Professional Biography
David Aaron

David Aaron Senior Counsel

  • Washington, D.C.

    T +1.202.654.6200

    F +1.202.624.9520

    Washington, D.C.

    700 13th Street, NW, Suite 800

    Washington, DC 20005-3960

    +1.202.654.6200

    DAaron@perkinscoie.com

  • New York

    T +1.212.262.6900

    F +1.212.977.1649

    New York

    1155 Avenue of the Americas, 22nd Floor

    New York, NY 10036-2711

    +1.212.262.6900

    DAaron@perkinscoie.com

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Overview

David Aaron is a former federal prosecutor with the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), National Security Division and a former Manhattan Assistant District Attorney. His experience includes investigating and litigating cases involving Espionage Act violations, malicious cyber activity such as data breaches and destructive attacks, economic espionage, insider threats, undisclosed foreign government influence, and export control violations. David is frequently interviewed by leading media outlets, including ABC News, Bloomberg News, CBS News, CNN, MSNBC, The New York Times, The Washington Post, and Reuters among others, for his insights into prominent national security cases and investigations.

In addition to the Espionage Act and Economic Espionage Act, David possesses deep knowledge of the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act (CFAA), Electronic Communication Privacy Act (ECPA), and related data security and privacy authorities including the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA). David has substantial experience working with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD), and the U.S. Intelligence Community.

While serving as a national security attorney, David advised senior leadership on security threats and developed and implemented data privacy compliance programs.

Among other distinctions, David was the recipient of multiple Assistant Attorney General’s Awards and two Attorney General’s Awards for Distinguished Service. He holds a Certified Information Privacy Professional/United States (CIPP/US) certification, was a fellow in Advanced Cyber Studies at the Center for Strategic and International Studies and in the Center for Biosecurity’s Emerging Leaders in Biosecurity Initiative, and earned a master’s degree in cybersecurity from Brown University, where he received the Master’s Award for Professional Excellence.

Professional Recognition

  • Assistant Attorney General’s Award for Excellence, 2018, 2020, 2021
  • Attorney General’s Award for Distinguished Service, 2015, 2019
  • National Intelligence Analysis Award, Director of National Intelligence, 2015
  • Assistant Attorney General’s Award for Exceptional Service, 2014
  • Certificate of Appreciation from Director, Federal Bureau of Investigation, 2014
  • Assistant Attorney General’s Award for Distinguished Service, 2012, 2013
  • Assistant Attorney General’s Award for Special Commendation, 2009

Professional Leadership

  • Roger Williams University School of Law, Adjunct Professor, Computer Crime

  • Ransomware Task Force Cryptocurrency Working Group, Member 

  • Certified Information Privacy Professional/United States (CIPP/US) through the International Association of Privacy Professionals (IAPP)

  • Brown University School of Professional Studies, Providence, RI, Graduate Teaching Associate, Cybersecurity Law & Policy, 2018 – 2020

  • Center for Strategic and International Studies, Washington, D.C., Fellow, Advanced Cyber Studies, 2017 – 2018

  • Center for Biosecurity of the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Baltimore, MD, Fellow, Emerging Leaders in Biosecurity Initiative, 2012

Related Employment

  • U.S. Department of Justice, National Security Division, Counterintelligence and Export Control Section, Washington, D.C., National Coordinator, Non-Traditional Collector Threat, 2020 – 2022; Acting Deputy Chief for Counterintelligence, 2021; Trial Attorney, 2014 – 2022; served as Liaison to the FBI Cyber Division, the National Cyber Investigative Joint Task Force, and the National Counterintelligence Task Force
  • U.S. Department of Justice, Criminal Division, Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section, Washington, D.C., Trial Attorney (Detail Assignment), Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section, 2014
  • U.S. Department of Justice, National Security Division, Washington, D.C., Attorney, Office of Intelligence, 2005 – 2014; Office of Law and Policy (Detail Assignment), 2011 – 2014
  • U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia, Alexandria, VA, Special Assistant U.S. Attorney (Detail Assignment), 2007 – 2008
  • New York County District Attorney’s Office, New York, NY, Assistant District Attorney, Appeals Bureau and Trial Bureau 50, 2000 – 2005

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Bar and Court Admissions

  • District of Columbia
  • New York
  • Rhode Island

Education

  • Brown University, Executive Master, Cybersecurity, 2018
  • Fordham University School of Law, J.D., cum laude, Order of the Coif, 2000, Fordham Law Review
  • Wesleyan University, B.A., College of Social Studies, 1995