Attorneys

Milton L. Petersen

Partner

200 E. Saint Julian Street
P.O. Box 9848
Savannah, GA 31412
Tel 912.236.0261
Fax 912.236.4936

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EDUCATION

The University of Michigan Law School: J.D., cum laude, 2000

University of Minnesota: M.S., 1984

Iowa State University: B.S., with distinction, 1981

LICENSED TO PRACTICE

Georgia

Illinois

PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS

American Bar Association

Illinois State Bar Association

Savannah Bar Association

State Bar of Georgia

Experience

Milt Petersen is a partner in HunterMaclean’s information technology and outsourcing practice group. He is a leading information technology attorney with wide-ranging experience in the areas of information technology, outsourcing, and health care technology.

Milt’s practice covers all types of information technology-related transactions, including outsourcing, ERP, and systems integration transactions; information technology consulting and support services agreements; telecommunications services and equipment contracts; software development and technology licensing/acquisition deals; e-commerce and Internet-related issues; and privacy and confidentiality concerns.

Specifically with regard to health care technology transactions, Milt has helped clients negotiate a wide array of different types of agreements with vendors large and small, including licensing of health information systems; subscription agreements for cloud-based electronic health record (EHR) systems; outsourcing of revenue cycle management, food and nutrition management, housekeeping management services, and clinical technology management services; agreements with group purchasing organizations; and agreements for participation in state-wide health information exchanges.

Prior to attending law school, Milt worked for over ten years as a computer and network performance consultant in the information technology industry. His background and experience with technology give him a unique perspective and in-depth understanding of the issues relating to information technology transactions.

Before joining HunterMaclean, Milt was a partner at a major law firm in Chicago, where he counseled public and private sector clients on a wide variety of IT-related transactions and issues. His clients have ranged from technology start-ups, to Fortune 100 companies, to various public sector entities.

Milt graduated cum laude in 2000 from the University of Michigan Law School, where he served as executive technology editor of the Michigan Telecommunications and Technology Law Review. Milt also has an M.S. from the University of Minnesota and a B.S. from Iowa State University.

Recognition

Martindale-Hubbell: AV Rated

The Martindale-Hubbell® PEER REVIEW RATINGS™ are an objective indicator of a lawyer’s high ethical standards and professional ability, generated from evaluations of lawyers by other members of the bar and the judiciary in the United States and Canada.

Publications & Presentations

Publications

SaaS Security Essentials For Legal

By Milton L. Petersen, published on May 7, 2015 on SpringCM.com.

Do You (or Does Your Vendor) Need Cyber-Liability Insurance?

As our world becomes increasingly networked and Internet-centric, data and security breaches are more frequent and commonplace. HunterMaclean attorney Milt Petersen discusses how companies can prepare for and mitigate the resulting damages of a security breach in his article for Business in Savannah.

Software-as-a-Service (SaaS): Transforming Logistics (and Everything Else)

In our increasingly interconnected world, technology is constantly providing new tools and new opportunities, creating business models that were almost unthinkable only a few years earlier. Many of these new tools involve the use of “software-as-a-service” (or SaaS), in which a vendor or service-provider makes a software application available for widespread use through an Internet site or mobile app. The near-universality of mobile devices and wireless or broadband communications is now enabling SaaS to transform how we conduct both our lives and our businesses.

What to Look for in SaaS Agreements

HunterMaclean Partner Milt Petersen discusses the importance of understanding SaaS agreements in today’s business world.

Convenience Store and Gas Station Industry Group

Legal Challenges Facing C-store Businesses in 2013

Convenience store businesses of every size are greatly impacted by changes to state and federal law and other legal issues. From standalone stores to chains with retail locations nationwide, c-store owners benefit from keeping a close eye on the constantly changing legal landscape. The HunterMaclean Convenience Store and Gas Station Industry Group have compiled a list of legal challenges facing C-stores in 2013.

Avoiding Disputes on Software Agreements

HunterMaclean Partner Milton L. Petersen examines the issues that can lead to software agreement disputes, offering insight into this fast-changing area of the law.

Data Security Breach Milt Petersen HunterMaclean

Be Prepared for a Data Security Breach

Data security breaches can result in damage to an organization’s reputation and business, as well as significant direct and indirect costs. Milton L. Petersen discusses why businesses need to create an incident response plan to prepare for a potential data security breach.

