Douglas Gansler is head of Cadwalader’s State Attorney General Practice. A former Attorney General of Maryland and president of the National Association of Attorneys General, Gansler draws on 35 years of public advocacy and leadership in advising businesses and individuals facing federal and state investigations and enforcement actions, as well as civil and criminal matters involving state Attorneys General, the Department of Justice and other government agencies. Gansler is viewed as a problem-solver and successfully handles a broad array of general civil and criminal litigation matters.
Gansler represents clients in responding to and, when necessary, defending against AG inquiries from across the country, whether in civil lawsuits, regulatory investigations or both in matters involving financial services, health care, pharmaceutical, insurance, telecommunications and other consumer-facing industries. He also handles complex litigation cases involving procurement, Title IX, and state and federal criminal matters, and multistate matters and provides regulatory compliance advice.
A recent client noted “ we rely heavily on Gansler’s profound insights, close relationships, and deep knowledge of the underpinnings of the state Attorneys General Offices whenever we have an issue with an any office in the country, whether Republican or Democrat.”
—A Fortune 500 Client
“Our association has worked with Gansler for years in the state Attorney General space. As the former NAAG president and deeply respected by both Democrats and Republican Attorneys General, Gansler is extraordinarily smart, accessible, knowledgeable, and connected and is therefore the ideal person for bet-the-company litigation or to represent our members in their many interactions with state Attorneys General.”
— Vice-President, General Counsel, National Trade Association
“When I was falsely accused by the government for things that I did not do, I turned to Gansler and God to help guide me through the storm. I would like to think that there was some divine intervention, but what I know is that Gansler guided me with his strength, strategy and friendship through the toughest part of my life. In the end, because of his fierce and tireless advocacy, no charges were brought and the dark cloud that had covered me (and my family) for far too long, had finally blown away. I will never forget how Gansler stood up for me and in my darkest hours was my brightest light.”
— A White Collar Client
After serving for 23 years in government, Gansler was appointed by the Pennsylvania Attorney General as Special Deputy Attorney General to investigate the improper use of email by Pennsylvania judges and state employees, and he has conducted internal investigations for numerous national corporations. Throughout his career, Gansler has handled a range of civil and criminal cases involving public corruption, economic crimes and other issues, including:
- arguing and winning a unanimous decision before the U.S. Supreme Court in Maryland v. Shatzer
- acting as first chair in more than 50 jury trials and 100 bench trials
- the prosecution of John Muhammad and Lee Boyd Malvo (“Beltway snipers”)
- arguing more than 50 cases in state and federal appellate courts
In the public sector, Gansler’s record of leadership includes:
- establishing the first statewide Internet Privacy and Safety Unit
- implementing the first State's Attorney’s Office community-based prosecution program, which became a nationwide model for effective, fair crime-fighting programs
- establishing the first domestic violence dockets, the first Gang Unit, the first Civil Rights Unit, and the first Elder Abuse Unit in Maryland
Lawdragon Honors
| Honor | Year | Practice |
|---|---|---|
| The 2026 Lawdragon 500 Leading Litigators in America | 2026 | State Attorney General Litigation, Investigations |
| The 2025 Lawdragon 500 Leading Litigators in America | 2025 | State Attorney General Litigation, Investigations |
| The Lawdragon 500 Global Leaders in Crisis Management | 2025 | Investigations, White Collar, Attorneys General |
A life-long community volunteer, Gansler founded Charm City Youth Lacrosse for underserved Baltimore inner-city youth, for which he received the “Innovator of the Year” award from the Daily Record, Maryland's largest legal publication. He has mentored at-risk area youth, served on the Montgomery County Commission on Aging, and co-chaired the NAACP Criminal Justice Committee. Gansler also serves as an Adjunct Professor at American University's Washington College of Law in Washington, D.C.
Gansler received his J.D. from the University of Virginia School of Law and his B.A. from Yale University, cum laude, where he was a four-year starter, All-Ivy and first team All-New England lacrosse player. He is admitted to practice in the District of Columbia, the State of Maryland, the United States Supreme Court, and various federal courts.