Christopher Chaisson

Mr. Chaisson is an experienced attorney focused on white collar criminal defense, government investigations, and commercial litigation as well as transactional work and general legal counsel to high-growth start-ups. He has a diverse background in criminal law, national security, and the private sector. Mr. Chaisson has first-chair trial experience as a former organized crime prosecutor and brings over a decade of experience working in intelligence and national security as an Operations Officer for the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). He has also served as a senior business executive in two DC-area start-ups.

Prior to and immediately following the 9/11 attacks, Mr. Chaisson served as a state and federal prosecutor in New York City. During that time, he was part of the elite Rackets Bureau in the Investigations Division of the Office of the Bronx District Attorney. As part of his work as a prosecutor, he was appointed as a Special Assistant United States Attorney (SAUSA) for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York.

Following the 9/11 attacks, he turned his attention to threats abroad, spending over a decade as a CIA Operations Officer recruiting foreign assets and collecting foreign intelligence on pressing national security matters. The intelligence he personally collected was routinely included in the Presidential Daily Brief (PDB). This included a substantial contribution to the body of intelligence in the lead up to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

Mr. Chaisson brings a rare blend of courtroom expertise, transactional negotiation skills, international experience, and business acumen to bear in service of his clients.

Mr. Chaisson maintains advanced professional proficiency in Persian/Farsi and is also proficient in Dari.
 

Memberships & Activities

• Member: District of Columbia Bar Association
• Member: American Bar Association
• Chief of Staff: Allied Airlift 21 (Nonprofit Volunteer)

• Representing high net worth individuals and international companies in economic sanctions matters before the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) and in federal court
• Advising defense contractors on export control matters (ITAR & EAR compliance)
• Advised foreign subsidiary of U.S. publicly traded company on Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) compliance
• Advised cryptocurrency industry client on potential CFIUS obligations in capital raising transaction
• Representing multiple clients in government investigations (DOJ; IRS; Office of Congressional Ethics; Grand Jury Investigations)
• Served as consulting expert counsel on the Classified Information Procedures Act (CIPA) in SDNY criminal prosecution
• Secured outright dismissal of employment law litigation matter against international energy company in federal court
• Select experience prior to joining Whiteford:
  • Tried multiple felony jury trials to verdict as first chair as well as multiple other bench trials
  • Served as part of the team of prosecutors who successfully investigated, took down and ultimately obtained a conviction against the acting head of the Bonanno crime family
  • Led and participated in long-term government investigations and electronic surveillance of investigative targets and subjects

Co-author: "At a glance: key environmental legislation in USA (District of Columbia)," Lexology, December 2, 2025

Author: The Sunset of Scanwell Jurisdiction and the Award of Attorney’s Fees to Disappointed Offerors

Contributor: Public Contracts Law Journal, Volume 30, Issue 1, Fall 2000