L. Judson Welle

Jud Welle, a former federal cyber and national security prosecutor, is a partner at Goodwin who counsels companies on matters at the intersection of technology and legal risk.

Jud focuses his practice on cybersecurity and artificial intelligence, including governance, risk management, incident preparedness and response, crisis management and communications, government investigations, regulatory defense and compliance, and litigation.

Over a career spanning nearly 25 years, Jud has investigated, prosecuted, and conducted trials in cyber and national security cases as a US federal prosecutor, delivered risk management and technical services as a consultant, and overseen cyber and data protection risk management functions as an in-house lawyer. Leveraging these experiences, Jud helps clients responsibly develop, deploy and protect critical information systems and assets, while addressing a growing set of legal, business, and reputational risks and challenges.

Jud takes a “lifecycle” approach to advising clients on cyber and AI issues. His experience as a trial lawyer allows him to educate executive leaders and boards of directors on emerging technology risks in a way that is practical and understandable and supports their oversight and management duties. At the same time, Jud’s experience as a cyber and risk management consultant enables him to help technology leaders and operators anticipate and address critical AI and cybersecurity risks. When crises and incidents occur, Jud helps organizations respond and recover, serving as a “quarterback” who oversees external vendors and helps internal teams unify efforts across business functions. Jud also assures that a client's incident communications are optimized to maintain trust with customers and investors while reducing or avoiding legal risks.

Jud’s expertise and service to clients have been recognized in rankings from Chambers & Partners, Legal 500, Lawdragon, and the Cybersecurity Docket’s Incident Response 50. Jud regularly shares his insights on cybersecurity and AI at conferences, symposia, and in the media.

Jud serves on the legal advisory board of New York University’s Center for Cybersecurity, an interdisciplinary academic center addressing emerging cybersecurity and AI issues.

Before joining Goodwin, Jud was most recently a Managing Director, the Head of the Digital Investigations & Cyber Defense practice, and Chief Counsel for Cybersecurity & Privacy at Nardello & Co., a Chambers recognized global investigations firm. In that role, Jud managed and led engagements involving cyber incident response, insider threats, digital forensics, cybersecurity advisory services, and executive and organizational preparedness. Jud also provided legal advice to the firm related to cybersecurity, incident response and preparedness, risk assessment and management, data privacy, compliance, and litigation. Prior to Nardello, Jud was a Managing Director at specialized risk management firm Stroz Friedberg, where he supervised incident response, proactive cybersecurity services, complex digital forensics, due diligence, and eDiscovery matters.

Jud is a former federal prosecutor who served as an Assistant US Attorney for the District of New Jersey in Newark. During his 12-year tenure, he investigated and prosecuted federal crimes, including computer hacking, fraud, intellectual property theft, money laundering, terrorism, export-control violations, public corruption, and international narcotics trafficking. Jud also held the roles of Cyber Crime Coordinator and National Security Cyber Specialist, where he led the office’s efforts to combat computer hacking and data theft by nation states, criminal networks, and insider threats. Jud also served as a fellow with the National Cyber Investigative Joint Task Force, a multi-agency cyber center led by the FBI and composed of more than 20 partnering agencies from across law enforcement, the intelligence community, and the Department of Defense.

Jud previously worked as an associate in the litigation department of Dewey Ballantine LLP in New York City. Prior to that, he served as a law clerk to the Honorable John W. Bissell, Chief District Judge of the US District Court for the District of New Jersey.

Trustee, Board of Trustees, Alumni Association of the U.S. Attorney's Office District of New Jersey

Member, Drafting Team for 2nd Edition of the Commentary on Application of Attorney-Client Privilege and Work-Product Protection to Documents and Communications Generated in the Cybersecurity Context, The Sedona Conference

Member, Federal Bar Council

Jud has been selected for inclusion in the following:

• Chambers & Partners, Global, Band 5, Privacy & Data Security: Cybersecurity (2025, 2026)
• Chambers & Partners, USA, Band 5, Privacy & Data Security: Cybersecurity (2024, 2025)
• Cybersecurity Docket, Incident Response Elite (2026)
• Cybersecurity Docket, Incident Response 50 (2025)
• The Legal 500, Recommended Lawyer, Cyber Law (2023-2025)
• Lawdragon, 500 Leading Global Cyber Lawyers

Jud has also received numerous awards from the Federal Bureau of Investigation and other law enforcement agencies during his tenure as a federal prosecutor for his case work. He has also received the Burton Award for Legal Achievement for outstanding legal scholarship.

Jud frequently writes, presents, and comments on legal issues related to cybersecurity, data protection, breach response, insider threats, national security, counterterrorism, eDiscovery, and interacting with regulatory and law enforcement agencies.

Jud’s recent speaking engagements include:

