Michael G. McLaughlin

How Michael Helps Clients 

Michael advises clients in matters involving cybersecurity, public policy and government relations. Michael helps clients navigate the complexities of cybersecurity, data privacy and the related regulatory landscape. He has a great depth of experience assisting clients in cybersecurity incident response and remediation, regulatory compliance, and establishing effective data privacy programs.

Michael’s government contract law practice includes Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) and Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) compliance; Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC); bid preparation, protests, and disputes; and contract management.

Michael served in the United States Navy as a Naval Intelligence Officer for more than a decade. He spent his naval career leading and advising global technology-driven enterprises and led multinational teams in solving complex national security challenges.

Michael served in multiple postings worldwide, including Senior Counterintelligence Advisor for United States Cyber Command and Chief of Counterintelligence and Human Intelligence for the Cyber National Mission Force where he directed all counterintelligence, human intelligence, and law enforcement operations, investigations, and support to the Department of Defense's global cyberspace operations.

In his role as a cyber policy research affiliate for the Applied Research Laboratory for Intelligence and Security at the University of Maryland, Michael advised senior government officials on the integration and expansion of Department of Defense cyberspace capabilities.

What Clients Can Expect

Michael helps clients navigate the complexities of cybersecurity and the related legislative landscape. He combines creativity, technical acumen and operational execution to build strategies that serve client objectives.

Outside the Office 

Originally from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Michael has lived all over the world. When not working, he enjoys traveling, running, hiking, writing and spending time with family. 

Michael also devotes time to supporting non-profit organizations focused on advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion in the cybersecurity community, including The Cyber Guild and Uniting Women in Cyber. I am passionate about building relationships and leading high-performance teams to achieve success and deliver results.

Proof Points 

• Co-authored Battlefield Cyber: How China and Russia are Undermining our Democracy and National Security (Prometheus, 2023).
• Assisted clients of all sizes across multiple industries in responding to and recovering from ransomware attacks and other complex cyber incidents.
• Twice awarded the Defense Meritorious Service Medal for actions leading joint and interagency teams on behalf of the U.S. Department of Defense.