Leonard Rivera, Esq. is the Managing Attorney of Leonard Rivera Law PLLC, a New York–based law firm focused on data privacy, data protection, and technology-driven regulatory compliance. Mr. Rivera’s practice is grounded in a litigation pedigree, having evolved from a civil litigation practice handling complex matters in New York State and Federal courts into a sophisticated advisory practice serving clients operating in highly regulated and data-intensive environments.

Mr. Rivera counsels organizations across the full data lifecycle, advising on global and U.S. privacy-law compliance, privacy-by-design program development, information governance, data inventory and classification, incident response planning, workforce training, accountability frameworks, data-retention and destruction strategies, online privacy disclosures, and third-party and vendor-risk management. His practice is particularly focused on supporting technology companies, SaaS providers, and organizations navigating the operational and legal challenges posed by evolving privacy regimes. In addition, Mr. Rivera regularly serves as a trusted privacy advisor to startup and small-to-mid-sized enterprise executive leadership, translating complex regulatory obligations into pragmatic, risk-aware compliance strategies tailored to resource-constrained organizations.

Mr. Rivera is widely recognized within the privacy profession. In 2019, he was appointed to the Training Advisory Board of the International Association of Privacy Professionals (IAPP)—the world’s largest privacy organization with more than 90,000 members—where he served a two-year term advising on professional education and training initiatives. In 2023, he was designated a Fellow of Information Privacy (FIP) by the IAPP, an honor held by approximately one percent of certified privacy professionals worldwide. He also holds the CIPP/US and CIPM certifications and is a OneTrust Certified Professional, reflecting both legal and operational expertise in privacy management and privacy technology.

Mr. Rivera has further contributed to the development of national privacy standards as a participating member of the NIST Privacy Workforce Public Working Group, collaborating with stakeholders from industry, government, academia, and civil society. That work informed the creation of task, knowledge, and skill statements aligned with the NIST Privacy Framework and the National Initiative for Cybersecurity Education (NICE) Workforce Framework, helping define the competencies required of privacy professionals across roles and sectors.

A native New Yorker, Mr. Rivera is also deeply committed to public service. He has provided pro bono legal representation through the Trial Lawyers Care Project, advocating on behalf of claimants before the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund. He holds a Specialization in Regulatory Compliance from the University of Pennsylvania, earned his Juris Doctor from Touro College, Jacob D. Fuchsberg Law Center, and received his Bachelor of Business Administration from Hofstra University’s Frank G. Zarb School of Business.

Outside of his legal practice, Mr. Rivera has served his community for more than 35 years as a volunteer firefighter, attaining the rank of Chief Officer and receiving multiple Medals of Valor and Commendation in recognition of his service. That commitment to leadership, accountability, and public trust continues to inform his approach to advising clients in matters where legal compliance, risk management, and responsibility intersect.