DLA Piper announced today that Anna Spencer has joined the firm's Intellectual Property and Technology practice as a partner who will work from the Atlanta and Washington, DC offices.

Spencer, who will be in the firm's Data Protection, Privacy and Security subgroup of the IPT practice, focuses on the privacy and security of health information. She counsels a diverse group of companies, including pharmaceutical and medical device manufacturers, healthcare providers, health-information technology companies, financial institutions and employers that sponsor group health plans.

Spencer helps companies leverage data assets, respond to data breaches and develop rules involving the electronic exchange of health information. She has extensive knowledge of global privacy matters and consumer protection issues and regularly advises companies with respect to HIPAA and Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) guidelines. She has also defended providers in investigations arising from actions by the US Department of Health and Human Services.

"Anna is a highly respected lawyer in the healthcare privacy space," said Jim Halpert, global co-chair of DLA Piper's Data Protection, Privacy and Security practice. "The credibility that she brings from her in-house health compliance experience and many years of experience practicing as a partner in Washington, DC, and her ability to leverage our leading international privacy practice, will significantly enhance our capabilities in health privacy and in the growing Southeast market."

Spencer regularly advises clients on privacy and security compliance issues related to cloud computing, big data, health information technology and de-identification of data sets. She also has extensive knowledge of state health information privacy and security laws.

"Knowledgeable privacy and cybersecurity counsel is in high demand, particularly for companies in regulated sectors,' said Joseph Silver, managing partner of DLA Piper's Atlanta office. "The addition of Anna to our office continues our strategic growth plan in the Southeast for the benefit of our clients."

Spencer joins from the Washington, DC, office of Sidley Austin, where she served as partner and practice team leader for health information privacy. Spencer earned her J.D. from Vanderbilt and her B.A. from Sewanee.

Spencer's admission to the Georgia bar is pending.