Erik Jones’s return to Venable was covered by Law360 on November 13, 2020; Bloomberg Law, Attorney at Law Magazine, and DC CityBizList on November 10, 2020; and General Counsel News on November 9, 2020.
Mr. Jones focuses his practice on issues arising at the intersection of law, technology, and government investigations. He counsels clients on data privacy, cybersecurity, consumer protection, advertising, e-commerce, and the regulatory implications of disruptive technologies. He has represented clients in investigations before congressional committees, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), state attorneys general, and the Department of Justice. Mr. Jones recently served as senior public interest counsel under Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan. In that role – his second stint at the attorney general's office – he led the office's investigation into clergy sexual abuse in Illinois. He previously served as director of the policy bureau and assistant attorney general. In addition to acting as Attorney General Madigan's lead adviser on data security and privacy, he developed investigations and legislation on a range of privacy and technology issues, including patent trolls, payroll cards, and the effort to update Illinois law on data security for the first time in nearly a decade.
Commenting on his return to Venable, Mr. Jones said, "I am more than excited to be rejoining Venable and reengaging with my former colleagues and friends. Venable is known to be at the forefront of privacy and data security matters. The Venable team brings to bear the significant experience and industry knowledge clients need under data privacy and security laws to maximize their business potential."