Leadership
Sergio Maldonado Elvira LL.M., J.D., FIP, CIPP/US, CIPP/E, CIPT
Principal Attorney
Sergio Maldonado Elvira is an attorney admitted in California and in Madrid, Spain (Ilustre Colegio de la Abogacía de Madrid), and formerly admitted in England and Wales. He has a programming background, and his practice focuses on AI governance, data protection, and comparative and IT law. His 25-year career spans the US, Spain, Belgium, and the UK. He is also a twice-exited startup founder.
Recent articles
- Legal AI vs. AI-native law firms
- Combining Privacy Protection with a Smooth Internet Browsing Experience Through Built-in Opt-Out Signals
- Accountability and third-party vetting in the age of wild automation
- The US internet is falling prey to the consent-banner plague. A more effective opt-out system will soon deliver greater agency
- Consent or Pay in the EU: a timeline
- How the Digital Content Directive will break the GDPR
- Avoiding the scope of the ePrivacy Directive in advertising
Legal Credentials
Attorney, State Bar of California (since 2026) State Bar profile
Abogado, Ilustre Colegio de la Abogacía de Madrid, Madrid, Spain (since 1998)
Formerly admitted as a solicitor in England and Wales (2003-2007)
Education
LL.M. in IT & Internet Law (Merit), Queen Mary University of London
J.D., UPV/EHU
Languages
English, Spanish, French
Advisory Roles
- →
Member of the European Data Protection Board's "Pool of Experts", providing input on data protection issues.
- →
Official Instructor for the IAPP CIPP/E, CIPT, and CIPP/US courses (DPO School, AllNetLaw).
- →
Frequent guest lecturer at universities and professional programs on topics of privacy, data protection, and digital business.
- →
Fractional General Counsel to various Marketing Technology SaaS startups.
Entrepreneurship
Founder of multiple organizations at the intersection of law, technology, and data:
Maldonado & Associates
London-based law firm (2003-2006)
Divisadero
Analytics consultancy, later acquired by Merkle
Sweetspot
Marketing technology, now part of ClickDimensions
PrivacyCloud
Privacy-centric data solutions
Publications & Commentary
Masters of Privacy Podcast
Regular commentator on the intersection of personal data, marketing, and technology.
Civitas-Aranzadi, 2002
Internet Law for the Enterprise
Co-author. Addresses legal aspects of internet use for businesses.
ESIC, 2010
Web Analytics: Measure to Win
Author. Focuses on web analytics, business, and regulatory implications.