Torkin Manes is pleased to announce that our partner, Lisa R. Lifshitz, has been elected to the position of Secretary of the Business Law Section ("BLS") of the American Bar Association ("ABA") for a one-year term. This is a "Ladder Officer" position, whereby Lisa will automatically move "up the ladder" from Secretary through to Vice Chair, Chair-Elect, Chair, and Immediate Past Chair of the BLS. This significant role involves serving as Co-Chair of the ABA Relations Committee, taking minutes at ABA BLS meetings, serving as Chair of the Business Law Today Editorial Board, and otherwise collaborating with other BLS leaders to maintain the highest standards of professional practice and ethics in business law. A global network of more than 30,000 business law professionals, including lawyers in private practice, corporate counsel, academics, and government lawyers, the BLS is one of the largest sections of the ABA, a leading professional organization that provides a platform for members to stay informed, connect with peers and advance their careers.
Additionally, Lisa has been appointed as a member of the ABA's Standing Committee on Publishing Oversight ("SCOPO") for a three-year term. As a member of SCOPO, she will contribute to the critical oversight of the ABA's publishing initiatives, ensuring the accuracy, quality and relevance of the association's publications. This role is vital in disseminating valuable legal knowledge and resources to the ABA's members and the broader legal community.
Lisa has a long-standing history with the ABA that spans more than 20 years, during which time she has held various leadership positions in its BLS, and Science and Technology Section. She is immediate past Content Officer and Chair of the Content Board of the BLS and is currently the Co-Chair of the BLS's Robotics and AI Subcommittee, Cyber and Technology Law Committee. Lisa was also a member of the ABA's Task Force on Law and Artificial Intelligence and a past member of the ABA Standing Committee on Technology and Information Systems. She remains a member of the editorial board of the SciTech Lawyer publication.
A partner in Torkin Manes' Corporate/Commercial Group, Lisa specializes in the areas of information technology and business law, and is Chair of the firm's Technology and Privacy & Data Management Groups. She provides technology-related legal advice on financings and acquisitions, including cross-border deals. She also advises on IT technology and procurement as well as cloud computing, artificial intelligence, fintech, open banking, blockchain and open source legal matters. Lisa has considerable experience helping non-Canadian companies, especially American entities, create appropriate legal agreements for their entry into the Canadian marketplace.
Lisa also practises in the area of privacy, cybersecurity and information management, advising Canadian and international clients on compliance with Canadian privacy requirements. She routinely advises clients on trans-border data transfers, breach management, privacy and CASL compliance in corporate transactions and ongoing operations.