John F. Stephens is Affiliated Counsel in the firm’s San Francisco and Los Angeles offices and focuses his practice on cybersecurity and data privacy matters.  He is a Certified Information Privacy Professional/United States (CIPP/US).

Mr. Stephens advises clients through all aspects of data security preparedness, incident response, and regulatory investigation.  Additionally, he leads response investigations working with companies, forensic experts, IT departments, and vendors to provide advice on notification, guidance in governmental investigations, mitigation and restoration services.  He also provides counsel to clients in assessing applicable regulatory compliance requirements at both the state and federal levels.

Mr. Stephens is admitted to practice in California State Courts and the U.S. District Courts for the Central, Eastern, Northern and Southern Districts of California.

Mr. Stephens was elected to the board of directors of the National LGBT Bar Association, the country’s largest organization of LGBT legal professionals in 2015, and he served as co-chair and treasurer on the national board of directors for the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) from 2010–2013.  He also was the chair of the diversity committee of the San Fernando Valley Bar Association, as well as a chair of the diversity committee of the American Bar Association Tort Trial and Insurance Practice Section.

Mr. Stephens received his B.S., with highest honors, from Rutgers University and his J.D., with high honors, from Rutgers Law School – Camden in 1995.