Kate Morris

kate@hoschmorris.com
(214) 306-8980, ext. 101

Kathryne (Kate) M. Morris is a co-founder and member of Hosch & Morris, PLLC.

Kate is a versatile, tech-savvy attorney with expertise in data privacy and cybersecurity and more than 15 years of experience in commercial transactions and litigation. She specializes in U.S. and E.U. data privacy and cybersecurity issues, focusing on transactional and governance matters related to data and technology.

Kate advises clients on a range of legal and compliance initiatives related to data collection, processing, use, security, and commercialization.  In this regard, she helps to structure, negotiate, draft, and close a wide variety of commercial transactions, involving data, IT services, the Internet, and intellectual property.  These agreements include data-security and e-commerce contracts and terms, and outsourcing agreements for IT and business processes, such as infrastructure, platform and software-as-a-service contracts and software licenses.

Kate also provides counsel on privacy diligence and terms in mergers and acquisitions, and board-oversight of privacy and cybersecurity issues.  In addition, Kate advises on the development and implementation of new technology-based products and services—from the use of artificial intelligence and Big Data to the deployment of IoT and related “smart city” technologies.

Kate is recognized as a Privacy Law Specialist (PLS), and otherwise holds several certifications through the International Association of Privacy Professionals.  In addition, Kate is a frequent speaker and writer on technology issues related to evolving privacy and data protection laws, information governance, and legal ethics.

EDUCATION

SOUTHERN METHODIST UNIVERSITY DEDMAN SCHOOL OF LAW

Juris Doctor, 2008

SOUTHERN METHODIST UNIVERSITY

B.A., University Honor’s Program, Departmental Distinction, Phi Beta Kappa, magna cum laude, 2001

ADMISSIONS & CERTIFICATIONS

District of Columbia

New York

Texas

U.S. District Ct., N.D. of Texas

U.S. District Ct., S.D. of Texas

U.S. District Ct., E.D. of Texas

U.S. District Ct., W.D. of Texas

International Association of Privacy Professionals — Privacy Law Specialist (PLS) as recognized by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization; Certified Information Privacy Professional: United States (CIPP/US), Europe (CIPP/E), and Certified Information Privacy Manager (CIPM)

AWARDS & ACHIEVEMENTS

  • Outstanding Mentor Award, Dallas Association of Young Lawyers (2018)

  • Presidential Citations, Dallas Bar Association (2018, 2019)

  • Named D Magazine Best Lawyers in Dallas (2018-2024)

  • Named Texas Top Women Attorney (2022-2023), Texas Super Lawyer (Technology Transactions) (2021-2023), and Rising Star by Thomson Reuters (2014-2018)

  • Dallas Bar Foundation, Fellow

  • Dallas Association of Young Lawyers Foundation, Fellow

  • Texas Bar Foundation, Fellow

  • Texas Bar College, Member

 PROFESSIONAL & COMMUNITY SERVICE

  • UT Southwestern Medical Center, President’s Advisory Board (2022-present); Government Relations Committee (2019-present)

    International Association of Privacy Professionals, Privacy Law Specialist Advisory Board (2024-2026)

    Dallas Women Lawyers Association (DWLA), Board of Directors (2017-2019), President’s Advisory Board (2024)

    The Cary Council, Southwestern Medical Foundation, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Founder’s Circle (2020-present); Steering Committee (2015-2019)

    Dallas Bar Association (DBA), Board of Directors (2016-2019); STEER Mentoring Program, Mentor (2021); Transition to Law Practice Program, Mentor (2014-2020), Chair (2015, 2016); Morris Harrell Professionalism Committee, Board Liaison (2018), Co-Chair (2015), Co-Vice-Chair (2014); Science & Technology Law Section, Council Member (2024), Chair (2021); Vice-Chair (2020), Treasurer (2019), Board Liaison (2018, 2019); Admissions & Membership Committee, Co-Chair (2020), Co-Vice Chair (2019); WE LEAD: Women Empowered to Lead in the Legal Profession (2020); Legal Line, Co-Vice Chair & Board Liaison (2019); Legal Ethics Committee, Board Liaison (2016, 2018); Campaign for Equal Access to Justice, Co-Chair (2018-2019), Co-Vice Chair (2017); Franchise and Distribution Section, Board Liaison (2016)

    DWLA/DAYL Mentoring Circles Program, Co-Chair (2019), Mentor (2016-2020, 2023)

