23 Apr 2026
Nicole Lopez Joins Orrick as Partner in Public Policy and Online Safety
"Nicole Lopez joins Orrick as partner in San Francisco to work on Public Policy and Online Safety, focusing on youth online safety policy, regulatory compliance, advocacy and litigation strategy."
At Orrick, Lopez will advise clients on strengthening protections for children while promoting responsible policy that supports platform innovation. Her work will focus on state, federal and international legal and regulatory compliance; advocacy for innovative, effective and pro‑competitive laws and regulations; representation in inquiries and investigations before state attorneys general and federal agencies; and development of strategy to defend high‑stakes claims and appeals.
Lopez joins Orrick from Meta Platforms, where she served as Global Director of Youth Safety Policy and leader of Global Youth Litigation Strategy. At Meta she developed compliance strategy and product implementation across Meta’s apps, oversaw the company’s Youth Safety and Well‑Being Policy, led a team shaping youth product strategy and launches (including Teen Accounts, 13+ content experiences, VR for under‑13 users, GenAI developments and cross‑app well‑being features), and led Meta’s global youth litigation strategy. She also has extensive policy advocacy experience, having testified before U.S. state legislatures and the European Parliament, briefed lawmakers in Congress and the EU and regulators in the Middle East and Asia, and engaged in ongoing dialogue with regulators and state attorneys general.
Prior to her role at Meta, Lopez spent eight years as a prosecutor in California, where she managed joint state and federal task‑force investigations, led more than 50 misdemeanor and felony jury and bench trials, and prosecuted cases including child abuse, child exploitation and child endangerment. She began her career as a litigator in private practice.