‘A broad team with in-depth knowledge of cyber law’, the data strategy and security practice at Debevoise & Plimpton LLP handles technically complex cyber investigations and boasts a growing AI team: an area of focus for practice group co-head Avi Gesser, bolstered by the April 2023 addition of counsel Matt Kelly from Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP. Gesser, based in New York, advises clients on governance, risk and liability issues related to both AI and cybersecurity. In Washington DC, co-head Luke Dembosky leverages significant national security experience to support companies in managing cyber risks, responding to incidents, and the investigations which arise from them. Litigation partner Erez Liebermann works out of New York, and combines both in-house and government experience to handle regulatory counselling and high-impact incident response matters. Also in New York, Jim Pastore and Johanna Skrzypczyk are recommended for breach response and privacy-oriented work respectively. Lisa Zornberg departed in July 2023.

Legal 500 Editorial commentary

Testimonials

Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.

  • ‘A broad team with in-depth knowledge of cyber law, from having advised in multiple cyber incidents. Extremely good experience in the field. ’

  • ‘Luke Dembosky is the most experienced cyber lawyer I have encountered. Indeed broad and deep experience, and very good judgement. Ability to keep calm and sound in tense situations.’

Key clients

  • American Express
  • Capital One
  • GoDaddy
  • Meta
  • Microsoft
  • Prudential Financial
  • Securities Industry Financial Markets Association
  • Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc/Rockstar Games
  • Warner Music Group
  • WPP Group
  • Ultimate Kronos Group

Work highlights

  • Advising Meta Platforms Inc. on the company’s global AI regulatory readiness strategy.
  • Representing Paysafe Payment Processing Solutions LLC against a putative nationwide class action complaint filed in the Northern District of California alleging violations of the California Consumer Privacy Act and California’s Unfair Competition Law.
  • Assisting the client with subsidiary Rockstar Games' September 2022 cybersecurity incident and related matter at 2K Games relating to the theft of 4 million records from a support database.

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Practice head

The lawyer(s) leading their teams.

Luke Dembosky, Avi Gesser