Michael Leiter

Partner at Skadden, Arps

About Me

Michael Leiter is a Partner at Skadden, Arps, where he runs the firm’s national security practice, which focuses on a broad range of transactions, investigations, and incidents involving U.S. national security and cybersecurity, including CFIUS, export controls, trade, government contracts, and aerospace & defense. Prior to Skadden, Mike served as President of Leidos’ defense business, a Fortune 500 Company, and as Head of the Global Government and Cybersecurity business at Palantir. Before entering the private sector, Mike served as the longest-ever serving head of the National Counterterrorism Center (NCTC), overseeing U.S. counterterrorism planning and intelligence, including during the successful operation that targeted Osama bin Laden. Prior to NCTC, Mr. Leiter helped establish the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, serving as its deputy chief of staff. Mike currently serves as the Chairman of the RAND Corporation, and has been an active committee and board member to several organizations, including the Department of Defense, the National Security Agency (NSA), Columbia University, the National Defense Industrial Association, and Business Executives for National Security (BENS), and has been a frequent contributor on national security issues to NBC, the Washington Post, PBS, and numerous other media outlets. He is a graduate of Columbia and Harvard Law School, where he was President of the Harvard Law Review, and subsequently served as a law clerk to Associate Justice Stephen Breyer. Prior to law school, Mike flew EA-6B Prowlers in the U.S. Navy, during which he participated in combat operations in Iraq and the former Yugoslavia. He has received numerous awards, including being named Honorary Frogman No. 203 by the Commander of Naval Special Warfare.