Meet Danielle Ocampo, Co-Spearhead of BASF’s Privacy Pods Mentorship Program

In October 2024, BASF hosted a panel of professionals who talked about their career paths in privacy law and offered advice to junior attorneys. Forty people attended, a “tremendous buy-in,” said Danielle Ocampo, a member of the Executive Committee of the Cybersecurity and Privacy Law Section, “and that was the catalyst to creating the Privacy Pods Mentorship Program.”

Ocampo is an Associate at Freeman Mathis & Gary and has been involved with the privacy law community since law school. In her second year of practice, she saw a need and an opportunity. “I felt so lost. It’s difficult for junior folks. It’s a new area of law, and we’re all learning,” she said. “What does that mean for [those] of us who want to do data privacy work but don’t know where to start?”

The pods, she said, are “a mix of junior, LLM, law students, partners, in-house folks, more senior lawyers, and even non-lawyers in the privacy space.” Some pods meet in person, others meet virtually. Currently about sixty people are involved, and future plans include events to network, help build skill sets, and share opportunities.

Jonathan Tam, Chair of the Section and a Partner at Baker McKenzie, called out Ocampo for acknowledgement in this column for spearheading (along with Jennifer Howes) this successful program.

So that we can all get to know her better, here are Ocampo’s answers to our questions.

BASF: What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?

DO: As a 2023 law school graduate, I can’t help but feel like I have some serious imposter syndrome, especially when it comes to interacting with the many great attorneys I idolize and admire. I aspire to be like them “when I grow up” in the legal field. They seem to have it all: flourishing careers, stable families…I could go on. One mentor advised me that I’m charting my own course and that she wanted me to be even better than her. The idols I adored didn’t know they were going to be where they are today, and how they got to where they are today required a work ethic that I can commit to building now as a young attorney. This means writing articles on niche privacy subject matters, even when I don’t feel qualified, or speaking on a panel even if I fear I’m the least experienced. All these opportunities will mold my career down the line, even if I can’t see the final product at this time. At least I can work toward it today.

BASF: Can you share a little-known fact about you?

DO: I’ve been a huge Star Wars fanatic since I was little. I collected and still have many of my toy lightsabers, although, being an only child made it difficult to duel at home. When the prequel series was released, I watched these movies every day with cookies-and-cream ice cream during the summer. I was obsessed and still am (more so with the originals and prequels). I am currently planning my destination wedding, and though it will be on a beach in the Philippines, the theme is undoubtedly Star Wars. Instead of a first dance, the plan is to duel my then-husband to the soundtrack. Can’t wait!

BASF: What’s your favorite spot in SF?

DO: By the airport, which is technically still San Francisco. Bayfront Park is my go-to spot for a walk and to clear my mind. Watching the different planes take off and land makes me feel connected to the world. I have many memories there. My parents would take me there to ride my Barbie jeep (without a license!), and I trained and practiced riding my first two-wheel bicycle there. I currently live in Los Angeles, but landing in SFO never gets old because it means I’m home.

BASF: What was your last great adventure?

DO: My post–CA Bar trip. My fiancé, who was my boyfriend at the time, and I took a trip to Egypt, Jordan, and Turkey. This was a dream come true for me. I love world history, so embarking on a cruise down the Nile and seeing all the temples and ancient sites made me feel like a kid in a candy shop. As much as I loved exploring Egypt (especially as a The Mummy fan), Jordan was my favorite country on the tour. We hiked Petra beyond the Treasury, where most tourist photos are taken. We snorkeled in the Red Sea from Aqaba. We were engulfed in the Mars-like desert in Wadi Rum where The Martian was filmed. Our trip ended with a visit to the Turkish riviera, a hot-air balloon ride in Cappadocia, and one of the most unique cities in Istanbul. Truly, this was an adventure of a lifetime, so much so that I was actually able to forget that I was awaiting Bar results a few times.

BASF: What was the last question you were asked that really made you think?

DO: A mentor once asked me what my greatest achievement was. Even though I like to think my résumé is solid, I couldn’t answer the question. I used to think that once I became a lawyer that would be my greatest achievement, but now that I’m a lawyer, I still don’t know the answer. Perhaps in some ways, I don’t want to be overly confident about what I’ve accomplished thus far. I certainly feel very fortunate and privileged in my life to have had the opportunities that brought me to where I am today. I don’t take what I’ve accomplished for granted. Maybe still, it’s the underdog mentality in me that humbly looks forward to my future focused on “being great.” This question made me think about what I am proud of about myself, and I don’t think I’ll ever be able to add a superlative to one thing. In other words, I’m still thinking about this question, but I don’t think there will ever be one answer.