Computer Law, Trials, and Appeals

 

Subscribe to our newsletter and stay current with the latest Computer Fraud and Abuse Act (CFAA), internet, and intellectual property law developments.

 We value your privacy and would never spam you

THIS SECTION IS MOBILE ONLY (this heading is hidden)

Computer Fraud and Abuse Act, Trials, and Appeals

THIS SECTION IS MOBILE ONLY (this heading is hidden)

Stay current with the latest developments in internet, intellectual property, and criminal law. Subscribe to our newsletter.

We value your privacy and would never spam you

About Us

We’re experienced trial, appellate, and business lawyers with nationally recognized practices handling Computer Fraud and Abuse Act (CFAA) cases, white collar criminal defense, and intellectual property matters.

 

Tor Ekeland Law PLLC represents select clients nationally in criminal and civil litigation. For businesses and start ups we provide a variety of tailored business, intellectual property, and computer law services and solutions.

We’ve handled complex federal white collar criminal jury trials through verdict in California, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, and Texas. Our state trial practice includes criminal and civil jury trials in California and New York. Tor is a graduate of Gerry Spence’s Trial Lawyers College in Dubois, Wyoming and combines the rigorous, client centered techniques he’s learned there with his own unique experience as a trial lawyer to thoroughly study, workshop, and present a client’s case through a jury focused strategy. Because the Firm isn’t a volume business, and is selective about the cases it takes, our client’s receive the attention their cases demand.

Our mindset is a trial mindset. Unlike many lawyers whose court room experience ends with a settlement, summary judgment, or a plea, we’re not afraid to take a case to trial. Our litigation experience spans the gamut from civil demand and Department of Justice target letters at the start of a case, through pre-trial motions, trial, and appeals. Civil and criminal.

A favorable jury verdict is just one way to win a case. That’s why we take a holistic strategic approach to all our cases. We optimize our client’s chances of a positive outcome whether that means a settlement, plea, motion practice, trial, appeal, or even post-appeal litigation.

Our federal appellate practice handles appeals in any of the federal circuit court of appeals, and the United States Supreme Court.  Our appellate experience includes briefing and oral arguments in the Federal Courts of Appeals or the Second, Third, Fifth, and Ninth Circuits.

Internationally, we work with clients that the United States government seeks to extradite from the United Kingdom, working alongside U.K. extradition lawyers we have relationships with.

When it comes to computer law, few firms have our practical experience on both the criminal and civil side of the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act, and state computer laws. And our computer law experience isn’t limited to the CFAA, as we’ve litigated major Communications Decency Act § 230 cases, federal cyberstalking cases, and issues involving the search and seizure of digital evidence under the Fourth and Fifth Amendments.

Tor was a corporate litigator at a major law firm for five years before starting the firm. He understands the complexities of modern businesses and the regulatory environment they operate in. He’s worked on SEC and DOJ investigations of Fortune 500 companies, as well as complex commercial litigation involving sophisticated financial derivatives. Our litigation practice informs the counsel we provide businesses on how to avoid needless litigation, and how to draft agreements and close deals that will protect their rights and hold up in a courtroom. We regularly counsel businesses on navigating the vagaries of state, federal, and international computer law.

 

Practice Areas

For the last decade we’ve defended people accused of computer crime in federal courts all over the country. Our experience with CFAA prosecutions runs the full spectrum – from the beginning of an investigation through Grand Juries, indictments, pleas, jury trials, sentencing, and appeals. On the civil side we’ve defended people sued by major corporations. Few law firms have this depth of experience.

The New York Times, the Washington Post, and the Associated Press all  recognize us as computer law experts. The national and international media routinely turn to us for our insights on computer law. Wired magazine lists three of our Computer Fraud and Abuse Act (“CFAA”) cases as among the “most controversial hacking cases of the last decade.”

The CFAA, and the state of computer law in the United States and internationally, is a mess. What is legal in one jurisdiction is a felony in another. This puts you at risk because you traverse multiple jurisdictions at the speed of light when you’re on the internet. We know the perils and pitfalls of the CFAA, and United States and International computer law, both in the criminal and civil context.

And this experience isn’t limited to reading case law and writing memos. It extends to digital forensic investigations and evidence, and presenting it to a judge and jury. We got it by dealing with the FBI’s Digital Forensics labs in federal criminal trials, the REACT computer crime task force in Silicon Valley, and private digital forensic investigators both in federal and state civil litigation.

If you’re under investigation, or being prosecuted for, computer crime and need a solution contact us. Likewise if you want to sue, or are being sued, civilly under the CFAA. And if you want to avoid getting caught up in the CFAA’s vague and ambiguous net, we provide privileged and confidential counseling to head off trouble before it starts.

Our federal white collar defense practice is national. Few have our breadth of experience with United States Attorneys and FBI offices in California, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, Tennessee, Virginia, Washington D.C., and Texas. We’re firm believers in our Constitution’s guarantee of a jury trial as the cornerstone of our criminal justice system.

We’re experienced with federal criminal cases from top to bottom, including:  talking to the FBI and our clients during a raid; DOJ Target Letters (telling you you’re under investigation); Grand Juries; Extradition; Arraignment; Plea Negotiations; Discovery; Pre-Trial Motions; Motions in Limine, Jury trials; Experts; Post-Trial Motions; Sentencing; Appeals, and Post-Appeal Motions.

