Javier Fernández-Samaniego
Managing Partner, Bird & Bird; Madrid, Spain
Javier Fernández-Samaniego is the Managing Partner of Bird & Bird Madrid and the head of the firm's Commercial/IT Group in Spain. He joined Bird & Bird from Linklaters. Previously, he was with the Spanish firm Cuatrecasas and the public body CDTI (Centre for the Development of Industrial Technology) (Centro para el Desarrollo Tecnológico Industrial).
Mr. Fernández-Samaniego is described as “a leading light for technology issues” and “a true data protection expert and one of the best privacy lawyers in Europe” by Chambers & Partners, and he has been at the forefront of reaching settlement agreements in some of the alleged biggest disputes in the IT consultancy and media sectors in Spain. He also has experience in ERP implementation dispute resolution.
He was one of the first lawyers to represent a private sector data controller during an inspection and the subsequent proceedings by the Data Protection Agency when it was first established in Spain. Since then, he has advised and represented a large number of local and international companies (with a particular focus on the insurance and financial services sectors) and is well-known for his expertise relating to the international transfer of data to third countries, outsourcing transactions and data protection review programs.
Mr. Fernández-Samaniego is a Professor of Technology Law and he lectures extensively at Spanish universities. His publications include numerous articles and reports relating to IT law and data protection issues.
A recipient of many awards and honors, he holds a J.D. degree from the University of Michigan Law School and an A.B. degree from Princeton University, Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs, where he was a member of Phi Beta Kappa.
He is admitted to the California State Bar and to practice before the U.S. Supreme Court; the U.S. District Court, Northern and Central Districts of California; and the U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth, Ninth and Eleventh Circuits.
