Demian Ahn

Demian Ahn is Of Counsel in the Washington, D.C., office of Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, where he is a member of the firm’s privacy and cybersecurity practice. Demian’s practice focuses on the representation of companies confronting cybersecurity risks, including risks from threat actors, regulatory risks from governmental bodies, and litigation risks related to data privacy regulations and cybersecurity breaches. He also provides advice and advocacy for clients needing to respond to law enforcement requests for data. Demian is focused on emerging cybersecurity regulations and the government’s expanding enforcement efforts related to cybersecurity. He helps companies navigate this increasingly complex regulatory environment so they can remain focused on innovation, growth, and profitability. For most of his career at the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Demian was a Computer Hacking and Intellectual Property Prosecutor and National Security-Cyber Specialist. He led groundbreaking prosecutions of advanced persistent threat (APT) actors who targeted companies, universities, and U.S. government agencies and officials. He also handled matters involving cybersecurity-related export control violations, procured the seizure of servers and domains used by terrorists and cyber criminals, and led investigations into organized identity theft rings. Demian’s prosecutions led to convictions of the individual responsible for the largest known computer intrusion and data theft from the United States Senate; of multiple hackers who targeted banks and other financial services firms; and of individuals who carried out ransomware attacks. In addition, he prosecuted cases involving other internet-related conduct, including crimes inspired by internet conspiracy theories and cyberstalking offenses motivated by racial and religious bias. Demian’s CFAA and ECPA expertise was highly regarded in the Department of Justice, and federal law enforcement agencies across the country sought his assistance in matters that required novel evidence collection and prosecutorial strategies. He was a member of the Ransomware Action Network of the Executive Office for U.S. Attorneys, was invited faculty at the National Security Division’s training for National Security Cyber Specialists, and has presented about cybercrime before groups such as the National Association of Attorneys General and the National Association of Former United States Attorneys. Prior to joining the Department of Justice, Demian worked at a prominent multinational law firm, where he represented clients in high-stakes litigation and investigations, including matters before Congress, federal and state regulatory bodies, and federal and state trial and appellate courts. Following law school, Demian clerked for the Honorable Frederick J. Martone of U.S. District Court for the District of Arizona. During law school, he served as a law clerk for the South African Human Rights Commission in Durban, South Africa.