• About us
  • People
  • Expertise
    • Sectors
        • Technology, media & communications Technology, media & communications
        • Private Wealth Private wealth
        • Real estate, infrastructure & energy
        • Life sciences & healthcare icon Life sciences & healthcare
        • Aerospace & defence
        • Automotive & mobility
        • Business & professional services
        • Chemicals
        • Consumer & retail
        • Financial institutions & insurance
        • Hotels, hospitality & leisure
        • Logistics & transport
        • Manufacturing & industrials
        • Public services & education
    • Legal services
        • Artificial intelligence
        • Banking & finance
        • Brands & advertising
        • Commercial & consumer contracts
        • Competition, EU & trade
        • Copyright & media law
        • Corporate crime & compliance
        • Corporate/M&A & capital markets
        • Data & cyber
        • Disputes & investigations
        • Employment, pensions & mobility
        • Environmental, planning & regulatory
        • Environmental, social & governance (ESG)
        • Information technology
        • Multi-service
        • Patents & innovation
        • Private client
        • Private equity
        • Projects, energy & infrastructure
        • Real estate & construction
        • Regulation
        • Restructuring & insolvency
        • Tax
        • Venture capital
  • Locations
    • Europe
        • Locations
        • Austria
        • Belgium
        • Czech Republic
        • France
        • Germany
        • Hungary
        • Italy
        • Netherlands
        • Poland
        • Portugal
        • Ireland
        • Slovakia
        • Spain
        • United Kingdom
        • Ukraine
          Groups & regions
        • CEE Turkish Desk
        • French German group
        • Our offices
    • Middle East & Africa
        • Locations
        • Middle East
        • UAE
          Groups
        • Africa group
        • Israel group
        • Our offices
    • Americas
        • Locations
        • Latin America
        • USA
          Groups
        • Brazil group
        • Our offices
    • Asia
        • Locations
        • Asia
        • China
        • South Korea
          Groups
        • India group
        • Japan group
        • Our offices
  • Insights
    • Insights
        • Featured Topics
        • Artificial intelligence
        • Data Centre Expertise
        • The EU Whistleblower Directive
        • German Supply Chain Act
        • Unified Patent Court
          Content hub
        • Global Data Hub
        • Interface: tech, IP and media law
        • Podcasts
        • Synapse
        • Browse All Insights
    • Events
        • In person
        • Online
        • Browse All Events
    • News
        • Media centre
        • Work highlights
        • Firm news
        • Browse all news
  • Careers
  • EN
    • English
    • 中文(简体)
    • Français
    • Deutsch
  • Home
  • People
  • Debbie Heywood
Debbie Heywood
Debbie Heywood

Debbie Heywood

Senior Counsel – Knowledge

  • London UK
Contact Me Today
+44 20 7300 7000
vCard
Email me Call me
  • About
  • CV
  • Insights
  • Related people
  • Related events

Debbie is a senior counsel - knowledge lawyer specialising in data, AI, digital, online platforms and safety, and consumer protection.

Debbie edits and regularly contributes to Taylor Wessing's international tech, media and data privacy publications including Interface and Global Data Hub. She produces a monthly technology and communications update, Radar, and Play, a games update. Debbie writes extensively on a wide range of subjects spanning commercial tech, data and digital.  She has published external articles and chapters to books on data protection and is a frequent presenter of Taylor Wessing’s data protection webinars. 

Debbie is also responsible for providing the Technology & Information group with specialist legal support and training, keeping them up to date with legal and other relevant developments in the sector, and working across our international footprint.

Expertise

Services and Groups

Data & cyber
Artificial intelligence

Sectors

Technology, media & communications
Machine learning
A guide to transatlantic M&A for US buyers

A guide to transatlantic M&A for US buyers

A comprehensive guide to acquiring a business based in the UK or Europe. 

Access the guide

Interface

Analysis and exploration of legal and commercial issues in tech, IP, media and related sectors.

