Robert Litt

Bob Litt, former General Counsel for the Director of National Intelligence, is of counsel in Morrison & Foerster’s national security and global risk & crisis management practices. He advises industry-leading organizations on sensitive national security and privacy matters, white collar investigations, and government enforcement actions. Mr. Litt has extensive experience advising clients on national security matters, including those in relation to the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS). In addition, he also has significant experience in civil and criminal litigation as well as investigations. He is also an Adjunct Research Scholar in Columbia Law School’s National Security Law Program. Prior to joining Morrison & Foerster, Mr. Litt was General Counsel for the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI), giving him a strong understanding of the intelligence community and its equities.  Mr. Litt was unanimously confirmed by the Senate for this role, in which he oversaw a team of attorneys providing legal advice to the agency and led interagency national security meetings. As spokesman for the intelligence community both domestically and overseas on issues relating to surveillance and privacy, Mr. Litt was a key member of the U.S. team that negotiated the EU-U.S. Privacy Shield with the European Commission.  This experience uniquely positions him to advise U.S. companies on the intricacies of European privacy rules and foreign companies on U.S. privacy rules. Prior to joining ODNI, Mr. Litt worked at the Department of Justice, serving as Deputy Assistant Attorney General in the Criminal Division and as the Principal Associate Deputy Attorney General. He also served as special advisor to the Assistant Secretary of State for European and Canadian Affairs. Bob was also an Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York. In addition to his prolific government service, Mr. Litt has also had an extensive career in private practice as a partner at two global law firms, including leading a white collar practice. He began his legal career as a law clerk for Judge Edward Weinfeld in the Southern District of New York and for Justice Potter Stewart of the U.S. Supreme Court. He holds a B.A. from Harvard College and an M.A. and J.D. from Yale University.