Trial is an art that requires constant discipline and work. It isn’t something one masters by reading treatises and pushing paper. Just like you don’t run a marathon without any training, you can’t do a trial without getting up on your feet and interactively working the case. Our approach to trial is not a desk bound approach.We constantly work our trial technique through practice workshops across the country. And we study the trial practice of the great trial lawyers.

Being investigated or indicted by the United States government is a bewildering, harrowing and risky experience. For most, it’s a new one that raises questions to which there are no easy answers. Each client’s case is unique, and there are no cookie cutter approaches when it comes to defending your case. Beware the lawyer who tells you otherwise.

Partners Mark Jaffe and Tor Ekeland have a combined twenty-plus years experience handling complex commercial, securities, employment, and intellectual property law cases. The Firm litigates civil cases across the country in both federal and state court – primarily California, New York and Texas.

We counsel individuals and entities on navigating the ever-growing maze of state, federal, and international computer, data, and privacy laws. Hedge funds consult us about their flash trading software; Open Source companies on the complexities of Open Source licensing, and Tech Start-Ups on how to survive the multijurisdictional maze. Whether it’s BIPA, CCPA, CDA § 230, CFAA, GDPR, the SCA or any other computer law, we provide experienced counsel based on almost a decade in the field.

We handle investigations and litigations by federal and state governments, from the SEC, DOJ, FBI to State Attorney Generals.

Tor Ekeland

Tor is a trial and appellate lawyer. He’s best known for representing hackers and white collar defendants in federal criminal court and on appeal. Tor also counsels businesses and individuals under investigation by the United States Department of Justice, and those needing counseling on U.S. and international computer laws.

Prior to starting the Firm, Tor was a complex commercial and securities litigator with the New York City office of Sidley Austin, LLP. At Sidley, he gained in depth experience representing individuals and business entities under government investigation by the United States Department of Justice for violations of the Foreign Corrupt Businesses Act, the SEC for securities fraud, as well as working on litigation involving complex financial derivatives. Businesses often turn to Tor for counseling on virtual currencies such as BitCoin, ICO’s, and the intersection of U.S. securities and computer laws.

Tor has represented hackers and white collar defendants in federal courts in Kentucky, New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Texas, Tennessee, Virginia and California. His experience encompasses all aspects of the federal criminal process, from target letters, grand jury testimony, pre-trial proceedings, trial, and appeal. The national and international press regularly turn to him for commentary on the computer law issues of the moment. Many of his cases revolve around the notorious Computer Fraud and Abuse Act (CFAA), a civil and criminal federal statute at the heart of most computer law litigation in the United States. Other significant cases of his involve national security issues and government surveillance. He regularly deals with the Department of Justice, the FBI, the U.S. Marshalls, the U.S. Probation Office and the Bureau of Prisons across the country.

Tor is admitted in New York State, as well as the Federal District Courts for the: Eastern District of New York; Southern District of New York; Northern District of New York; District of Colorado; Southern District of Texas; and the Eastern District of Texas. He is admitted to the Federal Appeals Courts for the: Second Circuit; Third Circuit; Fifth Circuit; and Ninth Circuit. Additionally, he has been admitted pro hac vice on various matters in the Federal District Courts for the: Eastern District of California; Eastern District of Kentucky; District of New Jersey; District of Massachusetts; District of Minnesota; Middle District of Tennessee; Northern District of Texas; and the Eastern District of Virginia.

In 2018, Tor graduated from the three week program at Gerry Spence’s Trial Lawyers College in Dubois, Wyoming, and is an active member of the college who regularly attends trial training sessions with it. In 2006 he graduated cum laude from Fordham University School of Law, where he was Senior Articles Editor of Volume 74 of the Fordham Law Review, as well as receiving the Fordham Law Award for Excellence in the Study of Constitutional law. He is an avid runner and has run the New York City, Los Angeles, and Paris Marathons, among other races.

Click here for a video of Tor arguing a case in front of the Federal Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.

Michael Hassard

Michael Hassard

Michael Hassard is an Associate with Tor Ekeland Law and works out of our New York offices. Prior to joining the firm, Michael completed his Articling requirement for the Law Society of Ontario at a busy boutique practice in his hometown of Toronto, Ontario. Before pursuing his international qualifications, Michael worked as a law clerk at a prominent sexual and racial discrimination firm in New York City. 

Michael is admitted to practice law in the State of New York. Michael is pursuing admission in the State of New Jersey and the Province of Ontario.

A graduate of the Maurice A. Deane School of Law at Hofstra University, Michael was heavily involved as a board member for the International Commercial Arbitration Team, twice representing his school at the Willem C. Vis Moot in Vienna, Austria. 

Prior to attending law school, Michael coached the Bosnian National Ice Hockey Team while playing for the Sarajevo Medvedji through Québec-based non-profit Hockey Sans Frontières.

For media inquiries, please email info@torekeland.com

30 WALL STREET, 8TH FLOOR NEW YORK, NY 10005

©2022 Tor Ekeland Law, PLLC   • info@torekeland.com

Attorney Advertising   •   Past results do not guarantee future results   •   Licensed in New York