Find out more

Metaverse

The latest legal insights and developments on the metaverse, NFTs, web3, cryptocurrencies and blockchain technology.

Find out more

CV

Since 2022 Senior counsel - knowledge, Taylor Wessing
2016 - 2022 Senior professional support lawyer, Taylor Wessing
2011 - 2016 Knowledge management lawyer, Taylor Wessing
2004 - 2005 Associate, Taylor Wessing
2001 - 2003 Legal advisor, Orange Thailand
1999 - 2001 Associate, Taylor Wessing
1994 - 1995 PR executive, The Guardian/Observer
2000 Diploma in Internet Law, Queen Mary and Westfield College
1997 CPE and LPC, College of Law, London
1992 BA Hons, Modern Languages, Brasenose College, Oxford University

Career

Since 2022 Senior counsel - knowledge, Taylor Wessing
2016 - 2022 Senior professional support lawyer, Taylor Wessing
2011 - 2016 Knowledge management lawyer, Taylor Wessing
2004 - 2005 Associate, Taylor Wessing
2001 - 2003 Legal advisor, Orange Thailand
1999 - 2001 Associate, Taylor Wessing
1994 - 1995 PR executive, The Guardian/Observer

Education

2000 Diploma in Internet Law, Queen Mary and Westfield College
1997 CPE and LPC, College of Law, London
1992 BA Hons, Modern Languages, Brasenose College, Oxford University

Publications

How great is 'The Great Repeal Bill'?, Oxford Business Law Blog
December 2016
The "right to be forgotten" or the "principle that has been remembered" Computer Law & Security Review, Volume 30, Issue 5
October 2014
Pages 574-578, EU Proposals for Dealing with Data Security Breaches, World Data Protection Report
November 2013
The EC Data Protection Proposals Will Be Costly And Complex, TechWeek Europe
April 2013
Right to be forgotten on the web is great for users, but not feasible for businesses, V3.co.uk
 April 2013 Oxford Business Law Blog, December 2016
The "right to be forgotten" or the "principle that has been remembered" - Computer Law & Security Review, Volume 30, Issue 5, October 2014, Pages 574-578,
EU Proposals for Dealing with Data Security Breaches - World Data Protection Report, November 2013
The EC Data Protection Proposals Will Be Costly And Complex, TechWeek Europe, April 2013
Right to be forgotten on the web is great for users, but not feasible for businesses, V3.co.uk, April 2013

Additional languages

English French

Debbie's news & insights

View Debbie's insights
Click here to find out more
Technology, media & communications

EU consumer law reform is coming but when will it happen and what will it cover?

1 May 2025

by Nathalie Koch, LL.M. (UC Hastings) and Debbie Heywood

Glass.Mapper.Sc.Fields.Image?.Alt
Technology, media & communications

Ofcom publishes OSA Children's Safety Codes of Practice

29 April 2025
Briefing

by Debbie Heywood

Click here to find out more
Glass.Mapper.Sc.Fields.Image?.Alt
Technology, media & communications

EC launches AI Continent Action Plan

29 April 2025
Briefing

by Debbie Heywood

Click here to find out more
View Debbie's insights

Related news & insights

Sports

The unstoppable rise of women's football and what lies ahead

19 May 2025
Quick read

by Andi Terziu and Meshah Kuevi

Click here to find out more
Tomato
Consumer & retail

Consumer and Retail in the News

16 May 2025
Quick read

by multiple authors

Click here to find out more
IT Engineer in the Modern Data Centre
Data & cyber

International Data Transfers Under Pressure: DPF in Question, New U.S. Rules Take Effect, and China Back in Focus

15 May 2025
Briefing

by Rita Fromm, Maître en droit and Wiebke Reuter, LL.M. (London)

Click here to find out more
Green bag on grey background
Consumer & retail

Fashion and Luxury Market Update

14 May 2025
Quick read

by Jason Rawkins and Simon Jupp

Click here to find out more
Escalator
Consumer & retail

Consumer and Retail in the News

9 May 2025
Quick read

by multiple authors

Click here to find out more
Meeting in conference room
Venture capital

Taylor Wessing advises General Catalyst on $120 million Series C funding of Parloa

