Sidley Austin LLP provides a comprehensive data risk offering, from governance and compliance to defending enforcement and investigations. The firm is particularly adept in cybersecurity incident response and national security-related data matters, frequently handling nation-state threat activity, government investigations, and classified information issues. The practice is primarily based in Washington DC, led by David Lashway, who is well-versed in national security-aligned data governance, cybersecurity crisis management, and blockchain cyber risk. John Woods has longstanding experience advising retail, defense, and aerospace companies on cybersecurity, data protection, and national security matters. Colleen Theresa Brown defends FTC and AG enforcement actions, regulatory investigations, and litigation, as well as AI governance and data security mandates. Jennifer Seale is the name to note for cyber incident response and crisis management, while Michael Hochman brings a government perspective from his previous role at the White House when assisting critical infrastructure operators and global technology companies on federal cyber-resilience, AI governance, and emerging policy frameworks.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary
Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
‘It's the people. Deep understanding of strategic issues and potential problems.'
‘David Lashway is very strategic and deeply connected. Thinks far ahead.’
‘Team is responsive, shows initiative, strategic, and a good partner to the client.’
‘Colleen Brown is very personable, responsive, thoughtful, and strategic.'
'Mitchell Noordyke is very tech-savvy, works well with both in-house counsel and business leaders, responsive, and prioritizes client needs.’
‘Dave Lashway is technically superb and enormously experienced in managing big cyber investigations.'
Key clients
- Walmart, Inc.
- United Airlines, Inc.
- Fidelity Investments
- Mastercard
- Hilton Worldwide Holdings, Inc.
- Clearlake Capital Group
- Macquarie Asset Management
- Azimut Group
- Ohio Farmers Insurance Company
- ABB
- Univision Communications
- Grifols
Work highlights
Leading ABB’s global incident-response and recovery strategy, coordinating law enforcement and regulatory engagement across seventy-six jurisdictions, and directing the company’s forensic investigation, crisis communications, and multi-jurisdictional notification program.
Representing major financial services and insurance defendants, including Fidelity, Genworth, and American General, crafted unified briefing strategies on threshold jurisdictional and statutory issues, led negotiations on discovery protocols and protective orders, and coordinated defense alignment among more than one hundred corporate defendants.
Served as lead litigation counsel, developing and advancing the argument that plaintiffs failed to establish any actionable disclosure of personally identifiable information and could not meet the commonality requirements of Rule 23 of the Federal Rule of Civil Procedure.
Lawyers
Hall of Fame
The lawyers at the very top of the profession, widely known and respected by peers and clients for their longstanding involvement in market-leading work.
Practice head
David Lashway; William Long
Other key lawyers
Colleen Brown; Mitchell Noordyke; Michael Hochman; Jennifer Seale; John Woods