Key takeaways
- Raymond Aghaian has joined BakerHostetler’s Los Angeles office as a partner in the firm’s Digital Assets and Data Management Practice Group and a member of the Privacy and Digital Class Action and Litigation team.
- Aghaian joins BakerHostetler from an AmLaw 100 firm, where he was co-chair of its Cybersecurity, Privacy and Data Governance practice. Before private practice, he served as an assistant United States Attorney, Cyber and Intellectual Property Crimes Section, in the Central District of California.
- Aghaian litigates complex privacy and cybersecurity matters, defends companies and corporate executives in internal investigations and white-collar defense matters, and serves as lead trial counsel in complex civil litigation and disputes.
Why this matters
The addition of Aghaian deepens BakerHostetler’s investigation and litigation capabilities on the West Coast. It also continues the firm’s plan for strategic growth of its entire West Coast presence, from Seattle to Orange County. As a recognized first chair trial lawyer and recipient of The Daily Journal’s California Lawyer Attorney of the Year award, he will be an immediate asset in supporting the ongoing explosive growth of the firm’s DADM Practice Group, which has been named a BTI Cybersecurity Litigation Powerhouse for four years in a row.
Key quote
“The laundry list of legal issues associated with the life cycle of data continues to be high on the list of concerns for the C-suite and boards. Our DADM Practice Group is a globally recognized practice and continues to see explosive growth. Ray’s arrival will further support and strengthen our capabilities. I welcome him to the group,” said Ted Kobus, chair of the DADM Practice Group.
About Aghaian’s practice
Aghaian regularly litigates complex privacy and cybersecurity matters, including defending class actions relating to geolocation data, collection and use of consumer data through Meta Pixel technology, the California Wiretap Act, California’s trap and trace laws, the Children’s Internet Protection Act, the Electronic Communications Privacy Act, and the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act. He has litigated matters connected to hacking schemes, data breach incidents and the use of consumer data. Clients also rely on him for advice on cyberattack and data breach response, future incident prevention, and compliance with cybersecurity regulations.
In addition, Aghaian leads the defense of companies and executives in white-collar matters and internal investigations, including bribery, Foreign Corrupt Practices Act violations, False Claims Act issues, Lacey Act breaches, FDA regulation infractions and embezzlement. Aghaian’s focus on privacy, cybersecurity and government investigations gives him unique experience in addressing regulatory enforcement of cybersecurity- and privacy-related concerns by government regulators such as the FTC, state attorneys general and newly formed agencies enforcing privacy laws, such as the California Privacy Protection Agency.
Before entering private practice, Aghaian spent seven years as a federal prosecutor with the Cyber and Intellectual Property Crimes Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California. He has prosecuted numerous white-collar criminal offenses, including cyber intrusions and distributed denial-of-service attacks. Aghaian rejoins his former colleague Robb Adkins, head of the firm’s San Francisco office, who himself served in several leadership roles with the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Aghaian received his J.D. from the University of California, Hastings College of the Law.
Key quote
“Ray has been on an incredible journey, including immigrating to the United States as a refugee and then putting himself through law school. Through those challenges, he has risen to become a much sought-after counselor and advocate for his clients,” said Eric Sagerman, Los Angeles office managing partner. “We feel tremendously lucky to have Ray join us in Los Angeles. He extends our white collar and litigation capabilities in California. His skill set adds to our firm’s premier capabilities and will pair well with the experience of Los Angeles Partner and Los Angeles and Orange County DADM Practice Group leader Jennifer Mitchell, who earlier joined us from Sony Entertainment, where she served as chief privacy counsel.”
BakerHostetler’s West Coast footprint spans Seattle and San Francisco in the north to Los Angeles and Orange County in the south. The growth of its West Coast offices is a strategic priority for the firm, which has hired over 125 attorneys in the past five years.
Comprising more DADM Practice Group unites key service offerings and technologies intersecting with the life cycle of data. A globally recognized leader, the group has a roster that includes attorneys practicing in this space for more than two decades, former federal prosecutors, veteran in-house counsel and past government agency leaders. With eight top-tier rankings by Chambers USA and Legal 500, the DADM Practice Group is considered a go-to group for cybersecurity, privacy, advertising, data governance and emerging technologies. For more information, visit bakerlaw.com/DigitalAssetsDataManagement. Connect with us on the social platform X at @BakerHostetler or on LinkedIn at @BakerHostetler, @TedKobus or @RayAghaian.