WASHINGTON (March 25, 2025) – McCarter & English today announced that Erin Prest, former FBI Privacy & Civil Liberties Officer and Deputy General Counsel has joined the firm’s cybersecurity team as a partner in the firm’s Washington, DC office. Prest joins following an exemplary 18-year career at the FBI, where she oversaw the agency’s data security and privacy protection practices, its responses to breaches and cybersecurity events impacting FBI information, and provided guidance to FBI executives to protect the civil liberties of individuals under investigation. As Deputy General Counsel, she also oversaw the legal guidance related to criminal investigative activities, crisis response, procurement, criminal history information, and DNA matters among others.

“Data protection and strong cybersecurity best practices are of critical importance to our clients in every industry as they work to safeguard their businesses against this evolving threat,” said Joseph T. Boccassini, McCarter’s Firmwide Managing Partner. “Erin’s background and skillset add significant strength to our data protection and cybersecurity team and our clients will benefit from her insights and recommendations. We are delighted to welcome her to McCarter’s growing DC office and are fortunate she has chosen to bring her talents to our firm.”

Prest will advise clients on cybersecurity, data privacy, and compliance issues to ensure that information is properly and fully protected. This involves implementing layers of systems and processes to prevent breaches, and mitigating damages should a breach occur. Additionally, after a breach Prest can evaluate the data that was compromised and develop a comprehensive response plan to manage the fallout and improve systems to prevent future vulnerabilities. She also will be a significant resource for clients as a part of the firm’s Artificial Intelligence team.

In her capacity as the Privacy & Civil Liberties Officer at the FBI, Prest oversaw the agency’s response to various data breaches, and ensured the agency’s compliance with federal privacy laws and regulations. She provided comprehensive legal, policy, and strategic guidance to FBI executives to protect the civil liberties of Americans while facilitating FBI investigative and intelligence collection activities, ensuring actions were in accordance with the constitution and FBI policies. In her role, she oversaw the storage and privacy protection of sensitive biometric data, including facial recognition, iris scans, and DNA from crime scenes. She also evaluated the ethical use of artificial intelligence tools and capabilities, and their potential implications on an individual’s civil liberties.

“When making the decision to join private practice, McCarter & English stood apart, not only by the strength of its work and the caliber of its attorneys, but also by its collegial and collaborative culture. I could not envision a more ideal firm to join as I take this next step in my career,” said Prest. “I look forward to applying the skills I honed while at the FBI to the work we are doing for the firm’s clients.”

A celebrated member of the federal government, Prest has received numerous honors and awards throughout her career. Most recently, in February, Prest received the Office of the Director of National Intelligence’s Alexander W. Joel Civil Liberties, Privacy, and Transparency Public Trust Award and in January, Prest received the “Excellence in Technology or Privacy” award, presented by Attorney General Merrick B. Garland, at the 72^nd annual Attorney General’s Awards ceremony. She has also received the National Intelligence Meritorious Unit Citation and the FBI Director’s Award for Excellence in Training and Professional Development.

Prest earned her J.D. from Case Western Reserve University, and her B.A. in political science from the University of Michigan. During her time at the FBI, she served in numerous positions over her 18-year career, including as a Special Assistant United States Attorney for the United States Attorney’s Office in the District of Columbia.

McCarter’s Cybersecurity & Data Protection practice provides privacy compliance and data security risk management services to clients worldwide. The team helps implement security programs, plans, policies, procedures, and compliance infrastructures and provides practical guidance on information-related management and risk before, during, and after data breaches and cyber incidents. For more information about McCarter’s Cybersecurity & Data Privacy practice, visit www.mccarter.com/services/cybersecurity-data-privacy.