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Greenberg Traurig’s Susan L. Heller and Gretchen A. Ramos Selected as 2019 'Top Women Lawyers' by the Daily Journal

ORANGE COUNTY and SAN FRANCISCO– May 8, 2019– Susan L. Heller and Gretchen A. Ramos of global law firm Greenberg Traurig, LLP have been named among the “Top Women Lawyers” for 2019 by the Daily Journal. The prestigious annual award honors women attorneys who demonstrate excellence and make a difference to their clients, firm, and the legal profession.

“We congratulate Susan and Gretchen on this well-deserved honor,” said Matthew B. Gorson, Greenberg Traurig’s senior chairman. “They consistently distinguish themselves within the firm and legal community through their integrity, leadership, and professional accomplishments on behalf of their clients.”

The Daily Journal’s “Top Women Lawyers in California” are chosen from among hundreds of nominees, using a rigorous selection process to identify women attorneys who distinguish themselves in both their area of practice and the legal field.

Heller, co-managing shareholder of Greenberg Traurig’s Orange County office, chair of the Global Trademark & Brand Management Group, and co-chair of the global Greenberg Traurig Women’s Initiative, is consistently recognized as having one of the preeminent international trademark practices in the country and for being a game-changer in the field. When the stakes are high and critical brands are at risk, Fortune 500 companies, world champion athletes, high-net-worth individuals, A-list celebrities, and highly visible pre-IPO companies turn to Heller for her strategic thought leadership and counsel, honed by three decades of experience. At the forefront of global strategic management and monetization of big name brands on a worldwide level, she is known for developing cutting-edge branding strategies, most notably in "bet-the-brand," high stakes trademark cases. Heller works directly with CEOs and senior executives, in and out of corporate boardrooms. Her practice has spanned over 30 years across virtually every industry and in most jurisdictions throughout the world.

As co-chair of Greenberg Traurig’s Women’s Initiative, Heller is dedicated to promoting the inclusion and advancement of women in the legal profession through unique programming and resources designed to benefit the firm’s attorneys, clients, and the local communities in which the Greenberg Traurig family lives and works. In addition to her involvement with this global Women’s Initiative, Heller has been a strong voice supporting women’s empowerment for decades: she was a member of the steering Committee of the San Francisco Mayor’s Summit for Women; is a board member of Orange County’s Human Options, an organization focused on breaking the cycle of domestic violence; and is a former chair of the Women’s Business Forum. She also serves on the Dean’s Advisory Board of the UCI Merage School of Business, Executive Committee of the USC IP Institute, and Cornell University’s President's Council of Cornell Women. The National Diversity Council named Heller one of the Top 50 Women Lawyers in the US; Euromoney named her the winner of its Americas Women in Business Law Awards, “Best in Trademark,” for two consecutive years; Best Lawyers in America twice named her “Lawyer of the Year” in Trademark Law for Los Angeles; and Marquis Who’s Who recognized her with the Albert Nelson Marquis Lifetime Achievement Award.

Ramos is co-chair of the Data, Privacy & Cybersecurity Practice and a member of the firm’s San Francisco office. She works closely with her clients to manage data and leverage its value in ways to meet compliance obligations as well as deliver value to the business and instill consumer trust. Clients appreciate not only her legal skills, but also her direct, no-nonsense approach to client service and her creativity in identifying possible solutions, and the risks associated with each option, to their most complicated privacy issues so in-house counsel is able to quickly determine the best course for their organization.

Ramos is a go-to counsel for data protection compliance. She provides clients with practical business advice on compliance with various state data protection laws, including the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), federal laws such as HIPAA, CAN-SPAM, and the GLBA, global laws, such as the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), and counsels them how to structure global data protection programs. Her clients come from diverse industries, including technology (SaaS), health care and life sciences, fintech, blockchain, consumer products, retail, and manufacturing. Her experience working with various industries allows her to quickly assess options and risks, and guide clients, including numerous genomic data companies, in resolving complicated privacy issues.

Ramos regularly works with clients on the data protection issues that keep GCs up at night, and advises companies on how to incorporate privacy-by-design into their products, apps, and operations. She drafts and negotiates contracts concerning data-related vendors and licensing issues, assists clients in assessing privacy risks in M&A transactions, and conducts privacy and security assessments. She has managed dozens of data breaches, and works with her clients to ensure they are prepared to immediately respond to security incidents and breaches. Earlier this year, Ramos was one of 17 attorneys honored as a Top Cyber Lawyer by the Daily Journal.

About Greenberg Traurig, LLP: Greenberg Traurig, LLP (GT) has more than 2,000 attorneys in 39 offices in the United States, Latin America, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. GT has been recognized for its philanthropic giving, diversity, and innovation, and is consistently among the largest firms in the U.S. on the Law360 400 and among the Top 20 on the Am Law Global 100. Web: http://www.gtlaw.com Twitter: @GT_Law.