Margot Benedict is of counsel in Morrison Foerster’s National Security Group, based in the firm’s Washington, D.C. office

Margot joins the firm following nearly four years of service at the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ). She served as the Senior Counselor to the Attorney General from 2023 to 2025, managing the national security, privacy, and international affairs portfolios. She led the Office of the Attorney General’s response to national security incidents and threats and provided strategic legal and policy advice, supported the development and execution of key departmental initiatives, and advised on complex and high-stakes legal matters. She also served as a counsel to the Deputy Attorney General, coordinating national security policy from 2021 to 2022, and as a counsel to the Assistant Attorney General for National Security in 2023. From 2022 to 2023, she served as a Special Assistant United States Attorney in the Eastern District of Virginia, representing the United States in criminal matters. Her most recent role at DOJ was as a trial attorney in the Counterintelligence and Export Control Section of the National Security Division.

Prior to her time at DOJ, Margot was an associate at Morrison Foerster, where she focused on white-collar criminal matters, including the defense of corporate and individual clients in government enforcement actions and internal investigations. She has extensive experience conducting cross-border inquiries, particularly involving the Foreign Agents Registration Act and the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, and has guided clients through complex investigations and crisis management. Her practice also included representing individuals facing potential criminal charges.

Margot graduated cum laude from the Georgetown University Law Center. She earned a B.A. in political science from Yale University where she was the captain of the Varsity Women’s Sailing Team.