Biometric Identifiers and Technology: Privacy and Security

Ruth draws from extensive professional experience and four degrees of higher education in her practice of law. She grew up on a family farm in New Athens, Illinois, graduated from New Athens High School, and attained her Bachelor’s degree from Illinois Wesleyan University. Soon after, she began an education career as a teacher, principal, and superintendent that included earning Master and Doctoral (Ph.D.) degrees from Southern Illinois University.

Building on her experience as a public educator, Ruth pursued her passion of fighting for area residents and businesses as an attorney. During her Juris Doctorate (JD) education at Southern Illinois University, Ruth worked with the Illinois State’s Attorney’s Office and the Land of Lincoln Legal Assistance Foundation helping domestic violence victims and families in need. Those experiences inspired her to co-found RISE Law Institute, Inc., a non-profit dedicated to helping victims of domestic violence and cyber-stalking. She serves as RISE’s Executive Director.

As the principal attorney at RCJ Law, LLC, Ruth prides herself on fighting hard and standing firm on behalf of her clients. At all times, she keeps her clients’ interests paramount. She serves each client personally and provides no-nonsense legal representation.

Since law school, the breadth and depth of Ruth’s work has grown into the tort and civil litigation practice that it is today through her commitment to quality, and her involvement in the legal community. Her professional activities and affiliations are listed below. In her free time, Ruth enjoys country-western and ballroom dancing and attending Cardinals’ baseball games.

Ari J. Schart is a Partner at Edelson PC and Co-Chair of the firm’s Public Client and Government Affairs Group, where he counsels state and local governments on a range of policy and strategic issues involving consumer protection, privacy, technology, and data security. Ari leverages his experience litigating hundreds of complex class and mass action lawsuits to help governments investigate and prosecute consumer fraud and data privacy violations, as well as pursue large-scale cost recovery actions, including those against the pharmaceutical companies responsible for the opioid crisis.

Recognized as one of the leading experts on privacy and emerging technologies, Ari serves on the Executive Oversight Council for the Array of Things Project where he advises on privacy and data security matters, founded and chaired the Illinois State Bar Association’s Privacy and Information Security Section, and was appointed by the Illinois Senate President to Co-Chair the Illinois Blockchain and Distributed Ledgers Task Force. Ari was selected as an Illinois Rising Star by Super Lawyers (2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019), and received the Michigan State Bar Foundation’s Access to Justice Award (2017) for “significantly advancing access to justice for the poor” through his consumer cases.

Ari regularly speaks about data security and technology at law schools and conferences around the country. Ari graduated from the University of Michigan and received his J.D., magna cum laude, from The John Marshall Law School.