Visit by Members of the ELSA Lublin Association to the Personal Data Protection Office

The duties and powers of the supervisory authority, the Personal Data Protection Office inspections, and the specific nature of work in public administration—these were the main topics discussed during the meeting between the Office representatives and members of the European Law Students’ Association (ELSA) Lublin.

The meeting began with a lecture titled “The President of the Personal Data Protection Office as the competent supervisory authority for personal data protection matters,” delivered by Jakub Groszkowski, a legal advisor at the Office. During the lecture, Jakub Groszkowski explained the supervisory authority’s powers to the students. He also discussed the rules governing administrative proceedings and explained the legal basis for conducting inspections and the supervisory authority’s powers when performing such activities at data controllers’ premises.

The second part of the meeting was devoted to discussing the specifics of working in public administration, particularly at the Personal Data Protection Office. Jakub Groszkowski, along with Marzena Ordysińska, a legal advisor at the Personal Data Protection Office, shared their experiences working in public administration, both at Office and in other agencies and ministries. They also highlighted the types of tasks that law graduates—as well as students during internships—can perform at the Personal Data Protection Office.

During this segment, students also asked questions about the specifics of working at the Personal Data Protection Office and what a typical workday looks like for a legal officer.

Experts from the Personal Data Protection Office emphasised that work in public administration resembles work in a corporate setting in many ways. They noted that this public service encompasses a wide range of activities, from working at the supervisory authority’s headquarters and handling specific cases to fieldwork during inspections and numerous meetings and conferences.