About me

Address: Washington, D.C.: Robert S. Strauss Tower, 2001 K Street, N.W., Washington, DC 20006-1037

Areas of Focus: Cybersecurity, Privacy & Data Protection; National Security & Global Investigations; Government Contracts; Government Contracts: Legislative & Policy Issues

Biography:
Evan D. Wolff is co-chair of Akin’s cybersecurity, privacy and data protection practice and a member of the firm’s government contracts and national security and global investigations practices. He is ranked by Chambers USA and Chambers Global as a leading privacy and cybersecurity practitioner and is nationally known for his deep technical background and nuanced understanding of complex cybersecurity legal and policy issues.
Over the past two decades, Evan has led investigations into hundreds of cybersecurity incidents. He regularly conducts training and incident simulations, develops response plans and leads privileged investigations. Additionally, he has advised on hundreds of data breaches, working closely with forensic investigators.
Evan is a Registered Practitioner under the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) framework and draws on his experiences as a scientist, program manager and lawyer to advise leading global companies and their boards of directors on mitigating the risk of cyber and privacy incidents, as well as the planning and execution of the rapid, comprehensive response required when incidents occur. He counsels a broad range of companies across multiple sectors including government contractors, the defense industrial base, transportation, energy, health care, insurance, hospitality, education, and non-profit organizations. His counsel includes advising on global privacy and data security regulations, such as the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), Privacy Shield and the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), and providing legal and technical advice on the Department of Justice’s Bulk Data Collection and Use Policy.
In addition to cybersecurity and privacy issues, Evan frequently advises clients on regulatory compliance with the Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS), the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR), as well as multiple cyber False Claims Act (FCA) cases.
Evan is currently an adjunct professor at Columbia University, School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA). He served in advisory roles during the formation of the Department of Homeland Security and in 2017 was inducted into the Council on Foreign Relations. Evan remains active in national security policy circles and has previously served as a senior associate (non-resident) in the Homeland Security and Counterterrorism Program at the Center for Strategic & International Studies (CSIS), on the Sandia National Lab External Advisory Board, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce National Security Task Force, as a panel member on the Department of Defense’s Defense Science Board and a senior adviser at the Homeland Security and Defense Business Council. He also served as the co-chair of the ABA Homeland Security Law Institute and as a senior adviser to the ABA Committee on Law and National Security.

Representative Work:
- Advised hundreds of companies on developing cybersecurity incident response and crisis management plans and on responding to data breaches, including facilitating public- and private-sector notifications in compliance with state regulatory programs.
- Advised a broad sector of companies, including those in the critical infrastructure sector, to develop site security plans in compliance with national and international governmental cybersecurity and privacy programs and standards.
- Advised companies on physical security audits and assessments.
- Advised numerous chemical and manufacturing companies on chemical security regulation compliance, including compliance with the Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standards (CFATS).
- Advised and counseled energy companies on North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) compliance issues, with a particular focus on Critical Infrastructure Protection (CIP) Standards.
- Represented a manufacturing company regarding Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB) assessment of an industrial accident.

Credentials:
Education: J.D., University of Maryland School of Law, 2000; M.S., Northern Arizona University, 1997; B.S., University of Maryland, College Park, 1993
Bar Admissions: District of Columbia, 2008

Recognitions:
- Chambers USA , Privacy & Data Security: Cybersecurity, 2026.
- The Legal 500 , International Trade and National Security: National Security; Media, Technology and Telecoms: Cyber Law, 2026.
- Cybersecurity Docket, Incident Response Elite, 2026.
- The Year in Homeland Security: Homeland Security Professional to Watch, 2009.
- Honored Alumni, Honored Alumni and Hall of Fame Ceremony, Northern Arizona University, 2024.

Affiliations:
- Special Assistant to the Assistant Secretary for Infrastructure Protection, Department of Homeland Security, 2001–2005
- Panel Member, Defense Science Board, Department of Defense, 2003–2004
- Senior Geologist, Nuclear Regulatory Commission, 1998–2000
- Fellow, The National Security Institute
- Board Member, The AI Security Alliance
- Member, Maryland Carey Law Alumni Board, 2018–Present
- Member, Council on Foreign Relations
- Member, American and Maryland Bar Associations
- Member, National Security Task Force, U.S. Chamber of Commerce, 2007–Present
- Member, Board of Advisors, Silverado Policy Accelerator Strategic Council
- Member, Advisory Board, Energy, Climate & Infrastructure Security, Sandia National Labs, 2010– Present
- Member, American Bar Association Working Group on Cybersecurity Law
- Deputy Director, Aspen Homeland Security Group, 2011–Present

Insights:
- Wave of Recent “Vishing” Attacks Target Hedge Funds and Other Financial Services Firms (August 6, 2026): https://www.akingump.com/en/insights/alerts/wave-of-recent-vishing-attacks-target-hedge-funds-and-other-financial-services-firms
- CryptoLink Newsletter - June 2026 Updates (July 28, 2026): https://www.akingump.com/en/insights/newsletters/cryptolink-newsletter-june-2026
- EU AI Act Amendments Defer and Clarify Obligations (July 28, 2026): https://www.akingump.com/en/insights/alerts/EU-AI-act-amendments-defer-and-clarify-obligations
- DoW Pauses CMMC Third-Party Assessment Regime—Could This Be CMMC 3.0? (July 14, 2026): https://www.akingump.com/en/insights/alerts/dow-pauses-cmmc-third-party-assessment-regimecould-this-be-cmmc-30
- Proposed Rule on CUI and CUI Incident Reporting Would Create New Requirements and Risks for Contractors (June 25, 2026): https://www.akingump.com/en/insights/alerts/proposed-rule-on-cui-and-cui-incident-reporting-would-create-new-requirements-and-risks-for-contractors
- CryptoLink Newsletter - May 2026 Updates (June 22, 2026): https://www.akingump.com/en/insights/newsletters/cryptolink-newsletter-may-2026
- Trump Administration and House Lawmakers Launch New AI Governance Initiatives (June 11, 2026): https://www.akingump.com/en/insights/alerts/trump-administration-and-house-lawmakers-launch-new-ai-governance-initiatives
- Akin Secures Top Rankings in The Legal 500 US 2026  (June 10, 2026): https://www.akingump.com/en/insights/awards-and-accolades/akin-secures-top-rankings-in-the-legal-500-us-2026
- EU Tech Package Unveiled: How the EU Plans to Shift to Digital Sovereignty (June 5, 2026): https://www.akingump.com/en/insights/alerts/eu-tech-package-unveiled-how-the-eu-plans-to-shift-to-digital-sovereignty
- Chambers USA 2026 Recognizes Akin Lawyers and Practices  (June 4, 2026): https://www.akingump.com/en/insights/awards-and-accolades/chambers-usa-2026-recognizes-akin-lawyers-and-practices
- Federal Courts Issue Diverging Rulings on the Use of Generative AI in the Context of Privilege, Work Product and Protective Orders (May 28, 2026): https://www.akingump.com/en/insights/alerts/federal-courts-issue-diverging-rulings-on-the-use-of-generative-ai-in-the-context-of-privilege-work-product-and-protective-orders
- CryptoLink Newsletter - April 2026 Updates (May 15, 2026): https://www.akingump.com/en/insights/newsletters/cryptolink-newsletter-april-2026