Summary
Overview
Work History
Education
Skills
Websites
Languages
Timeline
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KAREN HECK

Ridgefield,USA

Summary

Detail-oriented international attorney with over 15 years of experience specializing in regulatory compliance, contract, commercial, and privacy law. Licensed in California and Brazil, with a proven ability to navigate complex legal landscapes and deliver business-oriented solutions. Demonstrates strong leadership in guiding diverse teams towards achieving corporate goals. CIPP-US and CIPP-E certified.

Overview

13
13
years of professional experience

Work History

Legal Consultant

Independent Contractor
01.2012 - Current
  • Handled the drafting and negotiation of various commercial contracts, streamlining supply chain operations and facilitating successful partnerships
  • Agreements include SaaS, joint ventures and collaborations, monetization, vendors contracts, technology transfer and transactions, research and development partnerships agreements, privacy, AI and IP protection contracts in the United States, LATAM and EMEA markets;
  • Provided legal solutions and advised on regulatory requirements for different small to mid-size businesses and startups in diverse products and operations;
  • Drafted by laws, labor, privacy and ethics policies for businesses and a variety of other corporate documents
  • Interpreted laws, rulings and regulations for individuals and businesses, providing effective business-aligned solutions;
  • Minimized litigation risk exposure through advice on operations and strategic planning

Regulatory and Product Counsel

Aurora
04.2022 - 05.2023
  • Provided legal advice to product and engineering teams on safety, regulatory, product liability, privacy and environmental topics at federal, state and local levels;
  • Negotiated and reviewed a variety of contracts including autonomous vehicles subscription agreements, hardware purchase and development, software agreements, tier 1/supplier contracts, OEM partnership agreements, technology acquisition and transfer, broker/carrier transportation services, vehicle use and possession, lease and sale agreements, third party loan agreements;
  • Pioneered the certification process for Aurora driver, ensuring compliance across vehicle categories
  • Supported decision-making process regarding product strategy and development by advising and ensuring adherence to applicable laws and regulations as well as internal agreements and policies;
  • Collaborated with partner OEMs to determine, track and ensure compliance with autonomous and safety regulations;
  • Collaborated with DOT, FMCSA, NHTSA, CARB, EPA, AVIA and SAE to develop policies regarding autonomous vehicle safety and emissions;
  • Provided guidance, playbooks, training and business-oriented solutions to internal stakeholders on safety, environmental, autonomous vehicles, consumer protection and privacy law;
  • Led cross-functional work to develop and implement key regulatory initiatives and share best practices

Compliance and Regulatory Affairs Associate

Daimler Trucks North America
Portland
03.2019 - 04.2022
  • Developed and implemented vehicle certification processes across the organization for NAFTA vehicles;
  • Managed international teams on different product regulatory projects;
  • Developed strategies for interaction with and reports for governmental authorities in the U.S., Canada, Australia and LATAM countries;
  • Provided guidance, playbooks and training to other DTNA's departments on safety and environmental compliance matters;
  • Supported homologation and documentation plan of safety and environmental compliance to Japan and Latin America markets;
  • Evaluated business and legal (litigation) risks of various component designs and vehicle level engineering solutions;
  • Supported and advised on Daimler Technical Compliance Committee on safety, environmental, risk and technical compliance topics

Attorney Editor

Thomson Reuters
10.2014 - 06.2016
  • Contributed to the development of a global tax software tool, applying in-depth research on international tax laws to enhance compliance;
  • Advised on commercial regulatory and compliance requirements to different teams;
  • Managed global projects and teams across the organization related to tax research and compliance;
  • Designed and analyzed test cases for tax compliance and provided technical guidance to other departments regarding Latin American tax processes;
  • Provided training to internal and external clients on tax compliance and business regulations;
  • Corresponded with international tax authorities from more than 20 countries

Education

University of Pennsylvania - Regulatory Compliance

University of Pennsylvania
Remote, USA
01.2024

Universidade Federal Do Rio Grande Do Sul - International Law

Universidade Federal Do Rio Grande Do Sul
Porto Alegre, Brazil
01.2011

Universidade Do Vale Do Rio Dos Sinos - J.D

Universidade Do Vale Do Rio Dos Sinos
Sao Leopoldo, Brazil
01.2008

Skills

  • Regulatory Law and Compliance
  • Contract Law and Contract Negotiation
  • Product Liability
  • Data Privacy Law
  • Corporate governance
  • Strategic Planning and Decision Making
  • Litigation support
  • Public and Technical Policy
  • Legal and Business Risk Management
  • Project Management
  • Technology Law
  • Team Leadership

Languages

Native/ Bilingual, Native/ Bilingual, Native/ Bilingual

Timeline

Regulatory and Product Counsel

Aurora
04.2022 - 05.2023

Compliance and Regulatory Affairs Associate

Daimler Trucks North America
03.2019 - 04.2022

Attorney Editor

Thomson Reuters
10.2014 - 06.2016

Legal Consultant

Independent Contractor
01.2012 - Current

University of Pennsylvania - Regulatory Compliance

University of Pennsylvania

Universidade Federal Do Rio Grande Do Sul - International Law

Universidade Federal Do Rio Grande Do Sul

Universidade Do Vale Do Rio Dos Sinos - J.D

Universidade Do Vale Do Rio Dos Sinos

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KAREN HECK