Judy E. Hopkins
General Counsel –
Haven Technologies, a subsidiary of Mass Mutual Life Insurance Company

 

Description of field of expertise

Judy began her career as an in-house privacy and cyber security counsel at a large life insurance company. Her role expanded considerably during her tenure as she became lead counsel for an array of other practice areas including anti money laundering/OFAC, insurance product development, regulatory matters and digital initiatives, such as AI, data analytics models, electronic communications and delivery, and online marketing and advertising. She also spent several years as a state lobbyist in the company’s government affairs division. Judy joined MassMutual nearly six years ago as head of legal for its startup insurance agency, Haven Life Insurance Agency, and eventually became the head lawyer for its Enterprise Technology and Experience division. In January 2022, Judy became the General Counsel for MassMutual’s newly formed SaaS technology company, Haven Technologies. 

 

What advice would you offer to new attorneys interested in your field?

I would encourage new lawyers to learn as much as they can about multiple areas of law. There is so much beyond what is learned in law school. The practice continues to evolve as new issues emerge. It’s important to expose yourself to these different areas especially early in your career. Do not be too narrowly focused or specialized too soon. Where you start is often not where you end up or anticipate ending up. Also, embrace issues around law and technology. The two are inescapably linked and the most coveted lawyers will be able to leverage both in helping their clients succeed in this digital age.