Sharon Cruz, CIPP/US
Sharon Cruz provides deep technological expertise combined with an enforcer’s perspective, having spent several years as a prosecutor and as a technology specialist.
Sharon Cruz provides deep technological expertise combined with an enforcer’s perspective, having spent several years as a prosecutor and as a technology specialist.
Sharon Cruz is a seasoned criminal prosecutor and investigator specializing in privacy compliance, data management, and cybercrimes. She has issued and enforced hundreds of subpoenas to Facebook, Google, and other major corporations in her cybercriminal investigations. Her expertise in prosecuting Internet crimes is buttressed by years of experience in the tech field, helping her educate stakeholders, law enforcement officers, and healthcare providers on cyber safety, blockchain technology, and the dark web.
In her previous position as Assistant Attorney General for the State of Illinois’s High Tech Crimes Bureau, Sharon played a pivotal role in task forces aimed at combatting human trafficking. She has prosecuted numerous child sexual exploitation cases and argued precedent-setting points of tech privacy law as it intersects with criminal activity. As a Cook County Assistant State’s Attorney, she tried hundreds of assault, sexual assault, theft, and DUI trials to verdict as first chair.
Sharon’s portfolio of expertise also includes prosecuting environmental crimes. As Lead Counsel for Illinois in two state environmental investigations, she secured substantial fines for the State and Illinois citizens.
Sharon has delivered multiple presentations on cybersecurity and technology, including CCPA and Why You Care About It (2017 & 2018) and Legal Issues in Internet Crimes Against Children: ICAC Investigative Techniques (2017-2019).
Sharon is also a member of the National Filipino American Lawyers Association and the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association.