Jerel is the Practice Innovation Attorney for the firm’s Data Privacy practice. In this role, Jerel is focused on optimizing client value, driving technology innovation, streamlining compliance requirements, and supporting the needs of start-up and emerging growth companies related to global privacy laws, including the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA/CPRA), the California Online Privacy Protection Act (CalOPPA), the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), the Biometric Information Privacy Act (BIPA) and other sectoral privacy laws.

Prior to joining Gunderson Dettmer, Jerel was a senior associate and part of BakerHostetler’s Digital Assets and Data Management practice group. He has cross-functional expertise in data privacy, cybersecurity, and products & features counseling. Jerel also has extensive experience helping organizations with privacy program management and data governance, conducting data mapping, gap assessment, third-party risk management, and responding to investigations by the California Attorney General’s office. He also has experience handling data security incidents and breaches and litigating novel privacy causes of action.

Prior to practicing data privacy, Jerel was an associate at Jackson Lewis, practicing Labor & Employment. This background in employment law has enabled Jerel to establish a niche practice in workplace privacy, including litigation of common law invasion of privacy torts; the collection, use, disclosure, and retention of employee HR data; workplace monitoring (e.g., video/audio monitoring, GPS/smartphone monitoring, keystroke software, and biometric temperature scan); and automated decision making and the intersection with federal, state, and local employee discrimination, harassment, and retaliation laws.

Jerel is a Fellow of Information Privacy (FIP) as well as a Certified Information Privacy Professional (CIPP), holding the U.S. private-sector certification (CIPP/US), and the Information Privacy Manager certification (CIPM), each granted by the International Association of Privacy Professionals (IAPP). The FIP, CIPP, and CIPM designations are the global standard in privacy certification, and demonstrate a strong foundation in U.S. sector privacy laws and regulations and privacy program management. 

Jerel is admitted to practice in California, U.S. District Court Northern District of California, U.S. District Court Central District of California, and U.S. District Court Eastern District of California.