Wiley Expands Cybersecurity, TMT Practices With Former FBI Senior National Security & Cyber Counsel Jacqueline ‘Lyn’ Brown

October 18, 2021

Washington, DC – Wiley, a preeminent D.C. law firm, announced that Jacqueline “Lyn” Brown has joined the firm’s Privacy, Cyber & Data Governance and Telecom, Media & Technology (TMT) practices as Special Counsel. Brown is the former Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Acting Chief of the Cyber Law Unit, which provides legal advice to the FBI’s Cyber Division, and Senior Counsel at the National Cyber Investigative Joint Task Force, which coordinates whole-of-government campaigns to protect the United States and its allies from malicious cyber intrusions. Brown joins Wiley at a critical inflection point in federal cyber and privacy policy, as businesses of all types face increasing cybersecurity threats, emerging regulatory obligations, and landmark legislative requirements.

During her time in federal service, Brown played key roles in protecting the U.S. by advising senior Executive branch officials on cybersecurity, government surveillance, ransomware matters, ethics, insider threat issues, data protection, fiscal law, national security, and government contracts. Some of those roles included General Counsel to the President's Intelligence Advisory Board in the Executive Office of the President; FBI Acting Privacy Officer; Acting Deputy General Counsel for the FBI’s General Law Branch; Brown has also managed four law units within the Bureau including cyber, terrorist screening, counterterrorism, and classified litigation, where she supervised large teams and acted as special counsel to four FBI General Counsels.

“We are delighted to welcome Lyn to our team,” said TMT Practice co-chairs Kathleen A. Kirby and Ambassador David A. Gross. “Having spent over 26 years advising senior government officials on cybersecurity, national security, artificial intelligence, and the use of emerging technologies, Lyn brings both deep expertise and an insider perspective that will be immensely beneficial to our clients. We are extraordinarily proud to have attracted one of the government’s most knowledgeable and experienced cyber advisers to join our world class privacy and cybersecurity team.”

Brown’s practice will focus on advising Wiley’s diverse client base of tech and communications companies, critical infrastructure owners and operators, and government contractors on cybersecurity and privacy risk management, data governance, global law enforcement issues, supply chain and IT security, incident response, government investigations, and litigation.

“I’m extremely excited to go into private practice again,” said Lyn Brown. “Wiley’s TMT, Cyber and Privacy practices are well-known for being ahead of the curve. I like the way they approach problem-solving for sophisticated clients and entire industries, and I am truly excited to work alongside them.”

While in the FBI, Brown also served as the Acting Section Chief for Counterterrorism Law and was Chief Counsel to the FBI’s Terrorist Screening Center. During that time, she created the U.S. government’s watchlist and national security screening guidance. Earlier in her career, she served as senior counsel to the Central Intelligence Agency after the terrorist attacks of 9/11 and she helped draft the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act. She subsequently became the first FBI attorney detailed to help stand up the Office of the Director of National Intelligence. She also served as the Senior Counterterrorism Legal Advisor at the National Counterterrorism Center focusing on cyber, data management, information security, risk management, and information sharing. Before entering public service, Brown was in private practice specializing in international law and aviation mass disaster litigation.

Brown earned her J.D. from the University of Florida, where she served on the Journal of Law and Public Policy and the International Law Journal. She received her M.A. from the Johns Hopkins University and her B.A. from The University of Florida.