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Morrison Foerster Once Again Named as a Finalist for National Law Journal’s Crisis Management and Government Oversight Award

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Morrison Foerster has for the second consecutive year been shortlisted by The National Law Journal as a finalist for the...

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Morrison Foerster has for the second consecutive year been shortlisted by The National Law Journal as a finalist for the prestigious Crisis Management and Government Oversight Award 2025.  The National Law Journal’s recognition follows the firm’s extensive work over the past year guiding clients through existential challenges driven by geopolitical events and global uncertainty. This has included representation of corporations facing sophisticated cyberattacks from Scattered Spider and other threat actors; our work to secure the release of executives subject to wrongful detention by foreign governments; our advice to prominent nonprofits facing deep funding cuts, investigative scrutiny, and regulatory changes; our counseling of clients whose IT workforces were infiltrated by North Korean cyber actors; and our representation of former government officials whose testimony has been sought in ongoing congressional investigations.Led by a team of seasoned professionals with backgrounds in private practice, the White House, the U.S. Department of Justice, and the U.S. Intelligence Community, MoFo’s Crisis Management practice is known for its swift, integrated, and cross-disciplinary approach. The team draws on top-tier talent from across the firm to deliver strategic counseling during clients’ most complex and sensitive moments.Winners will be announced at an awards ceremony in Washington, D.C. on November 5, 2025.View the <a href="https://www.law.com/nationallawjournal/2025/09/04/announcing-the-national-law-journal-awards-2025-finalists-and-honorees/" target="_blank">complete shortlist of The National Law Journal Legal Awards</a>.

Morrison Foerster Once Again Named as a Finalist for National Law Journal’s Crisis Management and Government Oversight Award

