EU Representative vs Law Firm — GDPR Compliance Choice
Compare EU Representative services vs hiring an EU law firm for GDPR compliance. Costs, roles, and when each makes sense for non-EU businesses.
Two Different Services
Non-EU businesses often confuse hiring an EU law firm for GDPR legal advice with appointing an EU Representative under Article 27. They are different services with different legal functions. This guide helps you understand when you need each — and when you need both.
EU Representative (Article 27)
Function: Legal presence for correspondence and service of process. Mandatory for all non-EU entities processing EU personal data. Not optional.
What they do: Accept DPA and data subject correspondence, forward communications, maintain records. They are your passive representative — not your compliance advisor.
Cost: EUR 490/year flat (EU Shield).
EU Law Firm
Function: Legal advice and representation on GDPR compliance matters. Optional — you can achieve compliance without external legal counsel, but expensive if you need it.
What they do: Review Privacy Policies, draft DPAs, conduct compliance audits, advise on high-risk processing, represent you in DPA proceedings. They are your active compliance advisor.
Cost: EUR 250-800/hour. Annual retainer EUR 3,000-15,000.
Do You Need Both?
For most non-EU small-medium businesses: Yes. You need an EU Representative (mandatory, under EUR 500/year) and may benefit from a law firm for Privacy Policy review and initial compliance audit (one-time EUR 1,000-3,000).
For enterprise/large-scale processors: Yes — EU Rep + ongoing legal counsel for complex matters.
Can a law firm be your EU Representative? Yes, many EU law firms offer Article 27 representation — but at EUR 1,500-5,000/year versus EUR 490/year through a specialist provider.
Ready to get compliant?
€490/year. 15-minute setup. Active next business day.