Daniel Kaufman

He | Him | His

Partner

Washington, D.C.
T +1.202.861.1523
F +1.202.861.1783

Overview

Daniel Kaufman brings nearly 25 years of experience with the Federal Trade Commission's Bureau of Consumer Protection, recently leading the 450-person Bureau as Acting Director, where he oversaw all consumer protection matters, including investigations and cases involving privacy, data security, advertising, influencers, endorsers and other marketing practices. As Deputy Director of the Bureau for most of the past ten years, Daniel has been involved in virtually every high-profile consumer protection and privacy case brought by the FTC in the past decade, including matters involving some of the largest technology and consumer products companies and matters involving newer start-ups and innovators.

A preeminent thought leader and subject matter expert in advertising and data privacy issues, he is a frequent speaker on consumer protection matters and can provide context for the challenges our clients face regarding privacy and consumer advertising. He has unique insights into what is in store for the industry as the FTC changes direction with new leadership, new priorities, the use of different legal authorities and collaborations with state and federal partners.

Daniel joined the FTC as a staff attorney in 1998, where he litigated cases challenging unsubstantiated health and disease claims in the Division of Advertising Practices. He served as an Attorney-Advisor to former FTC Chairman Deborah Platt Majoras from 2005 to 2008, and as Bureau Chief of Staff from 2008 to 2011. As Acting Director, he appeared before the U.S. Senate Subcommittee on Consumer Protection, Product Safety and Data Security and delivered a statement regarding COVID frauds and scams. In 2015, he testified on fighting fraud against the elderly before the U.S. House of Representatives Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing and Trade of the Committee on Energy and Commerce.

Prior to joining the FTC, Daniel spent four years in New York City as a litigator.

Recognitions and Memberships

Recognitions

  • The Legal 500 United States
    • Recommended in Media, Technology and Telecoms: Advertising and Marketing - Transactional and Regulatory (2022)
    • Recommended in Media, Technology and Telecoms: Cyber Law (including Data Privacy and Data Protection) (2022)

Memberships

  • American Bar Association
  • National LGBTQ+ Bar Association

News

News

Press Releases

Blog Posts

Prior Positions

  • Federal Trade Commission, Bureau of Consumer Protection:
    • Acting Director (2021)
    • Deputy Director (2012 to 2021)
    • Chief of Staff (2008 to 2011)
    • Attorney-Advisor to Chairman (2005 to 2008)
    • Staff Attorney, Division of Advertising Practices (1998 to 2005)

Admissions

  • New York
  • District of Columbia

Education

  • J.D., University of Pennsylvania Law School, 1994, cum laude; Order of the Coif
  • B.A., Cornell University, 1989

Blog

In The Blogs

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Data Counsel
With New Enforcement Action, FTC Warns Against Health Information Being Used for Advertising Purposes
By Daniel Kaufman, Aleksandra Vold
March 16, 2023
If the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) recent pursuits did not make clear the agency’s deep concerns about the use of health information for advertising purposes, a new enforcement action brought by the FTC against BetterHelp – to the...
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AD-ttorneys Law Blog
FTC Ratchets Up Increased Focus on Franchise Issues
By Daniel Kaufman
March 14, 2023
Ian Fleming famously wrote, “Once is happenstance. Twice is coincidence. Three times is enemy action.” Although we aren’t quite talking enemy action here, we are seeing heightened Federal Trade Commission (FTC) interest in issues involving...
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AD-ttorneys Law Blog
FDA Launches New Directory of Ingredients Used in Products Marketed as Dietary Supplements - AD-ttorneys
By Daniel Kaufman, Laura E. Macherelli, Marc N. Wagner
March 7, 2023
On March 6, the FDA announced the launch of its new “Dietary Supplement Ingredient Directory.” According to the FDA, the directory is “a one-stop shop of ingredient information that was previously found on different FDA webpages.” It will...
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AD-ttorneys Law Blog
The Year of the Green – Upcoming FTC Workshop on Recyclable Claims
By Daniel Kaufman, Amy Ralph Mudge, Randal M. Shaheen
March 2, 2023
Late last year, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) announced it was examining the Guides for the Use of Environmental Marketing Claims, better known as the Green Guides. Consumer and industry interest in green marketing is through the roof...
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AD-ttorneys Law Blog
The Podcast You Didn't Know You Were Missing – AD Nauseam
By Daniel Kaufman, Amy Ralph Mudge
March 1, 2023
It’s not every day that we get to announce new content created especially for advertising and marketing enthusiasts who just can’t get enough about legal issues in advertising and the latest from the Federal Trade Commission and the...
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