John B. Williams

John (He/Him) knows that good data practices mean a competitive advantage. He also knows how difficult it can be for businesses to understand and manage the complex laws that govern how they use and protect their data.

John brings to the firm over two decades of legal experience in the public and private sectors. Notably, he held a variety of positions with the federal government, where his work largely focused on high-profile privacy, cybersecurity, and technology issues.

During his time working for the U.S. Congress, he managed many high-profile hearings and investigations and served as a senior legal advisor to committee chairs in the House and the Senate. In these roles, he supervised the drafting of dozens of bills related to information technology, cybersecurity, privacy, telecommunications, and consumer protection, many of which were eventually adopted into law.   

As chief privacy official of the Federal Communications Commission, John supervised the agency’s compliance with all applicable information security and privacy laws. He prepared the agency’s annual privacy impact assessment and worked closely with the agency’s chief information officer and other senior leaders to make sure that good data practices were part of the agency’s decision making.     

John eventually moved to a product and privacy counsel job at a financial technology startup, where he worked with teams across the company to make informed decisions about how to use and secure personal information in its products. He was responsible for the company’s public-facing disclosures and helped the company navigate the sometimes-tricky cybersecurity and privacy issues that arise during audits and contract negotiations.   

At Amundsen Davis, the depth and breadth of John’s experience in cybersecurity and data privacy allows him to advise companies of all sizes on sound data privacy practices. In doing so, he knows he is helping his clients distinguish themselves by building trust with their employees, business partners, and consumers.