The global law firm Jones Day has announced that Alexander H. Southwell has joined the Firm as a partner in its New York office and its global Cybersecurity, Privacy & Data Protection practice. Mr. Southwell is a nationally recognized technology-focused litigator and investigations lawyer with more than 30 years of experience advising top global companies on their most complex cybersecurity, privacy, and data innovation and AI issues, and leading white-collar, SEC defense, and internal investigation matters.
Mr. Southwell brings extensive experience across the full spectrum of cybersecurity and data-related challenges facing organizations today. Recent achievements include leading the defense of some of the highest-profile matters in the field, including the largest data-breach multidistrict litigation in history on behalf of major investment services providers, complex internal investigations arising from a widely publicized data-misuse scandal at a leading social networking platform, the defense of a novel cryptocurrency hacking case involving over $80 million in bitcoin, and the successful resolution of the second-largest business email compromise fraud in history.
A former Assistant United States Attorney in the Southern District of New York, where he investigated and prosecuted cybercrimes, as well as securities and white-collar frauds, Mr. Southwell draws on his prosecutorial experience and close relationships with law enforcement to counsel clients ranging from emerging companies to global enterprises on data breaches, security incidents, regulatory investigations, and crisis management. He also regularly leads the defense of privacy and data security class actions and regulatory investigations by the Federal Trade Commission, state attorneys general, the SEC, NY Department of Financial Services, and other federal and state authorities.
“Alex is one of the most accomplished cybersecurity and privacy litigators in the country, and his rare combination of trial experience, regulatory defense capabilities, and deep understanding of emerging technologies — from artificial intelligence to digital assets — makes him an extraordinary addition to our practice and to the Firm,” Mary Alexander Myers, who leads the Firm’s Cybersecurity, Privacy & Data Protection practice. “His ability to guide clients through their most critical and complex cyber and data protection challenges will further strengthen our team’s capacity to deliver integrated, elite service to clients worldwide.”
Mr. Southwell joins Jones Day’s global Cybersecurity, Privacy & Data Protection Practice, which advises clients worldwide on compliance, risk management, cyber incidents, regulatory investigations, and litigation across a wide range of industries, including emerging technologies and AI.
“Alex’s arrival underscores the strength and ambition of our New York office and the value we bring to clients in the world’s foremost business and legal markets,” said Lee DeJulius, Partner-in-Charge of Jones Day’s New York office. “His deep roots in New York — as a former federal prosecutor in the Southern District, a trusted counselor to the city’s leading companies and financial institutions, and a prominent voice in the cybersecurity community — combined with his global perspective on tech innovation and compliance, including privacy and data protection matters, will enhance the seamless, cross-border service our clients expect from Jones Day. We are excited about the opportunities Alex’s presence creates for our clients in New York and around the world.”
Mr. Southwell earned his J.D., magna cum laude, from New York University School of Law and his A.B., magna cum laude, from Princeton University. He served as a law clerk for the Honorable Naomi Reice Buchwald of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York.
“I am excited to join Jones Day because the Firm’s culture of true partnership and seamless collaboration across offices and practices is a great fit with how I approach serving clients,” said Mr. Southwell. “The cybersecurity, privacy, and technology challenges clients face — whether a major data breach requiring immediate crisis management, a multi-front regulatory investigation by the FTC and state attorneys general, or the development of governance and compliance programs for artificial intelligence, digital assets, and other tech innovations — do not respect practice-area or geographic boundaries. At Jones Day, I look forward to drawing on a global, multidisciplinary platform to assemble the right team for every engagement, whether that means pairing cybersecurity incident response with securities enforcement defense, integrating white-collar investigations expertise with privacy class action defense, or coordinating regulatory strategies across multiple jurisdictions. Jones Day’s shared commitment to collaboration and client service is exactly what I was looking for.”
Jones Day is a global law firm with 2,500 lawyers in 40 offices across five continents. The Firm is distinguished by: a singular tradition of client service; the mutual commitment to, and the seamless collaboration of, a true partnership; formidable legal talent across multiple disciplines and jurisdictions; and shared professional values that focus on client needs.
