Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati Expands Regulatory Expertise

PALO ALTO, Calif. and WASHINGTON, Oct. 3, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, the premier provider of legal services to technology, life sciences, and growth enterprises worldwide, is pleased to announce that Donald L. Vieira has become a partner at the firm. The former chief of staff of the Department of Justice's National Security Division (NSD), Vieira primarily will focus on regulatory and enforcement issues related to foreign investments, export controls, privacy, and data security. He also will work on matters involving white collar crime and other government investigations. Vieira will be based in the firm's Washington, D.C., office.

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"Don has broad and deep expertise in a number of areas of prime importance to many of our clients, such as cyber security, export controls, sanctions, foreign investments, and other national security matters related to private enterprises," said CEO Steve Bochner. "He is a proven leader in his field and, as the global marketplace continues to expand, Don will be a valuable asset to our highly regarded regulatory practice. It is my pleasure to welcome him to the firm."

Vieira has served in senior national security positions in both the executive and legislative branches of the federal government. At the Justice Department, as NSD chief of staff and counselor to the Assistant Attorney General for National Security, he was responsible for the day-to-day management of the division. His duties included providing counsel on issues related to cyber security, export controls and sanctions, counterterrorism, counterintelligence investigations, electronic surveillance, and a variety of other intelligence matters. Vieira also supervised the NSD's Foreign Investment Review Staff, which is responsible for representing the Justice Department on the Committee for Foreign Investment in the United States. In addition, he managed the NSD's legislative portfolio and served as the division's primary liaison to Congress, working closely with that legislative body on policy issues.  

Prior to joining the Justice Department as the NSD's chief of staff, Vieira served as deputy chief counsel to the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence (HPSCI) and staff director of the HPSCI's Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations. He also served as a federal prosecutor in the Justice Department's Counterespionage Section, where he participated in the successful prosecution of numerous espionage and export enforcement matters. He has received many awards and honors for his prosecutorial and national security work, including ones from the Department of Justice, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Central Intelligence Agency, the Director of National Intelligence, the Office of the National Counterintelligence Executive, the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, the Department of State, and Congress.

Vieira began his legal career as an associate at Williams & Connolly, where he focused on litigation, white collar criminal defense, and Foreign Corrupt Practices Act investigations. He earned his J.D. at Georgetown University Law Center and a B.A. in political science from Boston University.

About Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati

Celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2011, Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati offers a broad range of services and legal disciplines focused on serving the principal challenges faced by the management and boards of directors of business enterprises. The firm is nationally recognized as a leader in the fields of corporate governance and finance, mergers and acquisitions, private equity, securities litigation, employment law, intellectual property, and antitrust, among many other areas of law. With long-standing roots in Silicon Valley, Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati has offices in Austin; Brussels; Georgetown, DE; Hong Kong; New York; Palo Alto; San Diego; San Francisco; Seattle; Shanghai; and Washington, D.C. For more information, please visit www.wsgr.com.

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