9 May 2025

by multiple authors

Click here to find out more
Apple ESG
Environmental, social & governance (ESG)

Apple faces European class action

8 May 2025
Briefing

by Karlijn van Laar

Click here to find out more
coloured-wool-spoils
Consumer & retail

Fashion and Luxury Market Update

7 May 2025
Quick read

by Jason Rawkins and Simon Jupp

Click here to find out more
flying drone
Venture capital

AI drones: Taylor Wessing advises lead investor Balderton Capital on €160 million funding for Quantum Systems

6 May 2025

by multiple authors

Click here to find out more
Close-Up-Of-Shopping-Carts
Consumer & retail

Consumer and Retail in the News

2 May 2025
Quick read

by multiple authors

Click here to find out more
View all insights

Related people

UK
Global
Hannah Elam

Hannah Elam

Associate

London
+44 20 7300 7000
Email me
View profile
Mila Pencheva

Mila Pencheva

Senior Counsel

London
+44 20 7300 7000
Email me
View profile
Mark Owen

Mark Owen

Consultant

London
+44 20 7300 7000
Email me
View profile
Deepti Patankar

Deepti Patankar

Senior Associate

London
+44 20 7300 7000
Email me
View profile
Michael Szlesinger

Michael Szlesinger

Associate

London
+44 20 7300 7000
Email me
View profile
Sarah Parkin

Sarah Nesbitt

Senior Associate

London
+44 20 7300 7000
Email me
View profile
Xuyang Zhu

Xuyang Zhu

Partner

London
+44 20 7300 4189
Email me
View profile
Ross McNaughton

Ross McNaughton

Partner

Cambridge
+44 1223 446 443
Email me
View profile
Edward Spencer

Edward Spencer

Senior Counsel

London
+44 20 7300 7000
Email me
View profile
Sally Annereau

Sally Annereau

Senior Adviser

London
+44 20 7300 7000
Email me
View profile
Full team
Edward Spencer

Edward Spencer

Senior Counsel

London
+44 20 7300 7000
Email me
View profile
David Klein

Dr. David Klein, LL.M. (Univ. of Washington), CIPP/E

Salary Partner

Hamburg
+49 40 36803 0
Email me
View profile

Rita Fromm, Maître en droit

Senior Associate

Berlin
+49 30 885636 0
Email me
View profile
Mila Pencheva

Mila Pencheva

Senior Counsel

London
+44 20 7300 7000
Email me
View profile
Sarah Parkin

Sarah Nesbitt

Senior Associate

London
+44 20 7300 7000
Email me
View profile
Mareike Gehrmann

Mareike Christine Gehrmann

Partner

Duesseldorf
+49 211 8387 0
Email me
View profile
Claire Saint-Laurent-Mantoux

Claire Saint-Laurent-Mantoux

Partner

Paris
+33 1 72 74 03 32
Email me
View profile
Teresa Kirschner

Teresa Kirschner, LL.M. (Information and Media Law)

Associate

Frankfurt
+49 69 97130 0
Email me
View profile
Daniël Soons

Daniël Soons

Associate

Amsterdam
+31 88 024 3193
Email me
View profile
Hannah Elam

Hannah Elam

Associate

London
+44 20 7300 7000
Email me
View profile
Full team

Meet me at

There are no upcoming events

See all events
Subscribe to our latest insights
  • About us
  • Campaigns and online tools
  • News
  • People
  • Expertise
  • Locations
  • Insights
  • Events
  • Media centre
  • Contact
  • Careers
  • Alumni
  • Data protection & privacy policy
  • Cookie policy
  • Legal and regulatory information
  • Regulatory information on costs
  • Complaints procedure for clients
  • Terms of use
  • Anti-slavery statement
  • Environmental
  • Scam emails

© Taylor Wessing