White House Senior Director of Cybersecurity, Ari Schwartz, Joins Venable

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Oct 09, 2015, 05:47 ET

WASHINGTON, Oct. 9, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Venable announced today that Ari Schwartz, Senior Director for Cybersecurity at the White House, will join the firm as Managing Director of Cybersecurity Services.

Mr. Schwartz is a well-known leader in the cybersecurity community, having played a major role in formulating the Obama Administration's cybersecurity and technology policy. In his tenure at the White House, he has been responsible for coordinating all network defense cybersecurity policy, including critical infrastructure protection, federal network protection, supply-chain efforts, cybersecurity standards promotion, and information sharing.

"Ari's depth of experience in the Cybersecurity area will provide clients with useful insights and services to help them protect their assets in this complex and rapidly changing area," said firm Chairman James L. Shea.

Mr. Schwartz will work with Venable attorneys, including litigators, former regulators, and legislative advisors, to provide companies with a holistic approach to addressing cybersecurity issues. In his role as the Managing Director of Cybersecurity Services, Mr. Schwartz will provide cybersecurity consulting services for the firm, assisting organizations with understanding and development of risk management strategies, including implementation of the White House's Cybersecurity Framework and other planning tools to help minimize risk.

Ari joins Venable's Privacy and Data Security Practice Group, the original and deepest privacy practice in the United States. Ari will build on and expand the services of this group and numerous practices throughout the firm. His addition builds upon other recent hires from the government with deep experience in Internet law and policy issues, with deep credentials in the privacy, data security, and cybersecurity areas. They include:

The Honorable David Strickland, former Administrator of NHTSA and Senior Counsel to the Senate Commerce Subcommittee on Consumer Protection
The Honorable Senator Mark Pryor, former Chairman of the Senate Commerce Subcommittees on Consumer Protection and Telecommunications and the Internet
Erik Jones, former Counsel and Policy Advisor to Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan on privacy and data security issues, and Counsel to the House and Senate Commerce Committees

"I have worked with Ari for many years in his various government roles and when he worked with the Center for Democracy and Technology and always found him to be thoughtful and effective in his approach to complex issues," said Stuart P. Ingis, Partner-in-Charge of Venable's Washington office. "Ari has unparalleled background and experience in the cybersecurity and related areas and has a lot to offer clients."

Venable LLP is an American Lawyer 100 law firm headquartered in Washington, DC, with offices in California, Delaware, Maryland, New York, and Virginia. Our lawyers and legislative advisors serve the needs of domestic and international clients in all areas of corporate and business law, complex litigation, intellectual property, regulatory matters, and government affairs.