ALAN RAUL is the founder and leader of Sidley’s highly ranked Privacy and Cybersecurity practice. He represents companies on federal, state and international privacy, cybersecurity and digital technology issues. His practice includes global data protection compliance programs, data breaches, and crisis management. Alan advises companies and boards regarding their cybersecurity preparedness, digital governance, transactional due diligence, and emerging data technologies like AI and facial recognition. Alan is also a Lecturer on Law at Harvard Law School where he teaches a course on "Digital Governance: Privacy and Technology Trade-offs."
Alan’s practice involves litigation, regulatory defense, internal investigations, strategic counseling and policy advocacy. He handles consumer class actions, enforcement matters, and public policy involving the FTC, State Attorneys General, SEC, FCC, HHS, DOJ, international data protection authorities and other government agencies. He also represents clients on cyber matters before the FBI, NSA and DHS/CISA.
Alan provides clients with perspective gained from extensive government service. He previously served as Vice Chairman of the White House Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board, General Counsel of the Office of Management and Budget, General Counsel of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and Associate Counsel to the President. Alan maintains an active national security clearance.
Alan serves as a member of the Technology Litigation Advisory Committee of the U.S. Chamber Litigation Center (affiliated with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce). He also serves on the American Bar Association’s Cybersecurity Legal Task Force by appointment of the ABA President, and as a member of the Practising Law Institute’s Privacy Law Advisors Group. He is a member of the governing Board of Directors of the Future of Privacy Forum. Alan is also a member of the Council on Foreign Relations.
Alan represented Yahoo!’s Board of Directors, Special Cybersecurity Committee, in connection with its independent investigation of the company’s handling of the two largest data breaches ever reported. Alan represented AT&T in In the Matter of a Warrant to Search Certain E-mail Account Controlled and Maintained by Microsoft Corporation. And, invoking “the interest of justice,” Judge Amy Berman Jackson appointed Alan as pro bono counsel to represent the privacy rights of federal jurors in connection with a high profile criminal litigation, In re: Juror Questionnaires in United States v. Stone. The following representative types of matters are also illustrative of the breadth of Alan’s practice:
- FTC, State Attorney General and international DPA investigations involving consumer protection, privacy, data security and unfair or deceptive business practices
- Digital Governance counseling
- Privacy and cybersecurity litigation, data breach incidents, regulatory investigations and compliance counseling
- International data protection compliance programs and cross-border transfers
- SEC, DOJ, Congressional and Inspector General investigations
- Cybersecurity, government information requests and national security issues
- Internet and technology litigation and counseling, and government information requests, under Electronic Communications Privacy Act and the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act
- Administrative Procedure Act litigation, regulatory advocacy and counseling
In addition to leading Sidley's highly ranked “Privacy and Data Security” practice, as rated by Chambers Global and Chambers USA, Alan is ranked by Chambers in its first tier of Privacy and Data Security practitioners. Chambers USA has described Alan as a “true ‘ambassador’ for the privacy sector” who “attracts praise for his deep knowledge of the field. Interviewees stress that ‘he gives invaluable advice’ and is known to be a strong litigator. He also earns plaudits for his regulatory compliance and data protection policy expertise.” He has been named as a leading international Internet and E-Commerce Lawyer in Who’s Who Legal. Alan was also named to Ethisphere Institute’s “Attorneys Who Matter” in Data Privacy/Security, which recognizes lawyers with the highest commitment to public service, legal community engagement and academic involvement. The Washingtonian has named Alan one of Washington, D.C.’s Best Lawyers: Cybersecurity, and the National Law Journal named him a “Cyber Security Trailblazer.”
Alan is a founding member of Checks and Balances, a group of conservative lawyers dedicated to speaking up in defense of the rule of law regardless of the party or persons in power.
In 1990, Alan co-founded the “Lawyers Have Heart” 10K run and walk, to benefit the American Heart Association. He continues his active involvement with the event.