Lunch & Learn - IL Biometric Information Privacy Act

Does your business use fingerprint, eye, hand, or face scans? If so, your business is likely subject to the Illinois Biometric Information Privacy Act. As more businesses incorporate the use of biometrics into their operations, the importance of understanding the Illinois Biometric Information Privacy Act cannot be understated. The Act imposes several requirements on businesses that collect, store, or use biometric information (through technology such as fingerprint scanners, retina scanners, facial scanners, voice recordings) and allows individuals to sue businesses that do not comply with the Act. A recent Illinois Supreme Court opinion interpreting this Act has had a significant impact on businesses throughout the state, leading to a flood of new litigation filed under the Act. As a result, businesses throughout the state are being named in lawsuits worth potentially millions of dollars.

This presentation will focus on helping businesses understand what the Act requires, how to comply with the Act, and what to do if the business is sued under the Act. The Act applies to companies large and small, so it is critical that companies doing business in Illinois understand the Act. Some of the companies that have been sued for violating the Act include manufacturers/factories, hotels, retail stores, gas stations, grocery stores, EMS providers, janitorial contractors, shipping companies, tanning salons, auto body shops, and fast food restaurants.

Speaker Information:

Greg Odom is a Member with Baker Sterchi Cowden & Rice LLC. He practices in Baker Sterchi's Belleville, Illinois office. Greg is an experienced trial attorney whose practice is focused on defending clients in mass toxic torts and commercial litigation. He represents individuals, local businesses, and Fortune 500 companies in state and federal courts across Illinois and Missouri, with an emphasis on defending clients in southern Illinois and the metropolitan St. Louis region. Greg’s commercial practice includes representing individuals, businesses, and government agencies in cases arising from various types of commercial projects, as well as advising businesses and organizations on cybersecurity issues. Greg’s toxic tort litigation practice includes defending a variety of companies sued in asbestos and benzene exposure cases.