Stacey Schesser, supervising deputy attorney general at California Department of Justice. Photo: Jason Doiy/ALM

Stacey Schesser, the supervising deputy attorney general with the privacy enforcement and protection unit in the California Department of Justice, has been spearheading the rule-making process for the California Consumer Privacy Act, the state's groundbreaking new privacy law. Schesser, who is among the 21 lawyers chosen by The Recorder as Women Leaders in Tech Law as part of this year's California Leaders in Tech Law and Innovation Awards, recently reflected on what she calls her most challenging professional year.

What's your proudest professional achievement of the past year and why?

This was one of the most challenging professional years I've ever had—and I am most proud that we have released the proposed regulations for the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) while maintaining an active enforcement agenda. It has been nonstop—from testifying before the state Legislature several times to working on the largest multistate data breach settlement ever in Equifax. I'm incredibly proud of the team that I work with every day; all that we've accomplished in advancing privacy enforcement has been a collaborative effort. Also, it doesn't hurt that the attorney general knows who I am (and can correctly pronounce my last name!).

What's your proudest personal achievement of the past year and why?

I have two young children at home and being a full-time working mother is incredibly challenging. My daughter knows that I am a "boss," and it is critical that she know that I hold that role in addition to being mom. My kids see me doing this crazy juggle—"Elmo" became a verb for me for taking those early morning/late evening conference calls to hammer out the last details in Equifax, as in "one moment, I need to Elmo my 2-year-old." While I love my job, it needs to be worth it for me to take that time away from my kids, and so I am most proud that I can keep my work-life balance in check.

What's one piece of advice you'd give to a woman starting out in tech law?

Ask the questions, figure out how it all works, and don't be intimidated by people trying to suck up all the air in the room.

What concrete steps could be made to increase the number of women in tech law?

When I first started working in privacy law, the majority of people in the room were women. As privacy becomes more intertwined with tech, it's critical that women stay in this space. The burden should not be on women to lean in, but on maintaining opportunities for women to participate and, ultimately, to lead. It matters who is at the top of organizations and who is speaking on the panels, and featuring women in these roles will help bring more women into tech law.

I feel more confident when I see other women leading, whether in government or the private sector. There also needs to be more acceptance that women are trying to balance their personal and professional lives, and giving everyone flexibility and respecting work-life balance will help increase the number of women in tech law.