The FirmAttorneysPracticesRecruiting
Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP
New YorkWashingtonParisLondonMilanRomeFrankfurtBrussels
alliance Dickson Minto W.S.

Print PageEmail Page
Francis M. Buono
Partner


MAIN OFFICE:
Washington
Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP
1875 K Street, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20006-1238, U.S.A.
T 202-303-1104
F 202-303-2104
 
Download V-Card

Francis M. Buono is a partner in the Communications, Media & Privacy Department of Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP in Washington, D.C., and is the Chair of Willkie’s Data Privacy & Security practice.

Mr. Buono advises a broad range of clients, including financial institutions, information service providers, retailers, communications companies, insurance companies, and cloud computing providers on various U.S. and international data privacy and data security laws and issues. These issues include: the development of globally effective privacy policies and data security compliance programs; the use of customer data in connection with new business initiatives both online and offline; privacy risks raised by mergers and acquisitions and by the disclosure of data to government regulators; and the negotiation of complex privacy and data security agreements. He has counseled companies that have experienced data security breaches and prepared appropriate notifications to customers and regulators, and has represented companies facing enforcement proceedings by federal regulators for possible data privacy and data security violations.

Mr. Buono also manages a team of attorneys who assist clients in obtaining data protection registrations and approvals, handling privacy complaints, and ensuring general compliance with privacy laws in over 60 countries throughout the world, as well as in developing ways to transfer personal and sensitive data from Europe to the U.S. and other countries that are deemed by EU regulators to have inadequate privacy regulations. This team of attorneys also assists clients to secure telecommunications and related licenses in numerous countries throughout the world, and to negotiate contracts for the carriage of video programming on cable TV and other distribution systems.

Mr. Buono has also represented cable equipment manufacturers, video programmers, and video relay service ("VRS") providers in major FCC rulemakings over the last 20 years, as well as in administrative adjudications regarding the FCC’s program access, program carriage, navigation device, effective competition, cable ownership, rate regulation, must-carry, and VRS rules.

Selected Professional and Business Activities
Mr. Buono is a member of the Federal Communications Bar Association (FCBA) and its Privacy & Data Security Committee, and served as the Co-Chair of the FCBA’s Cable Practice Committee from 2003-2004 and 2005-2006. He has authored numerous articles on data privacy, communications, intellectual property, and e-commerce law.

Prior Experience
Mr. Buono was a computer consultant for Georgetown University while attending the Georgetown Law School evening program.

Selected Publications and Lectures
  • "Key Congressional Leaders Introduce Legislation to Protect the Privacy of Consumer Online and Offline Information," LexisNexis Research Solutions, October 2011 (co-authored)

  • "Key Data Privacy, Data Security, and Ethical Issues for Lawyers Using the Cloud," CLE Presentation to ABA, April 2011

  • "Key Privacy and Data Security Laws and Risks in the Cloud," CLE Presentation at the RSA Conference, February 2011

  • "Top 10 Data Privacy Issues Your Clients Should Know About," CLE Presentation at Willkie Farr and Gallagher LLP, December 2010

  • "Data Security: Breach Notification," PLC Cross-border Data Protection Handbook 2010/11, September 2010 (co-authored)

  • "Draft Federal Privacy Bill Would Dramatically Affect How a Wide Range of Companies Collect, Use, and Disclose Certain Information About Individuals, Both Online and Offline," Intellectual Property & Technology Law Journal, September 2010 (co-authored)

  • "German Authorities Issue Privacy Decision Clarifying Due Diligence That Must Be Conducted on Companies Using the Safe Harbor Framework to Transfer Personal Data to the United States," Privacy & Data Security Law Journal, June 2010 (co-authored)

  • "Top Google Executives Found Criminally Liable For Privacy Violations," Metropolitan Corporate Counsel, May 2010 (co-authored)

  • "SEC, CFTC, FTC, and Other Financial Regulators Amend Their GLBA Rule and Adopt Model Privacy Form," The Privacy & Data Security Law Journal, January 2010 (co-authored)

  • "Recent State Data Privacy Laws and Court Decisions Impose Extensive Obligations on Companies that Collect and Process Personal Information," The Privacy & Data Security Law Journal, January 2009 (co-authored)

  • "Trend Spotting: Recognizing The Growing Risk Of IP Litigation Facing OSS Developers And Implementers," The Metropolitan Corporate Counsel, September 2008 (co-authored)

  • "All OSS Developers Are Equal, But Some OSS Developers Are More Equal Than Others!" The Metropolitan Corporate Counsel, May 2008 (co-authored)

  • "The Power Of Choice: Massachusetts Wisely Embraces Multiple Document Format Standards To Drive Greater Competition And Innovation," The Metropolitan Corporate Counsel, February 2008 (co-authored)

  • "GPL Version 3: Two Steps Back For Open Source Licensing, Interoperability, And Open Innovation?," les Nouvelles, June 2007

  • "GPL Version 3: Posing A Threat To Interoperability, Open Innovation, And Customer Choice," The Metropolitan Corporate Counsel, April 2007

  • "An Outstanding Group Effort: The Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP Greater DC Community Foundation," The Metropolitan Corporate Counsel, August 2005

  • "’Interoperability,’ Not ‘Interchangeability,’" The Metropolitan Corporate Counsel, January 2005

  • "The Hype Over Hyperlinked Terms of Service -- They Are Likely Unenforceable," E-Commerce Law Report, January 2001 (co-authored)

  • "Maximizing the Enforceability of Click-Wrap Agreements," E-Commerce Law Report, November 1999, and Journal of Technology Law and Policy, Spring 2000 (co-authored)

  • "Limiting Tort Liability for Online Third-Party Content Under Section 230 of the Communications Act," Federal Communications Law Journal, May 2000 (co-authored), reprinted in The Best in E-Commerce Law, 2001

  • "Using the Digital Millennium Copyright Act to Limit Potential Copyright Liability Online," Richmond Journal of Law & Technology, Winter 1999-2000 (co-authored), reprinted in The Best of in E-Commerce Law, 2001

  • "Emerging Issues in Internet Law," published internally by Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP, September 1999 (co-authored)

  • On a Lighter Note, "Requiem for Business Casual," The Metropolitan Corporate Counsel, October 2001
Education
1992, Georgetown University Law Center, J.D.
1987, Georgetown University, B.A.

Bar Admissions
District of Columbia, 1993
Virginia, 1992


Practice Focus
Communications, Media & Privacy
Intellectual Property

Education
  • 1992, Georgetown University Law Center, J.D.
  • 1987, Georgetown University, B.A.

Bar Admissions
District of Columbia, 1993
Virginia, 1992




Under the rules of certain jurisdictions, this material may constitute attorney advertising.  Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.