Brian E. Nelson

Brian’s practice focuses on national security laws and regulations, securities enforcement, corporate governance and government investigations. Before rejoining Cooley, he served as Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence at the US Department of the Treasury, overseeing the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) and the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN).

Before his role at Treasury, Brian was chief legal officer at LA28, the organizing committee for the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Los Angeles, where he led efforts with local, state and federal partners to ensure the security of the Games and directed LA28’s public diplomacy initiatives.

His earlier government service includes senior roles in the California Department of Justice, where he spearheaded national security initiatives targeting transnational criminal organizations, human trafficking, money laundering and high-tech crimes. He also led efforts to enforce and reform financial regulations following the national foreclosure crisis.

Earlier in his career, Brian served as special counsel and deputy chief of staff in the National Security Division of the US Department of Justice. There, he managed critical national security information and oversaw the division’s economic national security work, including its role in the Treasury-led Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS).