Bird & Bird supports clients across the technology, life sciences, automotive, and industrial sectors with day-to-day compliance as well as large-scale data protection projects. The practice is steered by Berend van der Eijk, a market reference for data protection and technology law, covering EU digital regulation, cross-border data transfers, and privacy matters, and Wilfred Steenbruggen, who advises international corporations on GDPR compliance, regulatory enforcement, and data protection issues. Technology and privacy law associate Julia van der Veen joined the team in May 2025, while Shima Abbady departed in October 2025.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary
Accolades
Client satisfaction: NPS ®
Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
- ‘Bird & Bird is renowned for its exceptional expertise in data privacy and protection. The team delivers practical, actionable advice swiftly, even on intricate, multi-jurisdictional matters spanning multiple specialities.’
- ‘Berend van der Eijk consistently impresses with his fast response times, ensuring that urgent matters are always dealt with promptly and efficiently. Beyond speed, his advice is highly practical and solution-oriented.’
- ‘Wilfred Steenbruggen is one of the very few lawyers who can provide practical guidance on how to navigate the uncertainties and contradictions of GDPR law.'
- 'Practical advisory approach.'
- 'Thoughtful and pragmatic guidance, always accounting for and flagging any recent developments that are relevant to us as clients.'
- 'Berend van der Eijk has consistently distinguished himself through his responsiveness, composure, and practical approach to complex data privacy matters. What sets Berend apart is his ability to deliver clear, actionable guidance under pressure—particularly during high-stakes incident response situations where timing and precision are critical.'
Key clients
- European Commission
- Discord
- Teva Pharmaceuticals
- Bridgestone
- Substack
- Mapbox
- Speedcast
- Sdu
- Groep Digitale Diensten
- ABB
- Adyen
- Nuts Groep
Work highlights
Advising Teva Pharmaceuticals as DPO on daily data protection law compliance.
Appointed by the European Commission to set up the European Blockchain Sandbox as well as advising on its ground-breaking European Blockchain Services Infrastructure (EBSI) project and on international data transfer mechanisms.
Advising a leading global payment provider on data protection law compliance and wider data regulation, including artificial intelligence.
Lawyers
Next Generation Partners
Junior partners with significant recognition from clients and peers in the market and key roles on multiple matters.
Practice head
Berend van der Eijk; Wilfred Steenbruggen
Other key lawyers
Chloë Verschoor; Julia van der Veen