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

Publications

Alerts

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
Privacy at the FTC – What Are the Hot Topics Almost Two Years Into the Khan Administration?
By Daniel Kaufman
May 8, 2023
It has been almost two years since Lina Khan was designated the new Federal Trade Commission (FTC) chair, and it has been an eventful few years. One of the many questions being asked is “Where do things stand at the FTC on privacy?”...
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AD-ttorneys Law Blog
Holidays and Marketing May Not Always Be a Perfect Match
By Daniel Kaufman
May 8, 2023
The other day I was trying to make heads or tails of a new Federal Trade Commission announcement when I heard the familiar sound indicating that a new email had arrived. Nothing out of the ordinary. The email was from a small company I had...
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AD-ttorneys Law Blog
Deciphering the Recent FTC Trilogy of Blog Posts on Artificial Intelligence
By Daniel Kaufman
May 2, 2023
Bringing law enforcement takes a lot of time – many, many months of investigation, analysis, negotiations and process must occur before an agency brings a law enforcement action. But blogs can get out the door far more quickly. And the...
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AD-ttorneys Law Blog
FTC Brings the Supreme Court Together Again
By Daniel Kaufman, Randal M. Shaheen
April 17, 2023
For those of you who worry about the partisan divide in our country, it’s nice to know that the Federal Trade Commission (FTC or Commission) has once again brought an often sharply divided Supreme Court to unanimity. Unfortunately for the...
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AD-ttorneys Law Blog
FTC Reverts to Penalty Letters, Threatening 670 Companies with Penalties for Unsubstantiated Health Claims and Maybe More
By Linda A. Goldstein, Daniel Kaufman, Amy Ralph Mudge, Randal M. Shaheen
April 13, 2023
Advertisers likely recall that back in 2021, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) created quite the stir when it sent to more than 700 companies warning letters that threatened penalties if companies engaged in deceptive endorsement...
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