Jones Day announced that former Assistant United States Attorney James Kitchen is joining the Firm's Investigations & White Collar Defense Practice as of counsel. Mr. Kitchen will be based in the Firm's Pittsburgh Office.
While serving as an assistant U.S. attorney for the Western District of Pennsylvania, Mr. Kitchen was named deputy chief of the office's National Security/Cybercrimes Section. As a hub of the government's national cybercrime enforcement efforts, Pittsburgh is a key strategic location for the investigation and prosecution of those cases.
During his tenure with the U.S. Attorney's Office, Mr. Kitchen directed a number of significant enforcement matters involving cybercrime and trade secret theft. Many of his cases required extensive use of process under the Electronic Communications Privacy Act, as well as close coordination and collaboration with other enforcement agencies and with representatives of major U.S. companies.
"It's quite rare to come across someone who combines - as Jimmy does - top-notch trial and investigative skills with equally impressive experience as a prosecutor dealing with corporate entities," said Ted Chung, Practice Leader of Jones Day's Investigations & White Collar Defense Practice. "Now more than ever, companies face challenges and risks associated with cybersecurity and the protection of what is often their most valuable asset – their intellectual property. Few lawyers are as well positioned as Jimmy to provide practical advice to address those risks."
The Department of Justice recognized Mr. Kitchen for his performance as an assistant U.S. attorney on a number of occasions. For his leadership role in U.S. v. Wang Dong, et al., the prosecution of five foreign nationals for hacking into six major U.S. corporations, Mr. Kitchen received the FBI Director's Award for Outstanding Cyber Investigation and the Attorney General's Distinguished Service Award. In addition, he received the Western Pennsylvania Law Enforcement Agency Director's Award for his work in U.S. v. Adam Busby, a terrorism case that threatened a leading university, and the Environmental Protection Agency's Gold Medal for Exceptional Service for his role in U.S. v. Atlantic States Cast Iron Pipe Co., which involved the prosecution of four managers and their employer for worker safety violations and infractions of the Clean Water Act.
"We're very happy that Jimmy has joined our Investigations & White Collar Defense Practice," said Lee DeJulius, Partner-in-Charge of Jones Day's Pittsburgh Office. "Data security and internal investigation experience is in high demand. Jimmy will be a great fit for our team in Pittsburgh and across the Firm, and I look forward to his contributions."
Prior to joining the U.S. Attorney's office, Mr. Kitchen was an assistant district attorney for the Harris County District Attorney's Office, in Houston, Texas.