Bruce Van Baren

Bruce Van Baren is an experienced and trusted litigator who represents clients in high-stakes cases and large-scale investigations throughout the United States. Bruce primarily advocates for technology companies in data privacy class-action litigation, defending claims under the Electronic Communications Privacy Act (ECPA), Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), Video Privacy Protection Act (VPPA), California Comprehensive Computer Data Access and Fraud Act (CDAFA), California Consumer Credit Reporting Act (CCRAA), California Invasion of Privacy Act (CIPA), and other federal and state statutory and common law claims. He also advises technology companies on government and third-party demands for user data.

Bruce’s data privacy class-action litigation practice is informed by his more than six years of service as an assistant U.S. attorney in the Financial Crimes & Public Corruption and Organized Crime & Drug Enforcement Task Force Sections at the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Phoenix. He led investigations and prosecutions of a wide range of crimes, including computer and cyber offenses; criminal intellectual property violations; election crimes; threats; fraud; bribery; theft; embezzlement; identity theft; money laundering; unlicensed money transmitting; and drug, firearms, and human trafficking. Additionally, Bruce litigated civil forfeiture actions against seized money and property. He amassed a wealth of appellate, trial, and evidentiary and motions hearing experience, and won many awards for his work.

Prior to serving as a federal prosecutor, Bruce helped build a nationally recognized data privacy class-action defense practice at another international law firm. He primarily defended credit bureaus, background check companies, data furnishers, lenders, mortgage servicers, telecommunication and healthcare providers, and retailers in high-stakes, class-action lawsuits alleging violations of privacy and consumer protection statutes. Bruce also counseled clients through government and internal investigations; prosecuted trademark infringement claims, real estate disputes, and professional negligence claims; and defended products liability, breach of fiduciary duty, and other commercial claims.