Stephenie Gosnell Handler is a partner in Gibson Dunn’s Washington, D.C. office, where she is a member of the International Trade and Privacy, Cybersecurity, and Data Innovation practices.  She advises clients on complex legal, regulatory, and compliance issues relating to international trade, cybersecurity, and technology matters.  Ms. Handler’s legal advice is deeply informed by her operational cybersecurity and in-house legal experience at McKinsey & Company, and also by her active duty service in the U.S. Marine Corps.

Ms. Handler returned to Gibson Dunn as a partner of the Washington, D.C. office after serving as Director of Cybersecurity Strategy and Digital Acceleration at McKinsey & Company.  In this role, she led development of the firm’s cybersecurity strategy and advised senior leadership on public policy and geopolitical trends relating to cybersecurity, technology, and data.  Ms. Handler managed a team of experienced professionals responsible for the firm’s cybersecurity strategic initiatives, cybersecurity standards and certifications program, lifecycle governance initiatives, data analytics and optimization, and digital acceleration efforts across the cyber domain.  She previously led McKinsey’s in-house cybersecurity legal team, where she advised on diverse global cybersecurity and technology matters, including strategic legal issues, data localization, regulatory compliance, risk management, governance, preparedness, and response.  Ms. Handler frequently advised at the intersection of cybersecurity, technology, and data and export control and sanctions requirements.

Previously, Ms. Handler was a senior associate at a leading international law firm, where she focused her practice on international trade matters including CFIUS, export controls, and sanctions, and cybersecurity matters across the cybersecurity risk management and incident lifecycle, including assessments, incident response preparedness, incident response, regulatory compliance, transactional due diligence, and regulatory enforcement actions.

Ms. Handler started her legal career at Gibson Dunn, where she focused on international trade, cybersecurity, and transactional matters.

Ms. Handler earned her J.D. from Stanford University in 2011.  She earned her M.A. from Georgetown University and her B.S. from the U.S. Naval Academy, both in 2001.

Prior to attending law school, Ms. Handler served as officer in the U.S. Marine Corps, where she focused on logistics and political-military affairs during her seven years of active duty service.