Morrison & Foerster Partners John Carlin and David Newman Appointed to “Day One” Senior Leadership Roles in the U.S. Department of Justice

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Morrison & Foerster, a leading global law firm, is pleased to announce that partners John Carlin and David Newman have been named to “Day One” U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) leadership roles, as Acting Deputy Attorney General and Associate Deputy Attorney General, respectively. Mr. Carlin will lead the Deputy Attorney General’s office until the Senate confirmation of Lisa O. Monaco, after which he will assume the critical role of Principal Associate Deputy Attorney General. In addition to being part of the senior DOJ leadership, Mr. Newman’s portfolio as Associate Deputy Attorney General will cover national security, cybersecurity, and crisis management.

“We are extremely proud to see two Morrison & Foerster partners answer the call of public service and join the new administration in such crucial roles,” said Larren M. Nashelsky, chair of Morrison & Foerster. “Faced with unprecedented challenges, they have returned to guide the Department on day one. We extend our warmest congratulations to them and are grateful for their contributions to the firm. They are both lawyers of the highest caliber, whose hard-work, diligence, and integrity are unwavering.”

Prior to joining Morrison & Foerster in 2017, Mr. Carlin served, among other top-level official positions, as former Assistant Attorney General for DOJ’s National Security Division (NSD)—a role in which he oversaw nearly 400 employees responsible for protecting the nation against terrorism, espionage, and cyber, and other national security threats—and as former Chief of Staff to then-FBI Director Robert S. Mueller, III, where he helped lead the FBI’s evolution to meet growing and changing national security threats, including cyber threats. Mr. Newman, who also joined the firm in 2017, previously held several key posts at the White House, including serving as Special Assistant and Associate Counsel to President Obama and in multiple positions on the staff of the National Security Council. Throughout his tenure at the White House, he played a central role in coordinating the Obama administration’s response to domestic and international crises, including serving as Chief of Staff in the Office of the Ebola Response Coordinator. Mr. Newman also served as career attorney at DOJ in the leadership of NSD.

Morrison & Foerster is pleased to announce the appointment of Robert Litt and Alex Iftimie as co-chairs of the firm’s Global Risk and Crisis Management Group, a multidisciplinary practice group that guides clients through crises of the highest levels, including cybersecurity threats, national security threats, white collar criminal investigations, counseling, compliance, and enforcement, product, workplace, and environmental safety, as well as workplace misconduct investigations.

“Robert and Alex have been instrumental in the group’s operation in the past several years and will be tremendous leaders of the practice moving forward. The combination of their senior experience in government and private practice is invaluable to our clients when they navigate complex challenges,” said Brad Wine, Global Co-Chair of Morrison & Foerster’s Litigation Department. “I also look forward to further additions to the group in coming weeks, following the recent arrival of Brian Kidd, the latest senior DOJ official to join the firm and D.C. office in the past several years.”

Mr. Litt, a former General Counsel for the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI), joined the firm in 2017. He regularly advises industry-leading organizations on sensitive national security and privacy matters, white collar investigations, and government enforcement actions. In his role at ODNI, Mr. Litt oversaw a team of attorneys providing legal advice to the agency and led interagency national security meetings. He is also an Adjunct Research Scholar in Columbia Law School's National Security Law Program. Mr. Litt is an experienced former federal prosecutor who held multiple senior roles at DOJ earlier in his career.

Mr. Iftimie, who joined Morrison & Foerster in early 2019, advises clients on sensitive cyber and U.S. national security matters, internal investigations, and government enforcement actions. He advises Fortune 500 and high-growth clients on all aspects of breach preparedness and response, including counseling executives on cybersecurity governance and risk management, and responding to cyber incidents ranging from ransomware attacks to nation-state sponsored economic espionage. Prior to joining the firm, Mr. Iftimie held multiple senior positions at DOJ, including Counselor to the Attorney General, and Deputy Chief of Staff and Counsel to the Assistant Attorney General for National Security, and as Special Assistant United States Attorney in the Eastern District of Virginia.