Marlene Winther Plas

Partner
Head of IPT, Denmark
Marlene Winther Plas
Location
Copenhagen
Language
English, French

Marlene Winther Plas specialises in IT law and data protection and has more than 20 years’ experience. 

Marlene is a certified IT attorney and is the Chairperson of the Association of Danish IT Attorneys, which is a sectoral association of highly specialised and certified IT attorneys. Moreover, she is the data protection responsible person in DLA Piper Denmark as well as Head of IPT for all four Nordic DLA Piper offices.  

Finally, she is listed in Kraks Blå Bog, the Danish Who's Who, and is recognised by Chambers and The Legal 500 within ’Information Technology’ and ’Media and Entertainment’. 

Marlene advises Danish as well as foreign businesses and public authorities. She assists clients especially regarding the negotiation and preparation of complex technology and data protection contracts, outsourcing projects, development projects, cybersecurity/NIS2, major technology transactions as well as within AI.  

Furthermore, Marlene is a qualified mediator and is well known for her mediation in several high-profile IT and technology-related disputes. She is also a qualified arbitrator and deals with dispute resolution and litigation regarding complex technology contracts and technology-related law. 

Moreover, Marlene has vast experience of data protection compliance projects and provides advice on data breaches and cybersecurity. 

She also specialises in sports law and advises the association of Danish elite football clubs (Divisionsforeningen) and the Danish premier league clubs on various matters, including security, the enforcement of the common code of conduct at Danish football stadiums and the combating of hooliganism.  

Since 2001, Marlene has been involved in political and professional activities within the legal sector. In 2008, she assisted in establishing the Association of Danish Law Firms and was its vice-chairperson up until 2016.  

Qualifications
Education
Certified IT attorney, The Association of Danish IT Attorneys
2007
Certified arbitrator, the education programme for arbitrators operated by the Association of Danish Law Firms
2003
Certified mediator, the Association of Danish Law Firms
2002
Admitted to the Danish Bar
1996
LLM, Maîtrise de droit international et européen, Panthéon-Assas, Paris II
1993
Master of Law, University of Copenhagen
1993
Memberships

The Association of Danish IT Attorneys 

The Danish Arbitration Association 

The International Bar Association (IBA) 

The Copenhagen Bar Association 

Admission
Right of audience before the Danish High Courts
1997
Experience
Recent highlights
  • Marlene Winther Plas provides trusted advice to Danish football club Brøndbyernes I.F. Fodbold A/S and was in charge of the successive share issues by the company as well as the transaction that in 2022-2023 led to the transfer of controlling interest to an investor (GFH).  
  • Marlene assisted Brøndbyernes I.F. Fodbold A/S, which was the first football club in Europe to obtain approval to use Automated Facial Recognition at its football stadium. Through this assistance, Marlene has gained specialist knowledge of the legislation on the use of biometric data and AI. Marlene collaborates with Danish premier league clubs and the association of Danish elite football clubs (Divisionsforeningen) on security in the Danish football industry and the combating of hooliganism.  
  • Marlene assisted the Danish Agency for Public Finance and Management in a complex and extensive tendering process concerning an IT contract for operation and maintenance, legacy reduction and development, etc. of the Danish State’s payroll service system (Statens Lønløsning). The system is mission critical and the purpose of the contract was to lay down the optimum basis for the Agency to provide an integrated payroll and pension service to all state institutions. 
  • Marlene assisted the Danish National Building Fund in conducting an EU call for tenders for a data-warehouse solution. The system was to assemble a number of internal data sources from the Danish National Building Fund, social housing organisations, public registers, etc. The second phase is expected to see a finance recording system being put out to tender. The purpose of the finance recording system, which will be feeding data into the data warehouse, is to create an enhanced control environment for social housing organisations in Denmark. 
Career highlights

Partner, DLA Piper Denmark, since 2017 

Partner, LETT (DLA Piper Denmark), 2012-2017 

Partner, Lind Cadovius, 2003-2012 

Attorney, Lind Cadovius, 1997-2003 

Attorney, Kromann Reumert, 1996-1997 

Assistant Attorney, Kromann Reumert, 1993-1996 

Positions of trust

Chairperson, the Association of Danish IT Attorneys, since 2021 

Member of the committee of representatives, the Association of Danish Law Firms, since 2008 (co-founder) 

Chairperson of the Board of Directors, Skandinavisk Logistik A/S / Skanlog A/S, since 2010 

Chairperson, Alkoholreklamenævnet (the Danish alcohol advertising complaints board), since 2019

Other positions

Mediator, appointed through the mediation scheme of the Association of Danish IT Attorneys or directly by the parties 

Rankings
Kraks Blå Bog

Marlene was included as a new entry in Kraks Blå Bog, the Danish Who's Who, in 2014

Legal 500

Marlene is 'Leading Individual' within 'Information Technology' and is recognized by The Legal 500 within 'Data Privacy' and 'Data Protection'. 

"Marlene Winther Plas understands her client’s businesses and what drives the entire plan."

"The team has excellent insights in IT and a good commercial understanding. They are easy to work with and highly efficient."

"Understanding clients’ businesses is vital. The team more than meet their client’s needs, are able to challenge current solutions and have broad experience."

"The team is very good at seeing the projects from a business perspective."

Chambers

Marlene Winther Plads is recognized by Chambers within 'Information Technology'.

"Marlene Winther Plas is a highly accomplished lawyer who is very solution-oriented and a pleasure to work with. She is very dedicated and passionate in delivering valuable insights."

"High quality, high availability and great understanding of our business."

"Marlene has extensive knowledge and understands the complexity of IT law, and has the ability to advise in a way to create the best solution."

"She regularly advises on IT procurements and outsourcings, with further expertise in GDPR compliance projects."

"The lawyers are able to pinpoint the weak and strong points in complicated cases."

Who's Who Legal

Marlene is recommended by Who's Who Legal within 'Fintech & Blockchain'.