Top Three Cloud Computing Implementation "Must Haves" for Lawyers

By Milton L. Petersen, published on November 9, 2011, in Small Business Computing.

This guest article is an interview with Milton L. Petersen of Hunter, Maclean, Exley & Dunn, P.C.. who advises law firms on successful cloud computing implementation practices and other legal IT matters.

This article is the seventh in a series. Other articles in this series: “Attorney discusses IT outsourcing”, “Does the billable hour negate IT’s value?”, “Legal IT statistics”, “IT gives law firms an edge”, “Legal IT easier than you think” and “Legal IT and cloud success stories

Service Organization Control Reports Demystified

By Milton L. Petersen, published in September/October 2011 in CIO Insight.

Using New SOC 2 Reports to Help Access Cloud Computing Security Risk

By Milton L. Petersen, published on September 1, 2011, in Tech Journal South.

Customers or users of outsourcing and cloud computing services are often, and justifiably, concerned about the risks associated their service providers, especially security-related risks. The American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) has recently established a structure of Service Organization Control (SOC) reports to replace SAS 70 reports (i.e., reports produced pursuant to Statement on Auditing Standards (SAS) No. 70 issued by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA)), which have been used for years, often for purposes beyond their intended focus on financial reporting and controls.

What to Include When Writing a Privacy Policy

By Milton L. Petersen, published on June 13, 2011, in Business in Savannah.

As we move to an ever-more-interconnected world, the privacy and confidentiality of personal information is becoming increasingly important and harder to control.

There are various different laws and regulations that require companies to maintain privacy policies and to make them available to their customers. For example, HIPAA requires health care providers and health plans to maintain notices of privacy practices and make them available to their patients or members. The Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act requires financial institutions to develop privacy policies and share them with their customers. Most Web sites have privacy policies, and the Federal Trade Commission has authority to bring actions to enforce those policies.

Cloud Computing: Legal Risks Every CIO Should Know

By Milton L. Petersen, published on June 7, 2011, in CIO Insight.

It comes as no surprise, especially in this challenging economy, that cloud computing continues to gain popularity among businesses, as it is often viewed as an easy way to reduce IT costs and increase efficiencies.

Cloud Computing Has Its Risks

By Milton L. Petersen, published in March 2011 in TechJournal South.

Beware of the Legal Risks of Cloud Computing

By Milton L. Petersen, published on December 15, 2010, in Business in Savannah / Savannah Business Journal.

Conducting Business Online Requires 21st-Century Legal Protections

By Milton L. Petersen, published on August 2, 2010, in Business in Savannah / Savannah Business Journal.

Keys to Developing Effective IT Consulting Agreements

By Milton L. Petersen, published on April 28, 2010, in Business in Savannah / Savannah Business Journal.

Know Your Termination Rights

By Milton L. Petersen, published in November/December 2009 in Executive Counsel.

Know Your FACTA Rules

By Milton L. Petersen, published in the January 2009 issue of FORUM, the monthly magazine of Association Forum of Chicagoland.

Technology Contracting in the Public Sector

Chapter authored by Milton L. Petersen, published in Case Studies on Digital Government by Bruce A. Rocheleau (Ed.) (2007), Hershey, PA: IGI Global.

Controlling the Chaos: A New Approach to Streamlining Outsourcing Negotiations

By Milton L. Petersen and Diana J. P. McKenzie, published in November 2005 in Intellectual Property and Technology Law Journal.

Preventative Law: Disentanglement Clauses in IT Outsourcing Agreements

By Milton L. Petersen and Diana J. P. McKenzie, published in September 2005 in the Computer Law Association Bulletin.

Legal Protections Related to Security Concerns

By Milton L. Peterson and Diana J. P. McKenzie, published in the Journal of Healthcare Information Management (Summer 2003).

Developing a Winning IT Negotiations Strategy

By Milton L. Petersen and Diana J. P. McKenzie, published in the Journal of Healthcare Information Management (Winter 2003).

Struggling to Comply with HIPAA Transactions and Code Set Standards by the Deadline? Consider Filing for an Extension

By Diana J. P. McKenzie and Milton L. Petersen, published in Inside HIPAA Compliance (Spring 2002).

