Susan Duarte

adv3q5@r.postjobfree.com • 571-***-****

www.linkedin.com/in/susanduarte-inhouse-leader/

Senior Corporate Counsel (CIPP/US)

Trusted advisor to the C-Suite and business leaders with extensive success in problem-solving, planning business strategy, overseeing legal operations, managing risk, and ensuring regulatory compliance.

Summary

Dynamic, solutions-oriented, hands-on Senior Director and Senior Corporate Counsel with over 22 years of business and legal practice experience identifying risk, operationalizing strategic plans, and driving outstanding results across the business to deliver innovative products and services to the market for Fortune 100 companies. Provides effective regulatory compliance counsel on privacy, financial services, technology, and consumer protection matters to business partners. Negotiates strategic transactions, including SaaS, procurement, product, and technology licensing to support the marketing, product, and channel organizations. Independently manages dispute resolution, complex litigation, investigations, and incident response to drive successful resolution. Dedicated to building and leading talented teams through interactive training and mentorship opportunities. Manages budgets, hire matters, and provides thought leadership on business and legal strategy. Fluent in English, proficient in Spanish, and conversational in German.

Areas of Expertise

Advertising Law

Commercial Transaction Negotiation (B2B and B2C)

Consumer Protection

Crisis Management

Financial Services & Payments

Intellectual Property

Licensing (Product and Technology)

Litigation, Enforcement, and Dispute Resolution

Mergers and Acquisitions

Privacy & Cybersecurity

Regulatory and Legislative Affairs

Regulatory Compliance

Risk Mitigation Sales and Operations

Team Management

Technology

Telecommunications Regulation

Career Experience

Verisign – Reston, Virginia January 2021 – present

Senior Director & Senior Corporate Counsel

Regulatory compliance and transactional attorney reporting to the Deputy General Counsel in a 900+ technology and internet company and delivering counsel

•Legal Subject Matter Expert for 30M Brand Strategy. Advised on consumer protection, advertising, intellectual property (e.g., FTC Section 5, DMCA, UDAP, TCPA, Lanham Act, copyright, trademark, and personality rights), and substantiation data to ensure compliance with regulations and industry standards. Provides oversight and reviews all corporate communications, social media, digital advertising campaigns, and sponsorship materials.

•Marketing Procurement Support. Negotiates and drafts procurement, talent, music, corporate sponsorship, advertising agency, media buying agency, Software as a Service (SaaS), data analytics, market research, technology licenses, and vendor agreements.

•Product Support. Provides pragmatic guidance to product managers on all aspects of the product lifecycle, including compliance with regulatory requirements (e.g., privacy and security), requirements from third-party vendors, and support end-of-product issues.

•Privacy. Implements domestic and international privacy compliance programs, focusing on GDPR, CAN-SPAM, TCPA, CCPA/CPRA, TSR, and other privacy laws.

•Law Department Management. Maximizes the productivity of legal operations and oversees the legal budget. Manages outside counsel and legal staff as required to facilitate commercial and legal matters.

T-Mobile – Reston, Virginia 2005 – 2020

Director & Senior Counsel

Compliance, regulatory, and litigation/enforcement attorney reporting to the Senior Vice President in a 30,000+ wireless telecommunications company.

•Privacy. Counseled on consumer and data privacy and policy issues in the context of innovative and rapidly changing mobile wireless platforms and services. Reviewed consumer product flows and direct-to-consumer marketing to ensure compliance with applicable privacy laws. Worked cross-functionally to support government affairs privacy, cybersecurity, data security issues, fraud, and operational privacy risk management.

•Financial Services Lead Counsel Launching Installment Billing and First Wireless Handset Leasing Program. Primary Counsel and Team Lead for financial services support (FCRA, FACTA, ECOA, TILA, UDAP), licensing, and regulatory inquiries and investigations. Advised the team and investigated credit, payments, billing, and lending legal issues. Championed an installment billing program and pioneered the $6B device leasing initiatives, a first in the U.S. wireless industry. Drafted consumer financial services agreements and ensured compliance with financial service advertising laws.

•Lead Advertising and Consumer Protection Expert for Brand Communications and Product Teams. Counseled business partners on 700M brand and product strategy that incorporated the oversight of advertising materials and consumer protection. Partnered with product managers on all aspects of the product lifecycle, including compliance with regulatory requirements and requirements from third-party vendors, and supported end-of-product issues, including the shutdown of telecommunications networks. Drafted and reviewed consumer contracts, terms of use, product policies, and disclosures to simplify and enhance the customer experience. Implemented processes and procedures to support compliance.

•Litigation, Enforcement, Investigations, and Incident Response. Lead counsel on cross-carrier enforcement investigation before the CFPB, FCC, and all state Attorneys General lowered the fine by 40M and negotiated favorable settlement terms. Managed post-settlement compliance with settlement agreements. Negotiated solutions and litigated cases that contributed to the company’s risk management strategy. Resolved consumer disputes, FTC, FCC, BBB, and Congressional inquiries. Managed and led corporate incidents, including corporate response, corporate audits, and interactions with law enforcement, and drove successful resolution of regulatory inquiries, litigation, and investigations resulting from the incident.

•Compliance and Risk Management. Designed a comprehensive Financial Services, Privacy, and Cybersecurity Compliance programs to mitigate risk and comply with settlement obligations to help avoid potential enforcement action.

•Legislative and Regulatory Affairs. Reviewed and interpreted laws and rules and prepared briefings for management on operational impacts. Researched and drafted comments and proposals for legislative and administrative changes to help the business recognize strategic goals and presented recommendations to lawmakers and regulators, and partnered with business operational teams to implement new legal and regulatory requirements.

•Leadership. Strategically hired, trained, and led a team of eighteen (18) employees, including attorneys and legal support staff members. Owned and controlled the budget, eliminating unnecessary costs when possible.

•Change Management. Aligned turnaround strategies that functioned as cost savings enablers. Partnered and briefed executive leaders in the Sprint transformation office to boost profitability and realize a 650% ROI increase. Improved profitability and revenue growth across the board.

Mintz, Levin, Cohn, Ferris, Glovsky, & Popeo P.C. – Washington, D.C. 2001 – 2004

Associate

Subject matter expert counseling on wireless, broadband, internet, technology, telemarketing, privacy (CPNI & ECPA), CALEA, E911, cable, and CLEC matters. Advocated before regulators, including the FCC, FTC, NTIA, state PUCs, and local franchise authorities. Responded to agency inquiries regarding compliance with federal laws. Interpreted statutes and regulations, advising clients on compliance matters. Prepared pleadings for federal and state courts, and regulatory comments for FCC and FTC administrative dockets.

Education

The Catholic University of America, Columbus School of Law – Washington, D.C.

Juris Doctor – Commercial Law (2001)

Communications Law Certificate

Boston College – Boston, Massachusetts

Bachelor of Arts – English & History (1996)

Certifications & Licensure

Attorney License – State of Virginia & District of Columbia

C.I.P.P. US Certificate

Fintech Law & Policy Certification – Duke University

Leadership Academy Certification – ACC-NCR Leadership Academy

Board Leadership

Chair – Association of Corporate Counsel, Financial Services Network, Washington, D.C.

Board Member - The Catholic University Technology Institute, Washington, DC

Advisory Committee Member - ACC-NCR Leadership Academy

Leader – Women in the House Network, Washington, D.C.

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