Mayer Brown has appointed Raj De as the managing partner of the firm’s office in Washington D.C., which has more than 200 lawyers.
De succeeds partner Daniel Masur, who has held the role since 2013 and will continue to play a key role in the firm’s Technology Transactions practice.
“I'm thrilled to lead Mayer Brown here in Washington, the epicenter of many of the highest stakes and most complex legal, regulatory and policy challenges faced by our firm’s global clients,” De said. “The firm’s Washington office is home to a diverse and highly skilled group of lawyers, including several former senior government officials, who have a long track record assisting clients with high-profile investigations, enforcement actions and litigation, as well as providing behind-the-scenes strategic, policy and regulatory counseling. Together we plan to continue to expand our client base, attract top legal talent and further solidify Mayer Brown’s stature in the Washington market.”
With more than two decades of experience in private practice and public service, De has a long legacy of leadership success. At Mayer Brown, he serves as the leader of the firm’s global Cybersecurity & Data Privacy practice, a co-leader of the firm’s National Security practice and a member of the Congressional Investigations & Crisis Management team. He focuses his practice on cutting-edge legal and policy issues at the nexus of technology, national security, law enforcement and privacy. As an experienced Washington counsel, he often assists clients on a broad range of sensitive, significant and high-profile matters.
Before rejoining Mayer Brown in 2015, De held senior appointments in the White House and the Departments of Justice and Defense. Most recently, he served as general counsel of the U.S. National Security Agency, where he supervised an office of 100 lawyers and staff.
Previously, he served in the White House as staff secretary and deputy assistant to former President Barack Obama. He also has significant Congressional experience, having served as counsel to the 9/11 Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the U.S. and counsel to a special bipartisan staff of the U.S. Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. Earlier in his career at Mayer Brown, he served on a pro bono basis as general counsel to the Commission on the Prevention of Weapons of Mass Destruction Proliferation and Terrorism.
“Raj’s leadership experience in both government and private practice will be invaluable as he takes on this new role as the leader of our Washington office,” Mayer Brown Chairman Paul Theiss said. “Through his extensive legal and policy experience, Raj has built a reputation as one of the most trusted voices in Washington. His strong business and community relationships will help him maintain the momentum of Dan Masur’s outstanding work in enhancing Mayer Brown’s leading position in the Washington market.
Building upon his Washington legal and policy experience, De serves in a variety of high-profile roles outside the firm, including as a senior advisor to the Homeland Security & Defense Business Council, a member of the board of directors of the Southern Center for Human Rights, a member of the board of advisors of NYU School of Law Center on Law and Security, a member of the ABA Standing Committee on Law and National Security, and a member of the Central Intelligence Agency General Counsel’s external advisory board. De has also received a number of honors for his public service.
Mayer Brown’s Washington DC office serves the interests of the firm’s global, national and local clients across a broad range of practice areas. The office continues to expand on its top-tier practices in such areas as antitrust, congressional investigations, corporate and finance, cybersecurity and data privacy, environmental, export controls and sanctions, financial services regulatory and enforcement, government contracts, immigration, international trade, intellectual property, litigation, national security, real estate, securities enforcement, tax and technology transactions.