Criminal Defense Law
999 Third ave, 4400, Seattle, WA 98104
Area of Practice: White Collar & Complex Litigation Jenny Durkan is a partner in the firm’s Business & Commercial Disputes Practice Group and leads the U.S. White Collar Team. A nationally recognized lawyer with over 35 years of experience, Jenny is a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers. She has a proven track record of successfully addressing a client’s most complex domestic and international matters. Known for her deep understanding of cybercrime, national security, and investigations, Jenny’s practice spans white collar defense, crisis management, and high-stakes litigation, representing both public and private clients. She served as the mayor of Seattle from 2017 through 2021, leading the city through the COVID-19 pandemic. Through her leadership, Seattle had the lowest incidence of disease, hospitalization, and death of any U.S. city, despite being the first area of diagnosed cases and deaths. Her work during the pandemic earned her recognition from Fortune Magazine, naming her one of the “World’s 25 Greatest Leaders: Heroes of the Pandemic” in 2020. In June 2024, she was also recognized as a “Lamplighter” for her pandemic response by the American Democracy and Health Security Initiative, a collaboration that includes Brown University School of Public Health Pandemic Center and the Center for Strategic and International Studies. Alongside her efforts in public health, Jenny championed educational opportunities through the Seattle Promise, a program providing two years of free college to public high school graduates. Her leadership continued to expand outside of Seattle, as she played a significant role on the international Steering Committee of C40 Cities, a global coalition of cities committed to addressing climate change. She also served on the C40 Mayors’ COVID-19 Recovery Task Force, collaborating with mayors from diverse regions to shape recovery efforts with a focus on climate, health, and economic resilience. As U.S. attorney for the Western District of Washington from 2009 to 2014, Jenny served as the chief federal law enforcement officer for the region, overseeing all federal prosecutions and representing the U.S. in civil matters. During her tenure, she chaired the Key Department of Justice (DOJ) Subcommittee on Cybercrime, in which she played a key role in revamping national strategies to detect and disrupt criminal and national security cyber threats. Her office investigated and prosecuted some of the first international cybercrime cases. Jenny also served on the U.S. Attorney General’s Advisory Committee and was also a member of the DOJ’s National Security Subcommittee. She held the highest national security clearances and was regularly briefed on classified matters related to cyber and national security threats. She testified before Congress on cybercrime issues for DOJ and worked closely with the range of federal law enforcement agencies and the European Cybercrime Center. After leaving her U.S. attorney position, she served on the U.S. Secret Service Cyber Investigations Advisory Board. She also was a partner in a major international law firm, focusing on litigation, investigations, and trans-border issues. She represented FIFA in a broad internal investigation and related civil and criminal actions. She has consistently worked at the intersection of the law and technology, and currently chairs the Washington State Bar Association Task Force on Emerging Technologies such as artificial intelligence and the practice of law.
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