Former Department of Homeland Security Deputy General Counsel Joins O’Melveny

March 21, 2017

WASHINGTON, DC—March 21, 2017—The Department of Homeland Security’s highest-ranking attorney for cybersecurity and technology matters, Kiran Raj, is joining O’Melveny’s Washington, DC, office as a partner in the Data Security & Privacy Group and White Collar Defense & Corporate Investigations Practice. He will work closely with Steve Bunnell, the former General Counsel of the Department of Homeland Security, who rejoined O’Melveny last month.

As Deputy General Counsel at DHS, Raj worked directly with leaders from corporate America on the intersection of cybersecurity and privacy with law, policy, and technology. He held a similar role at the US Department of Justice as Senior Counsel to the Deputy Attorney General, where he advised DOJ’s senior leadership on significant issues and managed policy-related matters, with particular focus on cybersecurity, national security, and civil litigation.

“I was attracted to O’Melveny because we share the same vision and approach to client service—acting as a strategic partner to clients by providing innovative, responsive, and cost-effective legal services,” Raj said. “I look forward to leveraging my government, corporate, and technical experience to provide practical advice to clients looking to address their cybersecurity and privacy issues.”

At DHS, Raj also managed the Technology Programs Law Division and oversaw department-wide intellectual property law matters, including patent, trademark, copyright, data rights, and related litigation. This was a natural fit given his previous litigation experience, and electrical engineering and computer science background. Raj previously worked as lead program manager at Microsoft and in a wide-ranging role for a startup that included technical leadership, business development, and marketing efforts.

“Kiran brings a well-rounded mix of government, corporate, and patent litigation experience that enables him to advise a broad spectrum of clients on cybersecurity, technology, data privacy, and security-related issues,” said Bradley J. Butwin, chair of O’Melveny. “We’re excited to add him to our Data Security & Privacy Group, which already counts several former high-level government advisors, including a former U.S. National Security Advisor, a former Cabinet Secretary and Senior Advisor to the President, and a former Department of Homeland Security General Counsel.” 

Raj teaches National Security, Surveillance & Cybersecurity Law at the Antonin Scalia Law School, George Mason University. He earned his law degree from Emory University School of Law and a bachelor of science in electrical engineering and computer science from the University of California, Berkeley.

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Contact:
Julie Fei
O’Melveny & Myers LLP
213.430.7792
jfei@omm.com                              

Chris Till
O’Melveny & Myers LLP
202.383.5237
ctill@omm.com