Imran Ahmad

Partner, Norton Rose Fulbright Canada LLP

Imran Ahmad is the Canadian head of our technology and innovation industry group and the Canadian co-head of our data protection, privacy and cybersecurity practice. He is based in our Toronto and Montreal offices and is recognized as a leading cybersecurity lawyer by several legal directories.

Imran advises clients across all industries on a wide array of technology-related matters, including outsourcing, cloud computing, SaaS, strategic alliances, technology development, system procurement and implementation, technology licensing and transfer, distribution, open source software, and electronic commerce.

As part of his cybersecurity practice, Imran works very closely with clients to develop and implement practical strategies related to cyber threats and data breaches. He advises on legal risk assessments, compliance, due diligence and risk allocation advice, security, and data breach incident preparedness and response.

In addition, Imran often acts as “breach counsel” in the event of a cybersecurity incident, such as a data or privacy breach, and has extensive experience in managing complex security incidents and cross-border breaches. He also provides representation in the event of an investigation, an enforcement action or a litigation.

Imran is the author of Canada’s first legal incident preparation and response handbook titled Cybersecurity in Canada: A Guide to Best Practices, Planning, and Management (LexisNexis, August 2017).

In his privacy law practice, he advises clients on compliance with all Canadian federal and provincial privacy and data management laws. He has a particular focus on cross-border data transfer issues and enterprise-wide governance programs related to privacy and information governance. Imran is the former chair of the Privacy and Access to Information Section of the Ontario Bar Association.

Imran is an adjunct professor at the University of Toronto’s Faculty of Law, where he teaches cybersecurity and privacy law.