Elizabeth J. Bower is a partner in the Litigation Department and Co-Chair of the Cybersecurity and Privacy Practice Group. Liz focuses on defense of companies involved in multiparty, multiforum, complex, commercial litigation, as well as significant corporate internal investigations. Liz’s ability to spot and simplify the important issues has enabled her to successfully represent clients across industries in a variety of disputes and board level risks, including civil securities actions, adversary proceedings in bankruptcies, professional liability actions, various contract and business disputes, FCPA investigations, and data breach and security response.
Liz serves as a member of the Firm’s Business, Women’s Professional Development, and Conflicts & Ethics Committees. She was highly commended in the category of “Gender Diversity Lawyer of the Year” at the Chambers Diversity and Inclusion Awards: USA 2019. Liz also led the Willkie team honored with The Washington Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights and Urban Affairs Outstanding Achievement Award for its representation of CASA and Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival (DACA) recipients in Casa de Maryland v. U.S. Department of Homeland Security, which struck down the Trump administration’s attempted rescission of DACA.
Immediately after law school, Liz served as a law clerk for United States District Court Judge Richard L. Voorhees in the Western District of North Carolina.
Liz is a member of the Sedona Conference, Working Group 11 – Data Security and Privacy Liability and its Drafting Team on Data Security and Privacy Issues in Civil Litigation.
Liz is a member of the Carolina Law Alumni Association’s Advancement Committee.
Ms. Bower’s speaking engagements include:
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“Penn State Women: Leaders of Today and Tomorrow” (September 2019)
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“Legal/Compliance: Response to Cyber Incidents,” ACLI Annual Conference (October 2018)
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“The Future of DACA: Which Branch of the Government May Decide the Fate of the Immigrants Granted Deferred Action Status?” Immigration and Human Rights Committee of the D.C. Bar International Law Committee Luncheon (July 2018)
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“Data Security and Privacy Issues in Civil Litigation,” The Sedona Conference Working Group 11 Annual Meeting (March 2018)
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“Ethical Considerations for In-House Counsel Relating to the Security of Confidential Information Produced in Civil Litigation,” Women, Influence & Power in Law Conference (October 2017)
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“Data Security and Privacy Issues in Civil Litigation,” The Sedona Conference Working Group 11 Mid-Year Meeting (September 2017)
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“Fireside Chat: Where Companies and Activist Shareholders Have the Same Goals,” Women, Influence & Power in Law Conference (September 2016)