• Moderator/Panelist, “What to Expect Your Board to Be Asking on Cybersecurity Risk Management and AI Governance,” Webinar, January 2026
• Moderator, “When IR Meets AI: How to Level-Up Your Organization to Respond to AI Security Incidents and Risks,” Webinar, December 2025
• Speaker, “Why the Public and Private Sectors Must Collaborate to Develop Adaptive Cybersecurity Standards,” Nasdaq Trade Talks, October 2025
• Speaker, “Cyber Risk Management & Legal Considerations: A Global Approach to Cybersecurity and Incident Response,” Goodwin Hosted Event, May 2025
• Panelist, “Litigation Panel,” Cyber Counsel Group Spring Conference, May 2025
• Panelist, “Data Privacy Compliance: Pre-Attack Risk Mitigation and Post-Attack Best Practices,” Incident Response Forum, April 2025
• Speaker, “How AI Is Impacting Data Governance and Privacy,” Nasdaq Trade Talks, April 2025
• Panelist, “Data Privacy Compliance: Pre-Attack Risk Mitigation and Post-Attack Best Practices,” Incident Response Forum Masterclass, April 2025
• Moderator, “AI Security: Critical Questions, Expert Answers,” Webinar, April 2025
• Panelist, “The Power and Problems With DeepSeek and Open-Source Models: What You Need To Worry About,” HumanX, March 2025
• Panelist, “Artificial Intelligence: The Impact Investor Perspectives,” Impact Capital Managers Spring Convening & LP Day, March 2025
• Panelist, “The Interrelationship between Artificial Intelligence and Cybersecurity,” Webinar, January 2025
• Speaker, “Why Cyber Best Practice and Data Governance Is Not a One-Time Exercise,” Nasdaq Trade Talks, October 2024
• Panelist, “Healthcare Data, Web Tracking Tools and Current Litigation Threats,” Webinar, September 2024
• Moderator, “Cybersecurity: Roundup on Recent SEC Developments and Looking Forward,” Webinar, September 2024
• Moderator, “This Time, It's Personal (Cyber Liability for Corporate Officers): Understanding Risk and Exposure in a Changing Regulatory Landscape,” Webinar, November 2023
• Panelist, “Proposed SEC Rules Will Require Enhanced Disclosures Related to Companies’ Cybersecurity Risk Management and the Expertise of Boards of Directors,” Webinar, April 2023
• Panelist, “Are You Ready for the SEC’s New Cybersecurity Guidelines?” Code42 Webinar, May 2023
• Panelist, “Cyber New Year’s Resolutions: Predictions and Best Practices for Risk Management,” IAPP Web Conferences, January 2023
• Panelist, “Proposed SEC Rules Will Force Public Companies to Dramatically Rethink Cybersecurity Investigations and Response Strategy,” Webinar (December 2022)
• Panelist, “Data Privacy and Security: Regulation, Enforcement, and Best Practices,” New York City Bar Compliance Institute 2022, September 22, 2022
• Panelist, “Democracy and Technology in the Digital Age, Deploying an Open Innovation Platform,” The Democracy and Culture Foundation, June 28, 2021
• Panelist, “Emerging Cyber Threats: What Companies Need to Know & Plan For,” Nardello & Co., June 15, 2021
• Panelist, “After the Breach: Working with Law Enforcement,” U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey, Cybercrime Symposium, May 18, 2021
• Panelist, “Managing Cyber Risk in a Hostile World,” INFORM Conference, ARMA-NJ, June 14, 2018

Jud’s commentary and notable publications include:

• Co-Author, “FINRA’s Annual Guidance Spotlights AI and Cyber Risk Management and Governance,” Client Alert, February 18, 2026 
• Co-Author, “AI Risk Meets Cyber Governance: NIST’s Draft Cyber AI Profile,” Client Alert, January 28, 2026 
• Co-Author, “Cybersecurity’s New Power Dynamics,” Forces of Law, December 10, 2025 
• Co-Author, “Beyond the Perimeter: Securing OAuth Tokens and API Access to Thwart Modern Cyber Attackers,” Client Alert, October 30, 2025 
• Co-Author, “California’s New Privacy and Cybersecurity Regulations on Risk Assessments, Automated Decision-Making, and Cybersecurity Audits: What Businesses Need to Know,” Client Alert, July 31, 2025 
• Co-Author, “America’s AI Action Plan Emphasizes Governance and Risk Management to Promote the Secure and Safe Adoption of AI Tools,” Client Alert, July 31, 2025 
• Co-Author, “A Cyber Practitioner’s Guide to AI and Machine-Learning Technologies,” The Guide to Cyber and Data Privacy Investigations - Fourth Edition, Global Investigations Review, July 31, 2025 
• Quoted, “Cybersecurity & Privacy Policy To Watch In 2024,” Law 360, January 2024
• Quoted, “The Cybersecurity & Privacy Developments That Shaped 2023,” Law.com, December 2023
• Co-Author, “4 Mistakes to Avoid After a Cybersecurity Incident,” Law 360, August 28, 2023
• Quoted, “Cyber-attacks and data protection worries loom large,” Commercial Dispute Resolution, August, 2023
• Co-Author, “The DOJ Goes Phishing: The Rise of False Claims Act Cybersecurity Litigation,” Law Journal Newsletters, March 2022
• Co-Author, “Never Break the Chain: Software Supply Chain Risks and Solutions,” New York Law Journal, March 2022
• Quoted, “Goodwin Nabs Cyber Pro To Boost Incident Response Arsenal,” Law360 Pulse, January 2022 
• Quoted, “Cybersecurity Resolutions for 2022,” Cybersecurity Law Report, January 2022
• Quoted, “SEC Lures Top Enforcer Who Says Tougher Punishment Is Coming,” The Wall Street Journal, December 2021
• Quoted, “The U.S. Government Has a Massive, Secret Stockpile of Bitcoin — Here’s What Happens to It,” CNBC, December 2021
• Co-Author, “January 6 and Beyond: Understanding the New Social Media Landscape,” Nardello & Co., March 2021
• Co-Author, “Hack & Sell Short: A New Cyber Threat,” Nardello & Company, January 2021
• Co-Author, “The Cyber Threat Epidemic,” Nardello & Co., April 2020
• Author, “Power, Policy, and the Hyde Amendment: Ensuring Sound Interpretation of the Criminal Attorneys’ Fees Law,” 41 William & Mary Law Review 333, 1999