Sheri Porath Rockwell

SHERI PORATH ROCKWELL focuses her practice on privacy, data governance and risk management, and artificial intelligence issues across various sectors, including retail and ecommerce, social media platforms, healthcare and pharma, financial services real estate management and property improvement companies, and investment funds. She focuses on helping clients comply with the complex state and federal privacy legal environment and developing programs to anticipate emerging legal frameworks. Her practice includes compliance counseling, development of digital governance policies and protocols, management of ad tech risks, investigations, litigation counseling, and vendor diligence and management. She also helps companies prepare for potential acquisition, conducts privacy and cybersecurity diligence in connection with mergers and acquisitions, and assists with post-closing privacy and security integration matters. With her litigation background and experience working in-house in a regulated industry, Sheri helps her clients develop legally defensible compliance programs while remaining sensitive to commercial business needs and risk management.   

Sheri was one of the founders of the Privacy Law section of the California Lawyers Association, served for several years as chair of the section, and remains active in the organization. She has been one of the primary organizers and presenters at the well-regarded CLA Privacy Summit in Los Angeles, is a frequent speaker at leading industry events, regularly writes for or is featured in privacy articles and alerts, and contributes to several leading privacy publications. With a finger on the pulse of evolving trends and legal developments, and relationships with key regulators in California and beyond, Sheri is a trusted resource to her clients and colleagues alike. 

Sheri is a member of Sidley’s AI Working Group, as well as the California Consumer Privacy Litigation Task Force, a dedicated group of lawyers focused on the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), counseling clients on how to mitigate litigation risks.

Sheri also has experience litigating a variety of complex commercial matters, including copyright, trademark and right of publicity actions, commercial class actions, complex real estate actions, and contract disputes. She has litigated in federal and state court and in arbitration and mediation settings. Additionally, Sheri has successfully negotiated with state and federal regulators to avert and settle administrative proceedings. Sheri is an IAPP Certified Information Privacy Professional/United States (CIPP/US) and Europe (CIPP/E). 

Prior to joining Sidley, Sheri served as general counsel and vice president of operations for a national affordable housing property management company. Previously, she also practiced as a litigator at a prominent entertainment and real estate law firm in Los Angeles.

Representative matters that demonstrate the scope of Sheri’s practice include the following: 

• Counseling on compliance with U.S. federal and state privacy laws (e.g., CCPA, HIPAA, CMIA, GLBA, COPPA), social media and ad tech laws and frameworks, workplace privacy laws, AI laws and frameworks, and compliance with FTC consent orders. 
• Developing data privacy governance programs, including vendor management, data protection agreements, and risk assessment frameworks for use by in-house legal teams.
• Advising on compliance and risk mitigation in connection with advertising and marketing programs, including CAN-SPAM, TCPA, and The Campaign Registry requirements and use of data clean rooms.
• Serving as outside product counsel working with engineering, data science, AI, product, and marketing and in-house legal teams to advise about privacy and AI compliance in connection with new product development.
• Mitigating privacy litigation risks through tracking technology assessments and audits, including assisting with integration of consent management platforms.
• Diligence counseling for mergers and acquisitions related to data privacy, AI, and cybersecurity issues.
• Defending state wiretapping (CIPA) demands and complaints.

Regulatory and Commercial

• Advised several large pharmaceutical companies on design and implementation of U.S. privacy programs, including privacy policies and notices, management of talent acquisition companies, use of advertising technologies and data clean rooms, and mitigation of risks related to the use of online tracking technologies.
• Counseled a large social media platform regarding compliance with U.S. state data privacy laws, with a focus on data subject requests, management of internal data repositories, and data deletion protocols.
• Provided strategic and compliance counseling to large consumer payment platform regarding integration of artificial intelligence products, drafted consumer-facing notices, and worked closely with an outside consulting firm and leadership to conduct and document risk assessments.  
• Provided commercial contract counseling to leading U.S. radiology practice in connection with artificial intelligence products. 
• Advised a social media platform regarding matters of privacy compliance, minors’ online data protection and CSAM-related issues, and vendor agreements. 

Transactions

• Ryan Specialty, a specialty insurance provider, wholesale broker, and managing underwriter, in its acquisition of US Assure Insurance Services of Florida, Inc., a provider of builder’s risk insurance for residential and commercial construction and renovations — in the SME segment of the builders risk insurance market — for approximately US$1.075 billion in cash and up to an additional US$400 million.
• Bridger Aerospace Group Holdings, LLC in its business combination with SPAC Jack Creek Investment Corp. (NASDAQ: JCIC), valuing Bridger at an implied US$869 million pro forma enterprise value.
• DigiCert, Inc., backed by Clearlake Capital Group, L.P., TA Associates, and Crosspoint Capital Partners L.P., in its acquisition of DNS Made Easy.
• Perforce Software, Inc., a provider of solutions to enterprise teams backed by Francisco Partners and Clearlake Capital Group, L.P., in its acquisition of Puppet, an automation software platform which enables users to deliver, update, monitor, and secure software across physical and virtual machines.
• Conan O’Brien, Conaverticals, Team Coco, and Middle Child in connection SiriusXM’s acquisition of the Team Coco brand.
• Symplr in its purchase of healthcare supply chain management software provider GreenLight Medical, Inc.
• Clearlake Capital Group, L.P. in its acquisition of global edtech company Discovery Education, Inc. from Francisco Partners.
• Innovative clean make-up company ILIA Inc. in its acquisition by Famille C, the Courtin-Clarins family holding company and owner of the Clarins brand.
• nThrive, Inc., a leading healthcare revenue cycle management software-as-a-service platform backed by Clearlake Capital Group, L.P., in its US$1.74 billion acquisition of TransUnion Healthcare from TransUnion.
• Clearlake Capital Group, L.P. in its acquisition of Precisely together with TA Associates.

• Past Chair, Founding Member, Executive Committee Member, California Lawyers Association, Privacy Law Section
• Past Executive Committee Member, California Lawyers Association, Antitrust, UCL and Privacy Section
• Fellow, OnRamp Fellowship
• Alumnus, Wexner Heritage Program