Jeff Habenicht
Jeff Habenicht (LinkedIn) is Counsel at WilmerHale, where he represents and advises leading technology, media, and Fortune 100 companies on complex regulatory matters at the intersection of law, public policy, and emerging technology. His practice spans government investigations, congressional inquiries, and high‑stakes internal investigations, with a particular focus on regulatory scrutiny of social media, artificial intelligence, privacy, consumer protection, and online safety.
Mr. Habenicht has extensive experience representing technology executives and social media platforms in high‑profile congressional hearings and multijurisdictional investigations. He has counseled clients facing inquiries from federal regulators—including the FTC, DOJ, SEC, and state attorneys general—as well as international regulators across the EU and APAC. His product‑counseling work includes advising technology companies on the legal risks associated with the development and deployment of generative AI systems, as well as broader strategies for risk mitigation and regulatory preparedness.
From 2024 to 2025, Mr. Habenicht served as a secondee to Meta’s Youth Legal team, where he advised on regulatory risks associated with generative AI features, coordinated cross‑functional decision‑making on high‑visibility launches, and supported litigation and settlement negotiations grounded in AI‑safety and youth‑protection concerns.
His investigative work also spans the FCPA, False Claims Act, online‑safety matters, cybersecurity incidents, fraud, ethics issues, and complex international engagements. He has led large teams responding to multistate attorneys‑general inquiries, overseen multinational fact development for FCPA matters, and guided corporate clients through high‑stakes interactions with regulators and enforcement authorities.
Mr. Habenicht previously served as a law clerk to Judge Marilyn Huff of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California. He earned his J.D. cum laude from Harvard Law School, his M.A. in Psychology from Boston University, and his B.S. summa cum laude in Psychology from Andrews University. He has been recognized in Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in America for Appellate Practice, Commercial Litigation, and Criminal Defense: White‑Collar.
