Bob Miller
Partner
Data Protection, Privacy Law, and Information Governance
Bob began his academic journey with a degree in English from St John’s College, Oxford, before being called to the Bar and practising for a decade in the chambers of Lords Justices Levison and Edis. His early career focused on criminal law and common law, where he gained extensive advocacy experience.
He later returned to the North-East and qualified as a
solicitor in 1999, building a broad practice in
commercial law, clinical negligence, and
family public law. During this period, Bob developed a strong interest in
data protection, privacy law, and information governance, areas that quickly became the focus of his career.
about
Bob went on to lead national programmes in data protection and privacy for both NHS England and the Health Quality Improvement Partnership (HQIP), advising on regulatory compliance, information security, and the lawful use of sensitive personal data. His experience further expanded through senior roles within several local authorities, including Birmingham City Council, Europe’s largest local authority, where he spent three and a half years advising on complex privacy, governance, and public sector regulatory matters.
With a rare combination of courtroom advocacy, regulatory insight, and deep expertise in
data protection and privacy law, Bob brings a strategic and highly informed approach to clients operating across public, healthcare, and commercial sectors.
Recent Matters
my work
Bob’s experience includes three and a half years handling a diverse and complex caseload within the Privacy and Information Law Team at Europe’s largest public authority, where he advised on high-risk matters involving data governance, regulatory compliance, and information rights. He has successfully delivered full GDPR compliance programmes for two major housing associations with turnovers of £250 million and £160 million, strengthening their data protection frameworks and operational resilience.
During his time with NHS England, Bob served as the data protection and privacy lead across three nationally significant projects: the 100,000 Genomes Project, the Prime Minister’s £50 million Challenge Fund—which piloted innovative digital models of primary care including video consultations—and the delegation of statutory powers to local Clinical Commissioning Groups. In this capacity, he was responsible for reviewing all NHS England publications to ensure legal clarity and full compliance with UK data protection and privacy laws.
Bob also authored the national guidance on access to NHS personal data for research and audit purposes, as well as the national guidance on the use of personal data in clinical audits, both of which remain in use across the health sector. Additionally, he acted as project manager for a major electronic health record sharing programme covering more than 580,000 patients, leading the data protection impact assessment and ensuring the programme met stringent regulatory, operational, and security standards.
Interest
about me
Bob has also contributed to the wider field of privacy and information law through thought leadership and training. He published an article on the evolving role of consent in data protection on
Southampton University’s respected privacy and information law blog, Peep Beep!. In addition, he developed an innovative training package featuring a character known as “Boring Bob,” designed to make data protection principles more engaging and to challenge the perception that information governance is a dry or overly technical subject.
Awards & Experience
my expertise
Bob’s academic and professional training reflects a deep commitment to legal excellence, information governance, and risk management. He holds a Master’s Certificate in Information Security Risk Management (ISO 27001/2) from the Open University and a Certificate in Adult Training from City & Guilds, complementing his expertise in data protection and regulatory compliance.
Bob completed the
Law Society Practice Examination at the College of Law before being called to the Bar at
Inner Temple. He later obtained his
Graduate Diploma in Law from the University of Northumbria. His academic foundation began at
St John’s College, Oxford, where he graduated with a
BA in English, a background that continues to shape his clarity of communication and analytical precision.
