Lowenstein Sandler LLP announced today that Kathleen A. McGee, previously chief of the Bureau of Internet & Technology for the New York State Attorney General’s Office, has joined the firm as counsel in Emerging Companies & Venture Capital (fka, The Tech Group) and the White Collar Criminal Defense practice.
McGee’s career as a technology and regulatory attorney dates back nearly two decades and has involved multiple government positions in New York. As head of the Bureau of Internet & Technology, she established the office as a leader in the regulation and policy of privacy, consumer protection, and data security. She developed and directed significant litigation and enforcement initiatives and testified before the U.S. House of Representatives following the Equifax data breach.
“Kathleen will be a strong asset to our Tech and White Collar teams, particularly as we continue to provide strong compliance guidance to clients faced with an ever-evolving regulatory landscape,” said Ed Zimmerman, Chair of the firm’s Emerging Companies & Venture Capital (fka, The Tech Group). “Kathleen’s extensive experience with government agencies in the New York area is impressive, and it shows that she has a strong grasp of emerging issues such as cryptocurrency, data security, and telemedicine.”
McGee has deep knowledge of matters involving unfair, deceptive, or abusive acts and practices (UDAAPs), as well as the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Rule (COPPA), the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Federal Communications Commission, and the Federal Trade Commission. She also joins a growing slate of former prosecutors at Lowenstein Sandler, including two former New Jersey Attorneys General: Christopher Porrino, who rejoined the firm in January as Chair of the Litigation Department, and Anne Milgram, who has served as special counsel since August 2017.
“Increasingly, white collar and litigation matters are inextricably linked to technology, which makes Kathleen a great addition to our firm,” said Michael B. Himmel, Chair of Lowenstein Sandler’s White Collar Criminal Defense group. “Kathleen’s background and experience have equipped her with an in-depth understanding of the courtroom and internal investigations.”
Before joining the Attorney General’s office, McGee spent more than six years in the Office of Special Enforcement in the New York City Mayor’s Office, including as director and lead counsel for nearly three years. She supervised a legal team with a focus on intellectual property and civil nuisance matters, including landmark deceptive practices litigation for illegal hotel operations, a lawsuit against an entire city block of private property being used as a counterfeit trademark bazaar, and first-impression litigation against self-storage locations for counterfeit trademark activity.
“Joining Lowenstein Sandler is an opportunity to be a part of an organization dedicated to building and innovation,” McGee said. “That dedication has led the firm to create a truly unique Tech Group that’s a leader in New York and nationally, and to form a team of white collar defense lawyers made up of former public servants with strong reputations. I look forward to helping the firm grow its regulatory compliance practice.”
McGee received her J.D. from Boston University School of Law, her M.A. from the University of Chicago, and her B.A. from Sarah Lawrence College.
