Mark L. Krotoski, Former National Coordinator of the DOJ’s Computer Hacking and Intellectual Property Program, Joins Pillsbury in Silicon Valley

“Mark is a tremendous addition to our firm, bringing a deep background in cybersecurity and privacy investigations and disputes, as well as cartel enforcement. All told, he has earned a sterling reputation in California and beyond,” said Deborah Baum, Pillsbury’s global head of Litigation. “When it comes to cyber breaches and data exposures, Mark’s invaluable experience at Main Justice will help clients navigate high stakes matters from incident response through any ensuing litigation. We are really excited about adding Mark’s talent and experience in cybersecurity and data privacy to that of other former federal prosecutors already at Pillsbury—notably Rich Donoghue in New York, Tony Phillips in DC, and Ron Cheng in Los Angeles, among others. The combination of our cybersecurity and data privacy litigators with our deep bench of regulatory lawyers creates a go-to legal team for organizations responding to cyber-related incidents.”

With nearly 20 years of experience as a federal prosecutor and a leader in the U.S. Department of Justice, Krotoski affords clients a unique blend of litigation and investigative experience. At the Department of Justice, he served as the national coordinator of the Criminal Division’s Computer Hacking and Intellectual Property (CHIP) Program, which involved 250 federal prosecutors specially trained to prosecute cybercrime and intellectual property enforcement cases. In that role, he successfully prosecuted and investigated virtually every type of computer intrusion, cybercrime and criminal intellectual property violation.

Krotoski was also a leader at the Department of Justice on economic espionage and trade secret cases. He is a co-author of the “Defend Trade Secrets Act of 2016 Handbook” published by Wolters Kluwer (4th ed. 2024). He has also twice been named as one of the Top Cyber Lawyers in California by the Daily Journal including in 2022. Additionally, Krotoski has been recognized as a Cybersecurity Trailblazer by The National Law Journal and as one of the Top 30 for Incident Response by the Cybersecurity Docket.

In other notable roles, Krotoski was assistant chief of the National Criminal Enforcement Section in the DOJ’s Antitrust Division—overseeing international criminal antitrust cartel investigations and successfully leading trial teams in prosecuting antitrust and obstruction of justice cases involving corporations and executives. He also served as chief of the Criminal Division in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of California, where he supervised cases involving securities fraud, computer intrusion, intellectual property, organized crime and antiterrorism. All told, Krotoski has tried 20 cases to verdict, successfully argued appeals before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth and Sixth Circuits, and served as counsel of record on 10 amicus briefs filed in the U.S. Supreme Court on criminal justice matters while serving as a Special Assistant Attorney General in California.

“Mark’s skills in areas of substantial importance to our clients—cyber and privacy, trade secrets, antitrust and FCPA—makes him yet another great addition to our practice in Northern California and elsewhere,” noted Silicon Valley office managing partner Dianne Sweeney. “He’s the latest addition in a steady flow of impressive litigators to join us and we are thrilled to count him as the newest member of our team in the Bay Area.”

In recent months, Pillsbury has hired numerous high-profile litigation partners in California and other offices all over the United States. In addition to Phillips, who was formerly Meta’s Director and Associate General Counsel for Integrity, these include the Honorable Rolando Acosta in New York, former Presiding Justice of the New York State Supreme Court, Appellate Division, First Department; veteran litigator Patrick Hammon in Silicon Valley; cross-border investigations and disputes lawyer Adam Goldberg in San Francisco; and most recently trial lawyer Paul Fraidenburgh in San Diego. Krotoski is the fifth partner to join Pillsbury’s Bay Area offices since last September.

“Pillsbury is a prestigious firm with a strong litigation practice and a reputation as a global leader in the tech sector, especially when it comes to addressing complex cyber and data-related legal challenges,” Krotoski said. “It’s also known as a highly collaborative place that works across practices and offices to find the best solutions for clients. It’s exactly the kind of firm I want to be part of.”

Pillsbury’s award-winning team of more than 200 litigators works with clients around the world to help them successfully resolve disputes, in trial and out of court, at home and in jurisdictions around the globe. The firm has garnered dozens of top-tier recognitions as a result of its exceptional litigation prowess and is regularly recognized by BTI Consulting Group as one of the most feared law firms in litigation.

The Cybersecurity, Data Protection & Privacy team at Pillsbury helps organizations understand and properly respond to the broad spectrum of privacy and security considerations they face today. The group consists of regulatory, litigation, transactional, and IP lawyers, as well as seasoned government contracts practitioners and legislative strategists, who collaboratively develop, execute and maintain tailored solutions to mitigate perceived threats and exposures.