Michael Bahar

Michael Bahar is a litigation partner in the firm’s Washington DC office and the co-lead of the global cybersecurity and data privacy practice. He provides comprehensive cybersecurity and data privacy advice to some of the US’ and the world’s largest companies.

Michael is particularly experienced in working with clients in several areas: developing and operationalizing global privacy incident management capabilities and global privacy programs; responding to data breaches; conducting privileged investigations; responding to regulatory inquiries; defending class actions (including those involving cryptocurrencies); advising clients on adopting revolutionary technologies; and solving workplace privacy challenges (including remote work and return-to-work issues).

In addition, Michael is a Commander in the US Navy JAG Corps Reserves. In 2020, he returned from a mobilization to Afghanistan and Doha where he served as the lead lawyer for the US team negotiating the peace agreement with the Taliban.

Prior to Eversheds Sutherland, Michael served as Deputy Legal Advisor to the National Security Council at the White House, as Minority Staff Director and General Counsel for the US House Intelligence Committee, and as a former Active Duty Navy JAG. While with the House Intelligence Committee, he was lead drafter and negotiator for the Cybersecurity Act of 2015, the USA Freedom Act (which reformed certain key surveillance authorities) and four annual Intelligence Authorization Acts. He also led the Committee’s investigation into the Russian hacking of the 2016 election until May 2017.

While on Active Duty, he litigated felony courts-martial, dealt with cutting-edge legal issues involving the laws of war, led the capture and investigation of the US Navy’s first set of captured pirates in generations, led a team of lawyers deployed to Afghanistan in support of a Special Operations Task Force, and completed two Pentagon tours. He has received two Defense Meritorious Service Medals, six Navy Commendation Medals and one Navy Achievement Medal, in addition to earning his Navy Parachutist Wings.

Michael offers clients a wealth of knowledge about cybersecurity, information sharing, privacy, crisis management and establishing cybersecurity and data privacy programs that are not only in accordance with evolving laws and regulations but that also find business opportunities, including developing new products, implementing new technologies, pairing new innovative services together, opening international processing centers and entering new jurisdictions while navigating cross-border data restrictions.

His in-depth knowledge and deep understanding of these topics—particularly in assessing the appropriate levels of cybersecurity investment based on litigation and regulatory risk analysis—allows Michael to effectively advise clients and has made him a highly sought speaker at industry and corporate conferences across the country.