Douglas Gansler

Former Attorney General of Maryland &

Partner of Cadwalader

Douglas Gansler is head of Cadwalader’s State Attorneys General Practice. A former Attorney General of Maryland and president of the National Association of Attorneys General, Doug draws on more than 30 years of public advocacy and leadership in advising businesses and individuals facing federal and state investigations and enforcement actions, as well as civil and criminal matters involving state Attorneys General, the Department of Justice and other government agencies.

Doug represents clients in responding to and, when necessary, defending against AG inquiries from across the country, whether in civil lawsuits, regulatory investigations or both in matters involving financial services, health care, pharmaceutical, insurance, telecommunications and other consumer industries. He also handles complex litigation cases involving data breaches, cybersecurity, and privacy matters and provides regulatory compliance advice.

Doug was appointed by the Pennsylvania Attorney General as Special Deputy Attorney General to investigate the improper use of email by Pennsylvania state employees, and he has conducted internal investigations for numerous national corporations. Throughout his career, Doug has handled a range of civil and criminal cases involving public corruption, economic crimes and other issues.

Doug has been recognized by Legal 500 in the areas of Corporate Investigations and White Collar Criminal Defense, and Cyber Law (Data Protection and Privacy). In addition to serving as Attorney General of Maryland, he was Montgomery County’s State’s Attorney (1998-2006) and an Assistant United States Attorney for the District of Columbia (1992-98).

A life-long community volunteer, Doug founded Charm City Youth Lacrosse for underserved Baltimore inner-city youth, for which he received the “Innovator of the Year” award from the Daily Record, Maryland’s largest legal publication. He has mentored at-risk area youth, served on the Montgomery County Commission on Aging, and co-chaired the NAACP Criminal Justice Committee. Doug also serves as an Adjunct Professor at American University’s Washington College of Law in Washington, D.C.

Doug received his J.D. from the University of Virginia School of Law and his B.A. from Yale University, cum laude, where he was a four-year starter, All-Ivy and first team All-New England lacrosse player. He is admitted to practice in the District of Columbia and in the State of Maryland.

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