Leadership with Purpose

We combine the strategic rigor of Big Law with the disciplined execution of military service. Our leadership bridges the gap between complex legal theory and operational reality, building the infrastructure you need to scale.

Meet Charlyn Ho, Founder, CEO & Managing Member

Charlyn Ho is a seasoned attorney, Navy veteran, and former Big Law partner who specializes in the intersection of law, technology, and policy. As the founder of Rikka, she leads a law firm designed to transform compliance from a bottleneck into a competitive advantage.

Vantage Point: Charlyn provides a unique strategic playbook derived from her experience representing global tech giants like Microsoft and Meta, and negotiating against industry-defining AI pioneers including OpenAI and Anthropic.

Prior to founding Rikka, Charlyn was a partner in the Technology Transactions & Privacy Group at Perkins Coie. Her practice focused on high-stakes intellectual property agreements, privacy frameworks, and the complex legal architecture required for AI/ML, connected devices, and global tech expansion.

Group of 3 images | Charlyn Ho with Client | Charlyn Ho writing on whiteboard | Abstract Rikka Icon

Charlyn’s Leadership, Service & Education

Charlyn has served as trusted counsel to the C-Suite and Boards of Directors at companies ranging from Fortune 100 leaders to high-growth startups. She excels at translating complex regulatory landscapes into clear business strategy, guiding clients through product launches, international expansion, and corporate partnerships.

Military Service: Charlyn served 6 years as an active-duty U.S. Navy Supply Corps officer, where she led the contracting strategy for billions of dollars in nuclear-powered aircraft carrier refueling projects. This experience provides the foundation of the tactical, mission-focused approach she brings to every Rikka engagement.

She is an alumnus of Harvard Business School, the Georgetown University Law Center and the University of Pennsylvania (dual degree from the Wharton School and the College of Arts & Sciences).

Charlyn is a member of the District of Columbia, New York, and Virginia bars.

Tech Transitions

Represented a healthtech company to develop and commercialize kiosks dispensing healthcare products directly to consumers.
Worked closely with a large aerospace defense company to streamline its master services agreement, incorporating industry best practices.
Drafted and negotiated intellectual property agreements for a major virtual reality company that required navigating complex government use rights.

Data Privacy & Security

Represented industry-leading retailer in licensing innovative payment processing and biometric sensor technology to evaluate consumer behavior in stores.
Represented a global technology company to develop an overarching privacy strategy.
Provided privacy and data security counseling on the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), the California Privacy Rights Act (CPRA), and other privacy law guidance for multiple startups.
Counseled a major financial services company on its strategic approach to vendor privacy and data security.

Product Counseling

Provided product counsel to a multinational internet company on projects launched by its internal startup incubator.
Advised on data privacy strategy for a company to launch cancer diagnostic test protocol using AI/ML.
Counseled numerous clients such as social networking platforms, healthcare providers, fintech companies, and other technology companies to launch new tech products.

Blockchain & Fintech

Represented blockchain company in the development of a privacy-preserving method of advertising delivery and monetizing data.
Advised creative applications developer and leading sports franchise on a strategy to mint, sell, and buy NFTs.
Advised film company on image-use rights and guidelines for minting non fungible tokens (NFTs) in connection with film production.

Adtech & Marketing Technology

Negotiated marketing, publisher, advertiser, SSP, DSP and other adtech agreements for one of the largest e-commerce companies in the world.
Provided strategic counseling and privacy advice to leading ad tech exchange.

Legal Secondment

Seconded to Amazon in their adtech team
Seconded to Microsoft in their Developer Tools Division
Seconded to Meta in their Internet.Org and Reality Labs group
Seconded to Magic Leap in their in-house legal department
Seconded to Sony PlayStation’s technology transactions group

Advisory Boards

Serves as a member of the Harvard Business Review Advisory Council.
Serves as a Forbes.com Digital Assets Contributor.
Serves as an advisor to Aurie, an early-stage medical device company.
Serves a legal mentor to startups for Lair East Labs, a startup accelerator.
Serves as a Strategic Advisor to the Virginia Blockchain Council.
Served as a faculty member for multiple years at the Practising Law Institute (PLI).

Speaking Engagements

Association of Corporate Counsel Presentation (March 2024) on Tools for Mastering AI’s Legal Labyrinth.
PLI Presentation on Advanced Venture Capital (2022).
PLI Presentation on Artificial Intelligence and Data-Driven Business Models: Navigating Regulation, Risks and Compliance Issues in Leveraging AI (2022)
Game Developers Conference Panel titled “A Digital Identity Fit for the NextGen Web (Metaverse and Web3) (2022).
Consensus 2022 on a panel titled, “Online Privacy: A Battle as Old as the Internet”
AUVSI 2019 Conference on a panel titled, “Blockchain Technology and Unmanned Systems

Publications

Published legal articles in reputable outlets such as Forbes, the Cambridge University Press, Law.com, Bloomberg Law, Cointelegraph, AUVSI’s Special Report on Unmanned Systems and Blockchain, and The Journal of Robotics, Artificial Intelligence & Law.

Podcasts

Self-Sovereign Identity, Blockchain and Web3

AI Savvy Lawyer

Charlyn Ho is the host and author of AI Savvy Lawyer — a podcast and book for legal professionals navigating the AI revolution. She brings that same depth of knowledge to every client engagement.

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