    William "Mac" Taylor American Inn of Court, Barrister (2010-present)

    DBA Community Service Fund, Board of Directors (2018-2019)

    Dallas Association of Young Lawyers (DAYL) Foundation, Board of Trustees (2020-2022); Fellows Program, Chair (2022), Vice-Chair (2021), Secretary-Treasurer (2020); DAYL Leadership Class (2012)

    Patrick E. Higginbotham American Inn of Court, Barrister (2015-2018)

    Dallas Women's Foundation, Grants Review Committee (2015, 2016)

PRESENTATIONS & PUBLICATIONS

  • Bytes, Bots, and Bar Duties: Data Protection in the Age of AI, Texas State Bar Paralegal Division (Districts 2, 12 & 14) (April 2024)

  • Strategic Oversight: Directors, Officers, and Board Accountability in the Age of AI, Dallas Bar Association, Science & Technology Law Section (April 2024)

  • Rise of the Machines: What to Expect in the Legal Profession From Generative AI, William "Mac" Taylor American Inn of Court (April 2024)

  • Don’t Mess with Data Privacy & Cybersecurity, Y’all, State Bar of Texas and Texas Bar CLE, 37th Annual Course: Advanced Intellectual Property Law (February 2024) (Presentation & Paper)

    From Bytes to Bucks: Understanding Trends, Damages, and Ethics in Cybersecurity and Data Privacy Law, State Bar of Texas and Texas Bar CLE, 16th Annual Damages in Civil Litigation Course (February 2024) (Presentation & Paper)

  • Bytes, Bots and Bar Duties, Dallas Trial Lawyers Association (January 2024)

  • Matryoshka Effect: Unpacking the Layers of Emerging Privacy and Cybersecurity Issues, Lawline (December 2023)

  • Cybersecurity and Data Privacy: Evolving Challenges and Key Priorities, 7th Cybersecurity and Data Privacy Law Conference, The Center For American and International Law (September 2023)

  • Eyes on the Future: Privacy & Technology in 2023, Dallas Women Lawyers Association (June 2023)

  • Spring Awakening: Blossoming Trends in Data Privacy and Cybersecurity Law, Dallas Association of Young Lawyers (May 2023)

  • The Doomsday/Not Doomsday Update: Data Privacy, Cybersecurity and Data Protection Risks in 2023, 45th Annual Corporate Counsel Institute, The University of Texas Law Continuing Legal Education (May 2023) (Presentation & Paper)

  • Cybersecurity, Cyber-Insurance and Privacy, State Bar of Texas, Handling Your First (or Next) Blockchain Transaction (Think Bitcoin & NFTs) (April 2023) (Presentation) 

  • HODL (Hold on for Dear Life) - Cybersecurity & Privacy on the Blockchain, State Bar of Texas, Handling Your First (or Next) Blockchain Transaction (Think Bitcoin & NFTs) (April 2023) (Paper) 

  • Actions Speak Louder than Words: Privacy Update and Guide for Addressing Evolving Risks, State Bar of Texas, 36th Annual Course: Advanced Intellectual Property Law (February 2023) (Presentation & Paper)

  • Co-author, Crime & Sacrifice: Criminal Liability for Concealing Data Breaches, DBA Headnotes (February 2023)

  • Privacy Post-Dobbs, Dallas Bar Association, Science & Technology Law Section (November 2022)

  • What Lawyers & Business Leaders Need to Know About Data Security & Managing Legal and Financial Risk, SMU Rowling Center for Business Law & Leadership (October 2022)

  • International Privacy Laws and Enforcement Actions Update, Essential Cybersecurity Law, The University of Texas Law Continuing Legal Education (July 2022)

  • Protecting Trade Secrets in a Remote Work Environment, Collin County Bar Association, Corporate Counsel Section (February 2022)

  • New News, New Secrets: Hot Topics in Data Privacy and Security, State Guard - Texas Military Department (November 2021)

  • Hot Topics in M&A: Data Privacy and Cybersecurity, Dallas Association of Young Lawyers (November 2021)

  • Privacy in 2021- What You Don’t Know Can Hurt You: Privacy and Cybersecurity for Your Law Firm, State Bar of Texas, Computer and Technology Section (September 2021)

  • Protecting Trade Secrets in a Remote Work Environment, Dallas Bar Association, Corporate Counsel Section (August 2021)

