Michael Sussmann
Partner, Perkins Coie
Michael Sussmann, formerly with the U.S. Department of Justice, is a nationally-recognized privacy, cybersecurity and national security attorney. He is engaged on some of the most sophisticated, high-stakes matters today, such as his representation of the Democratic National Committee and Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign in their responses to Russian hacking in the 2016 presidential election. This work was detailed in the best-selling books The Apprentice (2018), The Perfect Weapon (2018), Russian Roulette (2018), and Hacks (2017).
Michael has been ranked as a “Privacy and Data Security Expert” in the Chambers Global and Chambers USA directories. He is often quoted in The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal and other media. His legal work has been cited by investigative reporters in two other important books: Power Wars (2015) and Dragnet Nation (2015). He has provided Congressional testimony and litigated national security cases in federal court.
Michael regularly conducts extensive corporate privacy and cybersecurity reviews and represents Fortune 100 companies before the FTC, U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), state attorneys general and congressional committees. He is a former cybercrime prosecutor who assists many of the world's biggest companies in their responses to sophisticated network intrusions. In that regard, he provides a full range of counseling concerning prevention, response, mitigation, breach notification, regulator inquiries and other risks and obligations that can flow from network intrusions.
Michael advises phone companies, email and wireless providers, and social networks on privacy, security and all aspects of regulatory compliance. He has particular experience in surveillance issues relating to the Electronic Communications Privacy Act, the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) and National Security Letters.
Michael’s national security portfolio includes counseling on the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act and other national security laws, government contracting, foreign-based investments in or threats to U.S. infrastructure, and handling of classified information.
For 12 years, prior to joining the firm, Michael held several positions within the Department of Justice. He was a senior counsel in the Computer Crime & Intellectual Property Section, where he investigated and prosecuted computer intrusions and other internet-related crimes. At the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia, Michael prosecuted white collar and violent crimes, and conducted grand jury investigations and jury trials. Michael began his work at DOJ as special assistant to the assistant attorney general for the Criminal Division. Michael was a contributing author to DOJ's manuals on Prosecuting Computer Crimes, Searching and Seizing Computers and Obtaining Electronic Evidence in Criminal Investigations and Prosecuting Intellectual Property Crimes.
Michael began his legal career in New York, in the litigation department at Proskauer Rose LLP.
Michael has been ranked as a “Privacy and Data Security Expert” in the Chambers Global and Chambers USA directories. He is often quoted in The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal and other media. His legal work has been cited by investigative reporters in two other important books: Power Wars (2015) and Dragnet Nation (2015). He has provided Congressional testimony and litigated national security cases in federal court.
Michael regularly conducts extensive corporate privacy and cybersecurity reviews and represents Fortune 100 companies before the FTC, U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), state attorneys general and congressional committees. He is a former cybercrime prosecutor who assists many of the world's biggest companies in their responses to sophisticated network intrusions. In that regard, he provides a full range of counseling concerning prevention, response, mitigation, breach notification, regulator inquiries and other risks and obligations that can flow from network intrusions.
Michael advises phone companies, email and wireless providers, and social networks on privacy, security and all aspects of regulatory compliance. He has particular experience in surveillance issues relating to the Electronic Communications Privacy Act, the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) and National Security Letters.
Michael’s national security portfolio includes counseling on the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act and other national security laws, government contracting, foreign-based investments in or threats to U.S. infrastructure, and handling of classified information.
For 12 years, prior to joining the firm, Michael held several positions within the Department of Justice. He was a senior counsel in the Computer Crime & Intellectual Property Section, where he investigated and prosecuted computer intrusions and other internet-related crimes. At the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia, Michael prosecuted white collar and violent crimes, and conducted grand jury investigations and jury trials. Michael began his work at DOJ as special assistant to the assistant attorney general for the Criminal Division. Michael was a contributing author to DOJ's manuals on Prosecuting Computer Crimes, Searching and Seizing Computers and Obtaining Electronic Evidence in Criminal Investigations and Prosecuting Intellectual Property Crimes.
Michael began his legal career in New York, in the litigation department at Proskauer Rose LLP.