About me

Address: San Francisco: 100 Pine Street, Suite 3200, San Francisco, CA 94111-5218

Areas of Focus: International Arbitration; Investment Funds Litigation; Emerging Technologies; Consumer Protection; California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA); Sustainability; Sovereign & Government Investors; National Security; Cybersecurity, Privacy & Data Protection; White Collar Defense & Government Investigations; Complex Commercial Litigation; Disputes & Investigations; International Commercial Arbitration & Disputes; Investment Treaty Arbitration & Disputes

Biography:
Natasha Kohne is a senior partner at Akin and a globally recognized leader in artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, privacy and emerging technologies. She serves as global co-leader of the firm’s technology and artificial intelligence & machine learning practices and co-leads Akin’s cybersecurity, privacy & data protection practice, which is ranked Band 1 by Chambers Global . Natasha is also individually ranked nationwide by Chambers USA for Artificial Intelligence.
Natasha advises boards of directors, asset managers, sovereign entities and multinational companies on business strategies at the intersection of technology, national security and foreign investment. Her practice focuses on complex regulatory, governance and risk issues involving artificial intelligence, biometrics, quantum computing, digital transformation, cybersecurity, autonomous systems, data analytics, IoT, digital assets and advanced data platforms.
With more than two decades of experience, Natasha represents global companies and institutions in high-stakes U.S. and cross-border investigations, litigation, arbitration and crisis management matters. She regularly advises clients navigating multi-jurisdictional regulatory regimes and emerging technology governance frameworks, including the EU AI Act, GDPR, CCPA, BIPA and other global privacy and cybersecurity regimes.
Natasha also has deep experience advising foreign investors and sovereign entities on matters involving national security, foreign investment review and technological innovation. She founded Akin’s Abu Dhabi office, where she developed extensive experience advising Middle Eastern sovereign entities, financial institutions and multinational corporations on governance, regulatory strategy and complex disputes relating to cross-border investment.
Natasha has been recognized by The Daily Journal as one of California’s Top Cyber/Artificial Intelligence Lawyers every year since 2018, was named a Woman Worth Watching by Diversity Journal , and has been recommended by The Legal 500 US in cyber law since 2017. She is also a Certified Information Privacy Professional (CIPP/US) through the International Association of Privacy Professionals.

Representative Work:
- Advised a global company on regulatory considerations associated with emerging virtual environments, including issues related to artificial intelligence, biometrics, false advertising, cybersecurity, digital assets, blockchain and data privacy.
- Advised a technology company involved in a first-of-its-kind cybersecurity intrusion and insider trading SEC and DOJ investigation and criminal trial.
- Represent boards of directors and international companies in U.S. and cross-border investigations and litigations involving cybersecurity and national security matters.
- Represent companies in class action privacy and data security litigations involving claims under CIPA, ECPA, VPPA, BIPA, CFFA and other related contract and tort theories.
- Advise sovereign entities in relation to foreign investment and financial regulatory, cybersecurity, emerging technologies and other risk mitigation matters.

Credentials:
Education: J.D., Harvard Law School, 2000 (cum laude); B.A., Columbia University, 1996 (summa cum laude)
Bar Admissions: California, 2016; New York, 2001
Court Admissions: U.S.D.C., Southern District of New York, 2001; U.S.D.C., Eastern District of New York, 2001

Recognitions:
- Chambers Global , Privacy & Data Security, 2024-2026.
- Lawdragon 500 , Leading Global Cyber Lawyers, 2026.
- Lawdragon 500 , Leading Litigators in America, 2024.
- Euromoney, Expert Guides, Women in Business Law 2022, Privacy and Data Protection.
- Chambers USA , Leading Practitioner in Privacy & Data Security, Nationwide, 2022-2026 and Artificial Intelligence, Nationwide, 2025-2026; Described as “extremely knowledgeable on all issues relating to privacy law and she is extremely commercially minded.”
- The Legal 500 US , Cyber Law, 2017–2025.
- Global Data Review , Women in Data, 2022.
- Cybersecurity Docket , Incident Response, 2020-2024.
- Daily Journal , Top AI Lawyers, 2018, 2024.
- Daily Journal, Top Cyber Lawyers, 2018-2020, 2022.
- Profiles in Diversity Journal , Women Worth Watching, 2019.
- The Recorder , California Trailblazers, 2019.
- Euromoney, Expert Guides , Women in Business Law, Privacy and Data Protection, 2022.
- Chambers Global, Corporate Investigations, UAE, 2016; Corporate M&A, UAE, 2014.
- The Legal 500 EMEA , Commercial, Corporate and M&A, UAE, 2014 and 2017-2020; Dispute Resolution: Compliance and Investigations, 2020-2022.
- Daily Journal, Top Women Lawyers, California, 2017.

Affiliations:
- Certified Information Privacy Professional/United States (CIPP/US), International Association of Privacy Professionals
- Supportive in U.S.-UAE Business Council efforts, including speaking and supporting seminars regarding U.S.-UAE business relations

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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- The Growing Patchwork of State AI Laws: What It Means for Employers (May 27, 2026): https://www.akingump.com/en/insights/alerts/the-growing-patchwork-of-state-ai-laws-what-it-means-for-employers
- California Announces Largest CCPA Penalty to Date and First Data Minimization Enforcement Action (May 15, 2026): https://www.akingump.com/en/insights/alerts/california-announces-largest-ccpa-penalty-to-date-and-first-data-minimization-enforcement-action
- Safeguarding Data During Uncertain Times: Cybersecurity Priorities for the GCC (April 28, 2026): https://www.akingump.com/en/insights/alerts/safeguarding-data-during-uncertain-times-cybersecurity-priorities-for-the-gcc
- House GOP Unveils Landmark Comprehensive Privacy Draft Alongside GLBA Proposal (April 24, 2026): https://www.akingump.com/en/insights/alerts/house-gop-unveils-landmark-comprehensive-privacy-draft-alongside-glba-proposal
- Iran Conflict Spurs CISA Warning for US Critical Infrastructure (April 21, 2026): https://www.akingump.com/en/insights/alerts/iran-conflict-spurs-cisa-warning-for-us-critical-infrastructure
- Executive Order N-5-26: AI Certification Standards (April 8, 2026): https://www.akingump.com/en/insights/alerts/executive-order-n-5-26-ai-certification-standards
- Cybersecurity and Operational Resilience: A Board-Level Imperative (March 31, 2026): https://www.akingump.com/en/insights/articles/cybersecurity-and-operational-resilience-a-board-level-imperative