Business Associate Agreements

By Diana J. P. McKenzie and Milton L. Petersen, published in December 2001 in InsideHIPAA.com.

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Presentations

Regulatory Risks and Issues in Monetizing Data: A Survey of Issues

Presented by Milton L. Petersen at the Cloud Adoption and Data Analytics conference in Seattle, Washington, on June 28, 2016.

Legal Considerations in Implementing your Vision

Presented by Milton L. Petersen and Colin A. McRae at the Southeastern Warehouse Association Convention in Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, on September 18, 2015.

Emerging Technologies and Preparing for Investors: A Legal Perspective

Presented at Health Care IT 2015: Critical Issues in New York, New York, on May 28, 2015, by Milton L. Petersen.

Third Party Relationships: Risk Management and Contract Compliance

Presented at the ITechLaw International India Conference in Bangalore, India, on January 30, 2014, by Milton L. Petersen.

Click here for PDF

Third Party Relationships: Important Factors to Consider in Contract Negotiation

Presented for The Knowledge Group Live Webcast on April 11, 2013, by Milton L. Petersen.

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Cloud Computing Contracts and Risks

Presented at the SNW Spring 2013 Conference in Orlando, Florida, on April 2, 2013, by Milton L. Petersen.

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The Best Place to Start is Always at the Beginning: Legal Issues for Startup Companies

Presented at Georgia Tech and The Creative Coast in Savannah, Georgia, on April 21, 2011, by Milton L. Petersen.

Don't Get Lost in the Cloud: Legal Risks and Implications of Cloud Computing

Presented at the Storage Network World Conference in Santa Clara, California, on April 7, 2011, by Milton L. Petersen.

Legal Considerations of Cloud Computing

Presented at the Greeninfotech Summit in Atlanta, Georgia, in April 2011 by Milton L. Petersen.

Navigating Data Security Breach Notification Laws

Presented at the Sophos IT Compliance Event in Chicago, Illinois, on October 28, 2009, by Milton L. Petersen.

Understanding and Mitigating IT Project Risks

Presented at the 103rd Annual Conference of the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) in Seattle, Washington, on June 30, 2009, by Milton L. Petersen.

Stimulus Package Jumpstarts EHR Adoption and Toughens Health Information Protections

Presented at the NGE Business Law Seminar Series in Chicago, Illinois, on April 1, 2009, by Milton L. Petersen.

Navigating Security Breach Notification Laws When Patient Information is Exposed

Presented at the Eclipsys Seminar Series in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on February 10, 2009, by Milton L. Petersen.

Appropriate Protections for your IT Contracts in a Recessionary Economy

Presented at the NGE Business Law Seminar Series in Chicago, Illinois, on October 14, 2008, by Milton L. Petersen.

Contractual Protections in an Unstable Industry

Presented at the Annual Conference of the Downstate Illinois Chapter of the GFOA in Utica, Illinois, on August 6, 2004, by Milton L. Petersen.

Buyer Beware: Procuring Software & Services in an Unstable Industry

Presented at the 98th Annual Conference of the GFOA in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on June 14, 2004, by Milton L. Petersen.

A Sprint Through HIPAA

Presented at the Chicago Bar Association Computer Law Committee meeting in Chicago, Illinois, on December 16, 2003, by Milton L. Petersen.

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News

Know the Key Legal and Security Risks in a Cloud-computing Contract

Lucan Mearian of ComputerWorld writes about Milt Petersen’s presentation on SaaS contracts at this year’s SNW Conference in Orlando, FL. SNW is the world’s largest independently produced conference series focused on the evolution of architecture for a new world of mobility, Big Data and business agility.

Milt Petersen to Present on Third Party Relationships: Risk Management and Contract Compliance

Milton L. Petersen will speak at the Knowledge Congress’ webcast on “Third Party Relationships: Risk Management and Contract Compliance” on April 11, 2013 from 12:00pm – 2:00pm (ET).

Videos

Video: HunterMaclean and Junior Achievement: Educating Future Leaders

HunterMaclean partners with Junior Achievement of Savannah to expose K-12 students to business professionals and law careers, as well as educate them for the 21st century workplace. In this award-winning video, HunterMaclean attorneys teach in local classrooms, speak at Career Day, and bring students to the Firm on Job Shadow Day.