HEKA LAW FIRM

Heka Law was created with the aim of offering legal services through practical and intelligent solutions that contemplate a proactive, ethical, and efficient working manner. We are a team of highly qualified professionals with multidisciplinary experience in resolving and attending a wide range of requirements from our clients. The firm has offices in Quito and Cuenca, as well as strategic partners in the most important cities of Ecuador. Heka Law Firm is mainly recognized by its services in IT Law, Telecommunications and Data Protection. Andrés has 10 years of experience in the areas of Corporate, Technology, Media and Telecommunications, advising well known national and international companies. In the TMT area, Andrés advises national and foreign clients in the telecom, insurance, health and fintech sectors on legal matters related to disruptive technologies (OTT's), regulatory compliance, data protection, public affairs, among others. Andrés is a lawyer from the University of the Américas (UDLA) and has a master's degree in Telecommunications, Data Protection, Audiovisual and Information Society Law from the Carlos III University of Madrid. Andrés has been ranked by the prestigious Leaders League legal directory. Arianna has over 5 years of experience in Public Procurement, Labor Law, and Competition, both in the public and private sectors. In 2022, she joined our firm specializing in Technology, Telecommunications, and Personal Data Protection. Currently, Arianna serves as the Coordinator of Personal Data Protection, overseeing all processes within the department and leading initiatives to enhance methodologies and internal processes. Throughout her career, Arianna has been recognized for her focus on implementing data protection compliance programs based on international standards. She has collaborated with national and international companies to implement these programs, fostering a culture of data governance and establishing optimal processes through the efficient use of current resources. In addition to her role as Coordinator, Arianna also acts as a Data Protection Officer, providing guidance to companies on the subject and ensuring compliance with data protection regulations. Her contribution extends beyond legal implementation to include organizational measures. Additionally, Arianna is passionate about conducting training sessions on best practices in personal data protection, thereby strengthening the internal capabilities of companies.

Representatives

Arianna Sáenz

member

Andrés Terán

partner

Contact

Publications

• Where Space Data Lands. Ground Stations and the Reach of Data Protection LawDuring 2026 the conversation about privacy in outer space has turned toward orbit itself, as proposals for orbital data centres have led scholars, practitioners and the European Parliament’s foresight service to ask whether Article VIII of the Outer Space Treaty, which keeps a space object under the jurisdiction and control of its State of registry, could make that State a digital flag state for the data processed on board. That debate deserves attention, although it overshadows a more immediate fact, which is that almost all personal data collected or relayed by satellites still comes down to Earth through an antenna located in a specific country and subject to a specific data protection law. Under the Ground Station as a Service model, in which operators book antenna passes on demand and receive the data directly in the cloud, a single satellite may land data in several jurisdictions in one day, so the question of which law applies, and to whom, is increasingly answered at the antenna, and Ecuador, whose equatorial position makes it an attractive site for ground infrastructure, offers a useful case study because its law and the GDPR reach different results for the same downlink.13 October 2026
• Ecuador’s Risk Management Guide for Personal Data Protection. A practical viewEcuador’s Superintendence of Personal Data Protection has published its first risk management guide. The document is ambitious: it demands that organizations justify every assumption, calibrate expert opinion, and adopt measurable models. However, it leaves a critical question unanswered, as, what methodology should companies actually use? Unlike Spain, where proportionality and maturity guide the choice of methods, Ecuador’s guide presents multiple options without prioritization. This article argues that such neutrality, while flexible, creates practical uncertainty. It suggests that organizations should adopt a mixed model, anchored in the traditional risk matrix but enriched with qualitative rationales and, where possible, quantitative tools.8 October 2026
• Analysis of Legal Functionality in the Face of Technological Advancement, Case of Ecuador: Neuro-Rights.This article analyses the impact of advancing neurotechnology on human rights, particularly regarding cognitive freedom, mental privacy, and psychological integrity. It discusses the ethical implications of brain-computer interfaces and the necessity for specific neuro-rights to protect mental domains. While Ecuador aims to address digital rights in legislation, the absence of a tailored mechanism raises concerns about safeguarding these rights amidst evolving technologies.29 January 2024
• Personal Data Protection Act: Ecuador’s Current ChallengesA highly advanced Personal Data Protection Law to become into force on May 31st 2023, brings some challenges to Ecuador’s economy while preparing for compliance. We will get into some challenges Ecuador is facing on these last months of preparations.3 March 2023