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David Newman serves as co-chair of the firm’s National Security and Crisis Management practices, drawing upon his deep experience in private practice and as a senior U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) and White House official to represent clients in high stakes matters involving national security, geopolitical risk, emerging technology, and crisis management. David also leads the firm’s interdisciplinary Government Strategies group.A former Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General for National Security (PDAAG) and Associate Deputy Attorney General, David advises companies navigating cybersecurity incidents, sanctions and export control enforcement, Committee on Foreign Investments in the United States (CFIUS) reviews, and Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) investigations. He has extensive experience conducting internal and government-facing cross-border investigations and representing clients in congressional inquiries and hearings.David co-founded the firm’s innovative Crisis Management practice nearly a decade ago, serving as a go-to resource for clients facing legal scrutiny by government agencies around the world. Drawing on his background working on complex and sensitive matters in private practice and at the highest levels of the U.S. government, he understands how regulators and prosecutors think, enabling him to provide highly strategic counsel to clients across a broad range of industries. He has frequently served as a liaison between clients and government agencies, including DOJ, the FBI, and other U.S. national security and intelligence agencies, and counseled clients on emerging regulation involving new technologies. For his work advising companies on how to navigate the COVID-19 pandemic, he was named a <a href="/resources/news/200901-national-law-journal-david-newman" target="_self">“Trailblazer” by the National Law Journal</a> in 2020. With the change in administration in 2021, David returned to DOJ to serve in a “day one” leadership role. From 2021 to 2022, he served as Associate Deputy Attorney General. From 2022 to 2025, he served as PDAAG, DOJ’s second highest-ranking national security official, supervising the work of nearly 300 career attorneys in DOJ’s National Security Division (NSD) with engagement across virtually all aspects of NSD’s portfolio, including supervision of DOJ’s criminal enforcement programs for sanctions, export controls, counterterrorism, counterespionage, and FARA. During his tenure, NSD created the “NatSecCyber” section, the first new litigating section in NSD’s history with a mission to centralize DOJ’s prosecutions and disruptions of national security cyber threats emanating from China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea (among other U.S. adversaries); restructured and expanded NSD’s corporate enforcement program; and spearheaded the U.S. government’s approach to countering the threats posed by foreign adversary access to Americans’ sensitive bulk data. In addition to his work supervising investigations and prosecutions, David served for more than two years as DOJ’s regular representative to Assistant Secretary meetings of CFIUS; represented DOJ at dozens of National Security Council (NSC) meetings; and led administration-wide initiatives involving emerging technology, bulk data security, and countering foreign malign influence and transnational repression. In private practice, David has routinely advised clients on cybersecurity and data privacy matters including sensitive issues involving incident preparedness and response, emerging technology regulation, and economic espionage. In 2024, he delivered the capstone address at the U.S. Cyber Command Annual Legal Conference, in which he highlighted DOJ’s work countering nation state cyber threats. He has testified before Congress on the threats to national security posed by emerging technology, including serving as lead briefer for an all Member briefing on proposed legislation to address the national security risks posed by TikTok and other foreign adversary-controlled social media applications. He also served as the U.S. government’s lead representative in international meetings and initiatives to address the evolving threat landscape of foreign malign influence and transnational repression. Named several years ago as one of the top “40 under 40” figures in the data law bar around the world by Global Data Review, David’s commentary and thought leadership on law and technology have appeared in and been quoted in CNBC, The Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg, Corporate Counsel, Ethisphere, and Wired Magazine, among other publications. A former law clerk on the U.S. Supreme Court, David is routinely asked to advise clients on both the near-term and long-term implications of unsettled legal questions at the intersection of law and emerging technology.David’s practice also extends to advising on congressional oversight matters related to national security and emerging technology, including responding to congressional inquiries on behalf of large, multinational companies and preparing individuals for interviews and testimony in connection with congressional hearings and investigations. While in private practice, David advised leading company executives and other prominent individuals related to high-profile hearings and investigations of the Senate and House Judiciary Committee, among other congressional committees. In his positions in government, David regularly briefed congressional members and staff on sensitive national security developments and coordinated briefings and responses to congressional inquiries involving administration priorities.Earlier in his career, David held key national security legal and policy posts at the White House, including serving as Special Assistant and Associate Counsel to President Obama (2015–2017) and in multiple roles on the NSC staff (2013–2015). Throughout his tenure at the White House, David played a central role in coordinating the administration’s response to domestic and international crises including serving as Director for Counterterrorism, Acting Deputy Legal Advisor, and as Chief of Staff in the Office of the Ebola Response Coordinator. In his White House posts, David regularly advised the president and other senior administration officials on a range of complex matters affecting the federal government and oversaw a broad portfolio that spanned national security priorities, crisis response and preparedness planning, new data and technology initiatives, criminal justice policy, and civil rights litigation. He also helped the National Security Council to coordinate the U.S. government’s response to the largest Ebola outbreak in recorded history.David began his Executive Branch tenure as a career attorney in DOJ’s NSD. In his role as counsel to the Assistant Attorney General for National Security from 2011 to 2013, David helped counsel senior officials within DOJ and across the U.S. government on a wide array of matters—from high profile terrorism investigations and litigation involving government surveillance programs to matters before CFIUS. Prior to his Executive Branch service, David clerked for Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg of the U.S. Supreme Court, Judge Robert A. Katzmann of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, and Judge Jed S. Rakoff of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, and he also served as a litigator in private practice at an international law firm.David received his J.D. from Yale Law School and his B.A. summa cum laude from Columbia University.<h4>Selected Private Practice Matters</h4><ul><li>Advising a major U.S. telecommunications company that successfully obtained national security and other regulatory approvals at the federal and state levels in connection with a proposed merger.</li><li>Advising a major U.S. technology company facing exposure of sensitive customer information by a third-party vendor on its response to a vulnerability disclosure report.</li><li>Representing a leading U.S. company in a high-profile, multijurisdictional, government-facing bribery investigation in Africa.</li><li>Conducting cybersecurity tabletop exercises at the operator, executive, and board levels for Fortune 500 organizations in the healthcare, retail, and pharmaceutical sectors.</li><li>Counseling a major U.S. media company on cybersecurity matters.</li><li>Coordinating the work of an independent corporate compliance monitor for a large South American company in the wake of a multijurisdictional resolution with DOJ.</li><li>Advising a non-U.S. investor on CFIUS strategy and other regulatory issues arising out of a multi billion dollar investment in a major U.S. company.</li><li>Conducting pre-investment and pre-acquisition CFIUS due diligence in several multi-billion-dollar transactions in which a non-U.S. investor pursued positions in leading and emerging technology companies.</li></ul>