  • The Secure Entrepreneur, Green Lights & Red Flags: FTC Rules of the Road for Business (June 2021)

  • A New Normal:  Perspectives on the Profession, Dallas Bar Association, Science & Technology Law Section (July 2020)

  • Technology Bootcamp: Data Protection for Law Firms, Dallas Bar Association, Dallas Minority Attorney Program (May 2020)

  • Seeing Clearly in 2020: Dealing With Privacy Risk Today, Dallas Bar Association, Corporate Counsel Section (March 2020)

  • Slicker than a boiled onion: What Texas lawyers need to know about data privacy, the GDPR, and the CCPA, Texas Bar Journal (February 2020)

  • Why Privacy Matters: Cybersecurity and Data Privacy Update, Texas Minority Counsel Program, State Bar of Texas (November 2019)

  • Creating a Meaningful Legacy Through Mentoring, Panelist, DWLA/DAYL Mentoring Circles Program (January 2019)

  • Co-author, Privacy Risk in Outsourcing, Texas Lawyer (January 2019)

  • GDPR and New Cyber Horizons in 2018, Today’s General Counsel Institute (November 2018)

  • Ethics in Cybersecurity, Today’s General Counsel Institute (November 2018)

  • Data Protection and Privacy: A New Look At "Private Banking", Southwest Association of Bank Counsel (November 2018)

  • A Privacy Law Heard Around the World, Scotsman Guide (November 2018)

  • Technology Competence  & Data Protection in Litigation: A sit-down talk about ethics and privacy for stand-up lawyers, Dallas Bar Association, Trial Skills Section (October 2018)

  • Data Protection Ethics: A Different Kind of Dirt Law, Dallas Bar Association, Real Estate Section (October 2018)

  • Data Protection 2018-2020: Achieving Compliance When You Don’t Have Enough Time, Budget, or Management Attention, Texas General Counsel Forum – Dallas-Fort Worth Chapter (September 2018)

  • Privacy and Data Protection 101, Dallas Paralegal Association (September 2018)

  • Data Protection Update, State Bar of Texas (August 2018) (Paper & Presentation)

  • Collecting and Reviewing Due Diligence, Dallas Association of Young Lawyers' Deal Boot Camp (August 2018)

  • Privacy, the GDPR, and You: A Practical Approach, Fort Worth IT Symposium (August 2018)

  • Secrets of Success: What I Wish I'd Known as a Younger Lawyer, Dallas Bar Association (June 2018)

  • Privacy, Data Protection and the Lack Thereof, State Bar of Texas, Advanced Administrative Law Seminar (June 2018)

  • Exploring the Ethical Duty of Technology Competence, Dallas Bar Association (May 2018)

  • Ethics Jeopardy!, Dallas Bar Association (March 2018)

  • Lawyers in Cyberspace: A Survey of Ethics in Data Security, Dallas Bar Association (February 2018)

  • Coming Out of Shadow IT: Lighting Up Data Security, Texas Association of Bank Counsel (September 2017)

  • All Things Data Privacy, Dallas LGBT Association (May 2017)

  • Business Legalities: Focus on IT Outsourcing, US-Mexico Chamber of Commerce Annual Global Fusion Summit (April 2017)

  • Twenty Things I Wish I Knew As a Young Lawyer, Dallas Bar Association (March 2017)

  • Social Media and Cybersecurity in the Workplace, Texas Society for Healthcare Human Resources Annual Conference (November 2016)

  • The Proof is in the Pudding, Dallas Young Lawyers Association (September 2016)

  • Tech Talk: Data Privacy and Security, Texas Housing Authority Conference (August 2016)

  • eDiscovery 2015 Federal Rules Changes, State Bar of Texas (May 2016)

  • Legal Obligations and Student Safety in the Virtual World, Region 10 Education Law Forum (March 2016)

  • Co-author. High-Tech Tools for New World Problems, Texas Lawyer. Subscription required. (October 2015)

  • The Proof is in the Pudding, Dallas Young Lawyers Association (September 2015)

  • Ethical Issues in Social Media, 37th Annual Advanced Real Estate Course, State Bar of Texas (July 2015)

  • Jim Cowles Selected for 2015 DBF Fellows Justinian Award, Dallas Bar Association Headnotes: ADR/Trial Skills (February 2015)

  • Welcome to the Practice of Law, Transition to Law Practice Program, Dallas Bar Association (February 2015)

MEDIA

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