Firm News

Wiggin and Dana LLP is pleased to announce that Julie Edelstein has joined the firm’s Washington, D.C., office as a partner in the Litigation Department and International Trade Compliance and White Collar practice groups. Edelstein spent over 15 years in government, including most recently as acting Principal Deputy Chief of the Counterintelligence and Export Control Section (CES) of the U.S. Department of Justice’s (DOJ) National Security Division (NSD). Before joining NSD, she served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia, Civil Defensive Division.

Edelstein will advise clients on high-stakes government investigations and other criminal and civil matters at the intersection of national security, export controls, white collar, and litigation. At NSD, she supervised, investigated, and prosecuted sensitive and high-profile cases, from espionage to cyberattacks to unauthorized disclosures and mishandling of classified information. Additionally, Edelstein served as coordinator for the Disruptive Technology Strike Force, an initiative co-led by the DOJ and the U.S. Department of Commerce (DOC) to counter threats posed by nation-state adversaries’ acquisition of advanced technologies.

“Julie’s understanding of decision-making and national security priorities within the DOJ, DOC, and other enforcement agencies allows her to provide critical insights into what leads companies into — and out of — the government’s crosshairs,” said David A. Ring, co-chair of Wiggin and Dana’s International Trade Compliance practice. “Julie is a superb trial attorney trusted for her sound judgment and advice. We’re thrilled to welcome her to the team.”

Wiggin and Dana’s highly respected International Trade Compliance practice is composed of Washington D.C.-based attorneys with in-house legal and government service credentials. Edelstein joins Ring, a former DOJ supervisor, former Global Head of Compliance Investigations at United Technologies Corporation, and government-appointed monitor. The group also includes Tahlia Townsend, who counsels clients on complex export, Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) and Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) matters; and Alan Levesque, the former Chief Compliance Officer for one of the world’s largest aerospace and defense companies who currently serves as a U.S. Department of State-appointed monitor for one of the two largest airplane manufacturers in the world.

“Our International Trade Compliance and White Collar practices bring together a sophisticated group of attorneys trusted by clients of all sizes to help them navigate the increasingly complex demands of the rapidly evolving regulatory environment,” said Tim Diemand, Wiggin and Dana’s Managing Partner. “We’re excited to add Julie to our talented team. Having been on the enforcement side for over a decade, she is exceptionally well-positioned to advise our clients on compliance priorities and pitfalls so their businesses can continue to thrive.”

“Wiggin and Dana’s lawyers have a reputation for excellence in D.C. and beyond,” said Edelstein. “The firm provides a unique opportunity to work with a high-caliber team with the client service benefits of a midsize firm. I look forward to partnering with the International Trade Compliance and White Collar teams to expand my practice and support clients through today’s heightened enforcement landscape.”

Edelstein earned her J.D., cum laude, at the University of Pennsylvania Law School and B.A., cum laude, at Yale University.

About Wiggin and Dana

Wiggin and Dana is a full-service law firm of highly talented, creative and experienced lawyers dedicated to exceeding our clients’ expectations every day. With offices in Boston, Connecticut, New York, Philadelphia, Washington, DC and Florida, we represent clients throughout the United States and globally on a wide range of sophisticated and complex matters. From defending a Fortune 500 institution in “bet-the-company” litigation, to helping the next generation of inventors bring new technologies to market, to preserving the wealth that a family business has worked so hard to create, we pride ourselves in offering value-driven solutions and results.