About Robert
Robert Stines took an unconventional path to the law. He began his higher education at New York University, earning a BFA in Theater in 2001. Years later he returned to study law at Stetson University College of Law, where he received his J.D. in 2009. He added technical depth to his credentials by completing an M.S. in Cybersecurity at the University of South Florida in 2022.
After law school, Stines spent a year clerking for the Honorable Mary S. Scriven at the United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida in 2010. That clerkship exposed him to federal procedure and complex litigation practice. He moved from the courtroom into private practice and began developing a practice that intersects law, technology and data governance.
Stines is admitted to practice in Florida. He holds the Certified Information Privacy Professional credential (CIPP/US) from the International Association of Privacy Professionals. Those qualifications underpin the work he does advising clients on privacy programs, regulatory compliance and responses to data incidents.
He has been active in professional groups that address the changing legal landscape for data and security. Since 2014 he has served as Vice Chair of the American Bar Association’s Cybersecurity and Data Privacy group. In that role he has participated in panels, roundtables and committee work aimed at clarifying obligations for lawyers and their clients as technology evolves.
In private practice Stines handles matters that require both legal judgment and technical understanding. He advises organizations on privacy policies and vendor contracts, helps shape incident response plans, and works on regulatory questions that arise under state and federal law. His background in theater and the technical study of cybersecurity contribute to a practice that combines communication, analysis and applied technical knowledge.
Stines is counsel at Freeborn & Peters LLP where he continues to work on data privacy and cybersecurity issues for a range of clients. He maintains an active role in bar activities focused on the intersection of law and technology and stays current on developments in privacy regulation and incident response. He currently practices privacy and cybersecurity law at Freeborn & Peters LLP.
