registered number 521000).Education
- Legal Practice Course, The College of Law, London, 1995
- Post Graduate Diploma in Law, The College of Law, London, 1994
- BA (Combined Honours Degree in History and Politics), Class 1 , University of Exeter, 1993
Admissions / Qualifications
Qualifications
- England and Wales, Solicitor, 1997