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Maneesha Mithal
Partner
Data, Privacy, and Cybersecurity
Washington, D.C.

D202-973-8834

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  • FTC Veteran

    Maneesha led the Federal Trade Commission’s Division of Privacy and Identity Protection for over a decade.

  • Investigations Experience

    Maneesha spearheaded over 150 investigations while at the FTC, and currently represents clients in high-profile investigations by the Commission.

  • AI, Consumer Protection, and Privacy Expertise

    Maneesha is one of the founding members of the firm’s AI group and has extensive experience counseling clients on data regulatory issues of first impression.

  • Maneesha is a frequent contributor to The WSGR Data Advisor

    Wilson Sonsini’s Data Advisor is your source for privacy news and insights—brought to you by our global privacy and cybersecurity team. Visit wsgrdataadvisor.com and subscribe to stay connected.

Maneesha Mithal is a partner in the Washington, D.C., office of Wilson Sonsini and co-chair of the firm’s data, privacy, and cybersecurity practice. Maneesha advises clients on privacy, cybersecurity, and consumer protection matters and represents companies in regulatory investigations. She is also one of the founding members of Wilson Sonsini’s AI group.

Maneesha is an internationally recognized expert on privacy and data security, having led the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC’s) Division of Privacy and Identity Protection prior to joining the firm. In this capacity, Maneesha oversaw a team of 40 lawyers responsible for the enforcement of privacy and security laws and the development of policy positions in areas such as artificial intelligence, facial recognition, biometrics, and connected cars, as well as health privacy, children’s privacy, ransomware, and the intersection of privacy and competition. She was also responsible for enforcing the Fair Credit Reporting and Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act Safeguards Rule. She led the negotiation of numerous privacy and data security settlements and managed the first litigated FTC decisions on cybersecurity issues. Maneesha also worked with congressional staff on federal privacy legislation, with state attorney general offices on joint investigations, and with other federal and international agencies on a variety of initiatives. She also held other roles in the Bureau of Consumer Protection.

Named to the 2024 “Incident Response 50” list by Cybersecurity Docket and recognized in the 2024 edition of Chambers USA for her privacy work, sources remark Maneesha “cuts to the heart of complex questions quickly” and “offers highly practical and thoughtful advice.”

Earlier in her career, as a manager with the FTC’s International Consumer Protection Division, Maneesha worked on European privacy issues and served as a U.S. delegate to the privacy committees of the OECD and APEC.

Maneesha previously served as Chief of Staff and Senior Counsel in the Bureau of Consumer Protection (BCP), where she reviewed advertising cases and financial consumer protection matters, and held various positions in BCP’s International Division, including as Acting Associate Director. She began her legal career as a litigator at Covington & Burling.

Maneesha is a frequent speaker at industry events, including IAPP- and ABA-led panels.

Experience

Maneesha Mithal is a partner in the Washington, D.C., office of Wilson Sonsini and co-chair of the firm’s data, privacy, and cybersecurity practice. Maneesha advises clients on privacy, cybersecurity, and consumer protection matters and represents companies in regulatory investigations. She is also one of the founding members of Wilson Sonsini’s AI group.

Maneesha is an internationally recognized expert on privacy and data security, having led the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC’s) Division of Privacy and Identity Protection prior to joining the firm. In this capacity, Maneesha oversaw a team of 40 lawyers responsible for the enforcement of privacy and security laws and the development of policy positions in areas such as artificial intelligence, facial recognition, biometrics, and connected cars, as well as health privacy, children’s privacy, ransomware, and the intersection of privacy and competition. She was also responsible for enforcing the Fair Credit Reporting and Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act Safeguards Rule. She led the negotiation of numerous privacy and data security settlements and managed the first litigated FTC decisions on cybersecurity issues. Maneesha also worked with congressional staff on federal privacy legislation, with state attorney general offices on joint investigations, and with other federal and international agencies on a variety of initiatives. She also held other roles in the Bureau of Consumer Protection.

Named to the 2024 “Incident Response 50” list by Cybersecurity Docket and recognized in the 2024 edition of Chambers USA for her privacy work, sources remark Maneesha “cuts to the heart of complex questions quickly” and “offers highly practical and thoughtful advice.”

Earlier in her career, as a manager with the FTC’s International Consumer Protection Division, Maneesha worked on European privacy issues and served as a U.S. delegate to the privacy committees of the OECD and APEC.

Maneesha previously served as Chief of Staff and Senior Counsel in the Bureau of Consumer Protection (BCP), where she reviewed advertising cases and financial consumer protection matters, and held various positions in BCP’s International Division, including as Acting Associate Director. She began her legal career as a litigator at Covington & Burling.

Maneesha is a frequent speaker at industry events, including IAPP- and ABA-led panels.

Focus Areas
Recent Insights
Alerts
New York Legislature Passes Ban on Personalized Pricing
Last week, the New York State Legislature passed the One Fair Price Act (S.8623B/A.9349B) (the Act), a bill that prohibits businesses from using personal data—such as purchase history, browsing history, real-time location, income, or inferred household size—to generate individual prices for consumers. While the Act bans so-called “surveillance pricing,” or personalized pricing, companies may still use “dynamic pricing” algorithms, subject to a modified disclosure requirement, so long as the algorithm does not set prices based on consumer personal data. The bill now awaits the signature of Governor Kathy Hochul, who has until December 31, 2026, to act.
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Alerts
Connecticut Updates Its Data Privacy Act, Imposing Significant New Privacy Requirements
Last month, the Connecticut legislature passed two bills that amend and expand the Connecticut Data Privacy Act (CTDPA): Senate Bill 4 (SB 4) and House Bill 5222 (HB 5222). SB 4 (which was signed into law on May 27, 2026) and HB 5222 (which amends parts of SB 4 and was signed into law on June 2, 2026) contain new requirements for businesses and data brokers operating in the Constitution State.
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Recent Events
Speaking Engagements
IAPP Navigate 2026
On June 24, Wilson Sonsini partner Maneesha Mithal will speak at the IAPP Navigate 2026 Digital Policy Leadership Summit on the panel, “The Billion Dollar Club: Responding to the Growing Wave of Privacy Enforcement.” Maneesha and her fellow panelists will examine the rise in state and federal privacy enforcement, the uptick in new privacy laws across the United States, and the enforcement priorities and strategies organizations should anticipate in the years ahead. To learn more or register, please visit the event website.
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Affiliated Programs
The L Suite 2026 Deputy GC Summit
Wilson Sonsini will sponsor The L Suite’s 2026 Deputy GC Summit, an exclusive event designed for deputy general counsel and senior in-house counsel who sit at the center of the company’s most complex decisions. Attendees will have practical, peer-driven conversations that cover how they lead, partner, and stay ahead of risk. This year’s theme is “Owning the Unknown: Designing Your Work, Your Team, Your Future.”
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