David Newman

Partner

Brandon L. Van Grack co-chairs Morrison Foerster’s National Security and Crisis Management groups. His practice focuses on investigations, criminal defense, and compliance matters involving export controls and sanctions, foreign investment, and cyber incidents. Brandon’s arrival to the firm follows more than a decade of service at the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), where he held multiple senior positions. In those positions, he helped manage the U.S. government’s tools to address perceived national security threats in China and Russia, oversaw every criminal investigation involving sanctions and export controls, and was Chief of DOJ’s Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) Unit.Brandon’s leadership and breadth of national security experience offers clients in the financial services, technology, artificial intelligence, defense, media, and communications sectors unmatched insider enforcement perspective across the entire national security landscape, including sanctions, the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS), export control, cybersecurity matters, and FARA.<blockquote>“Brandon sees around corners. He tells me where the government is going.” – Chambers USA</blockquote><h4>Investigations & White Collar Defense </h4>At the DOJ, Brandon led and supervised some of the government’s most significant corporate investigations and resolutions across the national security spectrum. As Counsel to the Assistant Attorney General for National Security, and a Trial Attorney in the Counterintelligence & Export Control Section, he worked on the resolution of almost every significant corporate matter pertaining to export control and sanctions violations in the last decade and is one of the few attorneys to have managed the DOJ’s Voluntary Self‑Disclosure Program for export control and sanctions violations. As Chief of the FARA Unit, he directed scores of investigations of companies for acting as unregistered foreign agents. A selection of Brandon’s investigation & white collar defense experience includes:<ul><li>Obtained closure letter from DOJ for Cole Engineering Services, a subsidiary of By Light Professional IT Services LLC, less than six months after federal agents executed a search warrant at the company as part of a DOJ investigation.</li><li>Obtained declination from DOJ’s Criminal Fraud Section and United States Attorney’s Office for a prominent advertising and marketing agency concerning allegations that the company insiders improperly obtained and used Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) funds.</li></ul><h4>Sanctions, Export Control, & Foreign Investment</h4>As Counsel to the Assistant Attorney General, Brandon oversaw every criminal investigation involving export control and sanctions and led the DOJ’s response to the Obama Administration’s rollback of sanctions targeting Iran—the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). As a Trial Attorney, he prosecuted more than 30 export control and sanctions cases, including first-ever cases involving North Korea, weapons of mass destruction, and the Atomic Energy Act. In the first Trump Administration, Brandon led DOJ’s review of transactions involving foreign influence before CFIUS and Team Telecom; he also managed the DOJ’s review of transactions before CFIUS during the Obama Administration. A selection of Brandon’s sanctions, export control, & foreign investment experience includes:<ul><li>Obtained declination from DOJ and Department of State for individual accused of violating the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) and brokering.  </li><li>Obtained declination from DOJ for CEO of a global technology company subject to criminal and civil investigations into alleged violations of the Export Administration Regulations (EAR).</li><li>Obtained license on an expedited timeline from the Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) for a U.S. technology and manufacturing company to winddown operations in Russia.</li><li>Represent global retailer to conduct internal investigation and draft disclosures to civil authorities pertaining to potential apparent violations of U.S. sanctions and export controls laws.</li><li>Developed U.S. sanctions compliance program for artificial intelligence company and advised on implementation, including ongoing support for compliance processes and procedures.</li><li>Led internal investigation and submitted response to OFAC subpoena for software development company regarding potential violations of multiple sanctions programs; obtained cautionary letter.</li><li>Conducted international investigation concerning federal and state material support statutes as well as related sanctions issues for prominent international organization.</li><li>Represented cryptocurrency exchange before CFIUS in one of the largest cryptocurrency-related transactions and first filing involving digital assets before the Committee.</li><li>Represented Kahoot!, a global learning platform company based in Norway, in CFIUS matters related to its acquisition of Clever Inc.</li></ul><h4>FARA & the Lobbying Disclosure Act</h4>As Chief of the FARA Unit in the first Trump Administration, and the first official to supervise all foreign influence matters across the DOJ, Brandon revitalized and transformed the enforcement of FARA. Following the DOJ’s announcement making FARA an enforcement priority, he supervised a team of 40 attorneys and staff that opened a record number of investigations, pursued a record number of enforcement actions, secured a record number of registrations, and obtained the first civil injunction involving FARA in nearly three decades. Brandon also directed the review of Lobbying Disclosure Act (LDA) filings for criminal violations and regulated the exemption under FARA for LDA registrants. He also wrote the book on FARA enforcement for the American Bar Association. A selection of Brandon’s FARA & Lobbying Disclosure Act experience includes:<ul><li>Obtained first-ever closure letter from DOJ FARA Unit for a technology company under investigation for potential FARA violations.</li><li>Obtained declination from DOJ for sports organization in connection with a FARA investigation. </li></ul><h4>Cybersecurity </h4>As a long-time prosecutor, including as a Special Assistant U.S. Attorney for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia, Brandon directed complex cyber investigations, including multiple matters involving state-sponsored cyber attacks. He prosecuted the first person convicted as a cyberterrorist and led the investigation of an international hacking group for identity theft, extortion, and dozens of spearphishing attacks against public and private entities. He also collaborated with other government agencies, such as the Securities and Exchange Commission, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Department of Homeland Security, to facilitate cooperation from corporate victims and disseminate threat information. A selection of Brandon’s cybersecurity experience includes:<ul><li>Obtained assistance from FBI and local enforcement for a data and analytics firm to disrupt cyber-enabled campaign of former employee targeting customers.</li></ul>During his time at the DOJ, Brandon handled the entire range of national security matters. He led and supervised investigations and prosecutions involving espionage, economic espionage, mishandling of classified information, and theft of trade secrets. He also directed investigations involving treason, mutiny, the Neutrality Act, and the Logan Act, and worked closely with the Department of Education on matters pertaining foreign influence, foreign funding, and national security.Brandon has been widely recognized for his deep experience in handling national security matters, and keynotes and speaks at industry conferences involving export control and sanctions, CFIUS, FARA, and political law. He has received numerous awards for his work, including the Attorney General’s Award for Distinguished Service (2018), the FBI Director’s Award for Outstanding Cyber Investigation (2017), the Director of National Counterintelligence’s Award for Excellence (2019), the Homeland Security Investigations Executive Associate Director’s Award for Outstanding Counterproliferation Investigation (2014), and five awards from the Assistant Attorney General for National Security.Brandon regularly provides insight on national security issues and DOJ matters with national media. He is a frequent contributor on cable news, including MSNBC’s The Rachel Maddow Show, Deadline: Whitehouse and All In with Chris Hayes, ABC's Good Morning America, NBC's Meet the Press, CNN, BBC News, Sky News and NHK World. He also regularly appears on NPR’s Morning Edition. He has been quoted on a variety of national security topics in the Wall Street Journal, New York Times, and Washington Post, among others,Brandon is also a Contributing Editor to the Lawfare blog and co-host of <a href="https://www.lawfaremedia.org/podcasts-multimedia/podcast/the-regulators-series" target="_blank">The Regulators</a> podcast, where he speaks with key U.S. government regulators in the national security space, including leaders at OFAC, CFIUS, the Bureau of Industry and Security, DOJ, FinCEN, the Office of Information and Communications Technology and Services (ICTS), and FBI.

