SENIOR JUSTICE DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL ARUN G. RAO JOINS MAYER BROWN

Mayer Brown announced today that Arun G. Rao is joining the firm as a partner in its Global Investigations & White Collar Defense practice. Arun, who has held a series of distinguished government positions, most recently served as a Deputy Assistant Attorney General in the US Department of Justice’s Civil Division, where he oversaw the agency’s Consumer Protection Branch. He will focus on cutting-edge government investigations and criminal and civil enforcement actions, including fraud and consumer protection matters involving the DOJ, Federal Trade Commission, US Food and Drug Administration, US Consumer Product Safety Commission, US Department of Transportation, and others, and high-stakes white collar work. Arun will reside in the firm’s Washington DC office.

Arun previously served in the White House Counsel’s Office and as Chief of the Southern Division of the US Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland, where he supervised and prosecuted federal criminal cases involving public corruption, fraud and financial crimes, and national security. He also previously served as the President of Investigative Group International, where he directed many sensitive and complex investigations and provided crisis management services. He brings more than 20 years of experience litigating and investigating complex criminal and civil matters involving the world’s leading financial services, technology, pharmaceutical, healthcare, and consumer products companies.

As the senior official responsible for overseeing DOJ’s Consumer Protection Branch, which brings criminal and civil enforcement actions relating to Americans’ health, economic security, and data privacy, Arun led a period of rapid expansion and aggressive activity. He oversaw multiple multimillion-dollar matters concerning user privacy under the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) and the Federal Trade Commission Act. He also supervised the Department of Justice team assisting the Department of Transportation’s investigation into a major airline, which resulted in a multimillion-dollar civil penalty for violations of consumer protection laws. In addition, he oversaw the first-ever criminal prosecutions and convictions of a corporation and its executives for failure to report under the Consumer Productions Safety Act.

“Clients come to us to navigate their most consequential crises and investigations,” said Jason Linder, co-leader of Mayer Brown’s Global Investigations & White Collar Defense practice. “As the former leader of DOJ’s Consumer Protection Branch and a seasoned criminal prosecutor, Arun brings deep experience and skill in both the civil and criminal aspects of these issues that will greatly serve our clients.”

“Institutions are facing increased scrutiny from regulators and watchdogs,” Arun said. “I am thrilled to join the exceptional team at Mayer Brown guiding companies and business leaders through the complexities of the global regulatory environment.”

Andrew Olmem, managing partner of Mayer Brown’s Washington DC office, said, “Arun’s arrival underscores our focus on maintaining an industry leading investigations and white collar practice. He joins a distinguished team of former DOJ and government lawyers in our DC office who advise clients on high-profile, global matters.”

Other recent government laterals to join the Washington DC office include Ambassador John Sullivan; Kimberly Hamm, former chief counsel to US House Speaker Kevin McCarthy; Jonathan Becker, former chief of staff to Senator Amy Klobuchar; former Department of Justice senior official Adam Hickey; former assistant chief of the DOJ’s FCPA Unit Sonali Patel; and former chief of the SEC’s Office of Small Business Policy Jennifer Zepralka.