Are you starting up the career ladder in data protection and privacy? Or helping those who are? Privacy advisers can often feel like they are working behind closed doors — perhaps as the sole data protection adviser in an organisation, or as part of a newly formed team navigating evolving regulation, new responsibilities, and limited opportunities to share insight or experience.

JPAC is the UK’s first dedicated community privacy professionals in the formative stages of their careers, bringing people together to support each other, build their skills and raise their profile within the field. Shortlisted for both the FT Europe Innovation Award and the PICCASO Privacy Award, JPAC focuses on connecting, developing and recognising talent across the UK privacy community.

Membership is free and open to all UK‑based privacy advisers (including private practice and in-house lawyers) who are looking to develop their practice, grow their professional network, or contribute to the wider privacy profession.

As a member, you will receive:

• invitations to JPAC events including networking evening, speaker events, and our famous coffee mornings
• a quarterly newsletter on the latest data protection and privacy developments
• an early bird invitation to Data Insights, Shoosmiths’ annual data protection conference
• eligibility to receive the JPAC UK Privacy Adviser of the Year award, judged by an independent panel of privacy experts

Launched in August 2023, JPAC’s mission is to support, promote and celebrate privacy advisers working as lawyers, DPOs, consultant advisers or other privacy professionals in the UK. JPAC welcomes all privacy advisers, whether you work in the private, public or third sector, including regulators, NGOs, private practice law firms, or in-house.

We aim to achieve this mission by:

• creating a membership network and platform to encourage discussion and knowledge sharing
• working in partnership with stakeholders and organisations in the wider privacy community and industry to promote the interests of privacy advisers during their professional development
• hosting events to support professional development and networking opportunities
• presenting awards to recognise and celebrate the achievements of up-and-coming privacy professionals

If you are interested in collaborating with JPAC, including hosting events or contributing content, please contact JPAC@shoosmiths.com

All JPAC members have the opportunity to attend the Shoosmiths’ annual Data Insights conference hosted in our London office, which looks at the year that was in privacy and data, and to the year ahead.

There’s no charge for you to attend, and it is a great opportunity to hear from and meet some of the leading voices in privacy.

To find out more about the conference, please see Privacy, data & cybersecurity events.

JPAC are proud to present this award which recognises and celebrates the contributions and achievements of privacy advisers that are rising stars in our industry.

You do not need to be a member to submit a nomination, but you will need to be a member to receive the award.

The judging criteria are set out in the entry form and our terms of entry apply to all entries.

The awards are judged each year by an independent panel of privacy professionals and the award is presented at the Data Insights conference.

Prizes

The winner will receive, based on their preferences and availability:

• a place at either the next available 11KBW Information Law Conference or Privacy Space; and
• either an International Association of Privacy Professionals (IAPP) CIPP course and exam of their choice or a place at the next available Privacy Laws & Business International Conference.

Judges & winners

Each year, the JPAC UK Privacy Adviser of the Year Award recognises outstanding emerging privacy professionals, with winners selected by an independent judging panel of respected experts from across the privacy and data protection community.

Legal information

Please see the JPAC Membership Terms which govern your membership of JPAC.

To find out how we use personal information relating to members and other participants in JPAC, please see the JPAC Privacy Notice.

This website is subject to the terms and conditions governing the use of Shoosmiths websites at Website Terms of Use.