Brandon L. Van Grack

Bob Litt, a former official at the Department of Justice and in the Intelligence Community, is Of Counsel based in Morrison Foerster’s Washington D.C. Office. Bob is a co-chair of the firm’s Crisis Management practice and a member of the firm’s Data, Cyber + Privacy and National Security practices. He advises industry-leading organizations on sensitive national security and privacy matters, white-collar investigations, and government enforcement actions.Bob has extensive experience advising clients on national security matters, including those relating to cybersecurity, surveillance, and privacy. In addition, he also has significant experience in civil and criminal litigation as well as investigations. He has taught at Columbia Law School's National Security Law Program and Yale Law School.Prior to joining Morrison Foerster, Bob was General Counsel for the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI), giving him a strong understanding of the intelligence community and its equities. Bob was unanimously confirmed by the Senate for this role, in which he oversaw a team of attorneys providing legal advice to the agency and led interagency national security meetings.As spokesman for the intelligence community both domestically and overseas on issues relating to surveillance and privacy, Bob was a key member of the U.S. team that negotiated the EU-U.S. Privacy Shield with the European Commission. This experience uniquely positions him to advise U.S. companies on the intricacies of European privacy rules and foreign companies on U.S. privacy rules.Prior to joining ODNI, Bob worked at the Department of Justice, serving as Deputy Assistant Attorney General in the Criminal Division and as the Principal Associate Deputy Attorney General. He also served as special advisor to the Assistant Secretary of State for European and Canadian Affairs. Bob was also an Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York.Due to his extensive government experience, Bob has become a regular commentator on national security issues for many renowned news organizations. Bob is a regular contributor on cable news, with appearances on <a href="https://www.mofo.com/resources/video-audio/220831-justice-department-reveals-33-boxes">CNN’s Erin Burnett OutFront</a>, <a href="https://www.mofo.com/resources/video-audio/200220-political-loyalty-expertise-odni">MSNBC</a><a href="https://www.mofo.com/resources/video-audio/200220-political-loyalty-expertise-odni">’s</a><a href="https://www.mofo.com/resources/video-audio/200220-political-loyalty-expertise-odni">The Rachel Maddow Show</a>, and <a href="https://www.mofo.com/resources/video-audio/180315-mueller-subpoenas-trump">CBS Evening News</a>. He has been featured in numerous publications such as <a href="https://www.mofo.com/resources/news/200804-protester-surveillance-may-test-constitutional-privacy">Bloomberg Law</a>, <a href="https://www.mofo.com/resources/news/200810-enhanced-privacy-shield">IAPP</a>, <a href="https://www.mofo.com/resources/news/190308-manafort-sentence-judges-special-counsel">Law 360</a>, <a href="https://www.mofo.com/resources/news/200223-national-security-wiretap-system">New York Times</a>, <a href="https://www.mofo.com/resources/news/191106-trump-legally-whistleblower">NPR</a>, and <a href="https://www.mofo.com/resources/news/200226-trumps-intelligence-war">The Atlantic</a>.In addition to his prolific government service, Bob has also had an extensive career in private practice as a partner at two global law firms, including leading a white-collar practice. He began his legal career as a law clerk for Judge Edward Weinfeld in the Southern District of New York and for Justice Potter Stewart of the U.S. Supreme Court. He holds a B.A. from Harvard College and an M.A. and J.D. from Yale University.

Robert Litt

Of Counsel

Crisis Management