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A distinguished former federal prosecutor and Associate Deputy Attorney General, Rush Atkinson handles clients’ most complex and highest-profile corporate and government investigations, white-collar litigation, and congressional inquiries. Atkinson is recognized as both a leading figure in the white collar and national security matters and previously served in several top roles within the U.S. Department of Justice.
One of the country’s leading white-collar attorneys, Atkinson counsels some of the world’s top tech, telecommunications, healthcare, and other companies on extremely sensitive matters, including criminal and civil investigations at both the federal and state levels. Atkinson represents clients in criminal investigations, state Attorney General lawsuits, and False Claims Act litigation, as well as matters before the Federal Trade Commission, the Securities & Exchange Commission, and other federal agencies.
Atkinson is also recognized as a “very quick study that can jump in and deliver immediate results.” He advises clients on emerging trends in national security, including those surrounding artificial intelligence and similar emerging technologies. Atkinson is frequently sought out by clients to navigate matters sitting at the intersection of white-collar matters and national security.
Lawdragon Honors
| Honor | Year | Practice |
|---|---|---|
| The 2027 Lawdragon 500 Leading Litigators in America | 2027 | Investigations, White Collar, Congressional Inquiry |
| The 2026 Lawdragon 500 Leading Global Investigations Lawyers | 2026 | Investigations, White Collar, Litigation, Congressional Inquiries |
| The 2026 Lawdragon 500 Leading Global Cyber Lawyers | 2026 | Litigation, Cybersecurity & Data Protection |
| The 2026 Lawdragon 500 Leading Litigators in America | 2026 | Investigations, White Collar, Congressional Inquiry |
| The 2025 Lawdragon 500 Leading Global Cyber Lawyers | 2025 | Litigation, Cybersecurity & Data Protection |
| The 2024 Lawdragon 500 Leading Global Cyber Lawyers | 2024 | Litigation, Cybersecurity & Data Protection |
From 2022 to 2024, Atkinson was an Associate Deputy Attorney General, serving as one of the most senior counselors to the Attorney General and Deputy Attorney General. His responsibilities covered the DOJ’s most consequential and sensitive decisions, and he frequently served as the Department’s representative to the National Security Council and the White House.
Atkinson also co-chaired the DOJ’s Corporate Crime Advisory Group, which developed significant revisions to policies governing the prosecution of white-collar crime, deferred and non-prosecution agreements, voluntary self-disclosure programs, and the use of corporate monitors. Atkinson was also central to the DOJ’s focus on the intersection of white-collar matters and national security, including corporate accountability for sanctions, export control, money laundering, and Bank Secrecy Act violations.
From 2017 to 2019, Atkinson served as an Assistant Special Counsel under Robert S. Mueller III, investigating cyber and social media interference in U.S. affairs by foreign actors.
Previously, as a federal prosecutor and Assistant Chief in the DOJ’s Fraud Section, Atkinson prosecuted high-profile corporate matters involving market manipulation in foreign exchange markets, securities fraud by public corporate executives, insider trading, FCPA violations, healthcare fraud, and other white-collar matters. He handled five federal criminal jury trials, supervised dozens of others, and led the DOJ’s criminal investigations into COVID-19 fraud during the pandemic.
Atkinson has published a variety of academic articles on criminal and national security matters, including in the Georgetown Law Journal, Vanderbilt Law Review, New York University Law Review, and Stanford Journal of International Law. He is also a member of the Edward Bennett Williams American Inn of Court.