Washington, D.C. Office
Sulina Gabale is a Partner and founding member of the Cyber, Privacy & Data Innovation practice, named Privacy & Data Security Law Firm of the Year by Chambers USA in 2019.
As innovation pushes the limits of technology, those ideas challenge the boundaries of what is considered “personally identifiable information.” Sulina answers the question - how can we create tomorrow’s technology with yesterday’s privacy and consumer protection laws? Sulina works closely with innovators at all levels of a business – executives, engineers, marketing and product, HR and customer service teams – to gain a true understanding of their goals and the data they’re collecting, using and sharing. She places herself in her client’s shoes as well as in consumers’ mindset to devise creative privacy-by-design solutions, ensuring her client’s business and data innovation strategies withstand multi-national rules, government regulations, industry standards and consumer scrutiny.
With experience in both data privacy and consumer protection, Sulina utilizes a comprehensive approach to counsel clients on a myriad of issues affecting consumers and businesses. She routinely guides companies of all sizes through the existing patchwork of laws, self-regulatory standards and industry practice impacting data privacy and security. She advises clients subject to regulatory investigations and litigation involving a spectrum of federal and state laws, including:
- California Online Privacy Protection Act (CalOPPA)
- California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA)
- California Privacy Rights Act (CPRA)
- Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA)
- Biometric privacy laws such as the Illinois Biometric Information Privacy Act (BIPA) and other
- Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and related state student data privacy laws
- Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA)
- Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act (GLBA)
- Section 5 of the Federal Trade Commission Act (FTC Act)
- Virginia Consumer Data Protection Act (VCDPA)
Sulina advises companies of all sizes on the development and deployment of cutting-edge technologies and services, including ad-tech, AI and machine learning, biometric tools, social media, robotics and IoT devices, marketing and promotions and more. Sulina began her legal career focusing on consumer protection. She continues to counsel clients on marketing and promotional issues, including interest-based ads; sweepstakes and promotions; automatic renewal and subscriptions; advertising substantiation; influencer programs and social media; SMS text messaging and telemarketing (including matters involving the Telemarketing Sales Rule (TSR), the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA)); and other state and federal consumer protection laws.
Sulina’s practice is industry-agnostic. She has represented clients ranging from start-ups to Fortune 500s, non-profits, academic institutions and city governments across a range of industries from fashion and ecommerce, financial services, retail, food and beverage and technology services. Prior to law school, Sulina worked in the highly interactive fields of journalism, entertainment and digital media. This well-rounded background helps her connect with clients on a personal level, and ensure her advice integrates legal solutions with business practicality.
Before joining Orrick, Sulina was a member of the Privacy & Data Security Group; Entertainment & Media Group; and IP, Information & Innovation Group at Reed Smith, LLP in New York and Washington, D.C.