Alan brings nearly 50 years of experience to the firm, involving government service, in-house counsel for trade associations, and private practice. As manager of the firm’s privacy/data security & testing practice, he advises clients on the evolving developments in US and international privacy, data security, and artificial intelligence laws and regulations. He presently serves as outside general counsel to an international trade association, a retail technology standards development organization, and an international testing organization.

Alan has represented clients on a variety of business transactions, including complex international licensing and asset purchase transactions.  He has also handled a host of federal and state regulatory and legislative matters involving education, employment, consumer payments., and privacy/cybersecurity. 

Alan’s standards practice centers on retail technology antitrust/intellectual property issues affecting both proprietary technology and ANSI/ISO standards development work.  He counsels businesses and non-profit clients on US and international standards; he has been active in the development of US National standards for the protection of financial and non-financial data, data breach notification, and privacy, as well as for the security of QR codes used for payments and identification.  Alan was a US delegate in the development of an XML version of payment card processing and an initial international standard for mobile payments, and served as US Tag counsel on the development of international standards for the use of assessments in personnel selection.

He is a frequent speaker on privacy/security issues and has authored/edited various privacy publications. These include compliance with the predecessors to the current US-EU Privacy Framework self-certification program, compliance information on the EU General Data Protection Regulation, the European Data Protection Board’s Guidance on the use of Video Surveillance, newly enacted and proposed privacy legislation at the federal and state levels, and emerging global regulations around the use of artificial intelligence.

An advocate for ensuring valid and reliable psychometric testing since 1988, Alan serves as General Counsel to the Association of Test Publishers, an international organization representing developers/marketers of tests/assessments and testing services used in employment, clinical diagnostics, education, professional certification/licensure, and workforce credentialing. Initially as ATP’s Legislative Counsel, he handles both federal and state legislation impacting the industry; additionally, he takes part in ISO standards work for the testing industry. Alan presently represents the industry on privacy regulations and the emergence of compliance requirements for the use of artificial intelligence, including generative AI.

Alan’s breadth of experience bolsters the firm’s services and support to our IP clients and beyond.  

“By grasping the nuances of the business, you can provide positive and precise solutions that show the client how to achieve its desired outcomes.” – Alan Thiemann