practices in Gentry Locke’s White Collar Defense, Investigations & Compliance practice group, ranked Band 1 by Chambers USA. John represents both corporate and individual clients during their most difficult times, defending and guiding them through all phases of the criminal process. John defends and counsels clients in highly regulated industries, with a particular focus on government contractors and the defense industrial base, healthcare and pharmaceutical companies, and critical infrastructure entities.
In addition to litigating on his clients’ behalf, John specializes in helping clients avoid government scrutiny through compliance. John conducts internal investigations for organizations of all sizes to identify exposure areas and provide proactive compliance guidance to protect those clients from future litigation or criminal prosecution.
An expert in data privacy and cybersecurity, John is a Certified Information Privacy Professional (CIPP/U.S.) with the International Association of Privacy Professionals (IAPP) and guides clients through complex and evolving data privacy and cybersecurity laws and regulations. John provides proactive compliance advice to major corporations and government contractors and guides these clients through their responses to cyber incidents and ensuing investigations. Additionally, John uses his intimate knowledge of federal procurement and trade regulations, which he first developed as an Army JAG Officer, to advise government contractors on a wide variety of compliance requirements under the FAR, DFARS (including CMMC), DOJ’s Civil-Cyber Initiative, and ITAR.
Prior to joining Gentry Locke, John had a distinguished career with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the United States Armed Forces, serving for more than four years in the U.S. Army Judge Advocate General’s Corps and as a Special Assistant U.S. Attorney (SAUSA). As a federal prosecutor in the Western District of Texas, John served as the lead trial attorney for Fort Hood’s exclusive federal jurisdiction and litigated over 1,000 cases, including numerous federal jury trials. As an Administrative & National Security Law Attorney in Grafenwohr, Germany, John advised on internal investigations into a variety of misconduct and financial issues, and advised senior military leaders on regulatory requirements for construction and acquisition of defense equipment.
A quick handshake
•Where can we find you when you’re not in the office?
Playing or watching sports. I am an avid golfer, hockey player, and snowboarder and always find time to stay active. I am also a life-long Buffalo Bills and Sabres fan. Most importantly, I spend as much time as I can with my amazing wife and kids. We take every opportunity we can find to travel - evidenced by the fact that my daughter was born in Germany!
•People would be surprised to know...
I have lived in Bavaria, Germany on two separate occasions. At 16, I lived with a host family for three months in order to play hockey for a team in Germany’s top junior hockey league. More recently my family lived in Bavaria for two years while stationed there with the Army JAG Corps. We loved our time there and will definitely return one day!
Special Licenses
•Certified Information Privacy Professional with a U.S. designation (CIPP-US)
Experience
•Represented multiple government contractors in responses to cyber incidents, including immediate containment of threats, compliance with reporting obligations, and cooperation with complex DoD investigations
•Regularly advise defense contractors regarding cybersecurity compliance and preparation for CMMC, as well as compliance with other federal regulations, including the FAR, DFARS, ITAR, FOCI, BAA, and TAA.
•Conducted multiple large-scale internal investigations and provided compliance advice for defense contractor pertaining to compliance with NAVSEA requirements and False Claims Act liability.
•Advised software and engineering firm throughout successful bid for government contract to serve as primary data processor for U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s IT Infrastructure for State Regulatory Programs, including federal cybersecurity and regulatory compliance and compliance with individual state privacy and security laws for all fifty states.
•Advised large defense contractor providing veterans’ services regarding compliance for planning and completion of off-shoring their IT department.
•Represented former defense contractor executive in parallel civil and criminal federal investigations into procurement fraud.
•Represented large identity verification corporation in defending one of the first privacy-based government enforcement actions under the newly implemented Virginia Consumer Data Protection Act.
•Regularly advise private-sector clients on cybersecurity & data privacy compliance, including compliance with the Virginia Consumer Data Protection Act (VCDPA), California Consumer Protection Act (CCPA), and General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), HIPAA, GLBA, and compliant cross-border data transfers.
•Regularly advise private-sector clients regarding substantial losses due to cyber-attacks, including business email compromise, ransomware, and cyber-extortion attacks.
•Successfully defended multiple website tracking lawsuits targeting clients’ digital advertising and monitoring practices, including claims brought under the California Invasion of Privacy Act (CIPA).
•Represented a key member of management of National Football League franchise during federal and state regulatory and criminal investigations.
•Represented prominent NBA player agent throughout fraud investigation
•Counseled corporate client throughout Virginia Department of Treasury investigation into compliance with state regulations to minimize liability and avoid government enforcement action.
•Defended multiple international pharmaceutical companies facing criminal charges or civil lawsuits related to healthcare fraud.
•Represented a non-profit university throughout a 13-month long internal investigation, as part of a team of 70 lawyers, accountants, and IT members investigating the organization’s financial and business operations.
•Conducted an internal investigation for a grant-funded non-profit organization during a nine-month long investigation that included allegations of financial misconduct, sexual misconduct, and discrimination.
•Represented Virginia state agency during a U.S. Attorney’s Office investigation into violations of the Affordable Care Act.
•Represented a minor student with physical and developmental impairments accused of sexual assault, leading to a finding of “not responsible” in a Title IX investigation.
•Represented a university student in criminal and Title IX investigations who was accused of sexual assault of a minor, leading to a full dismissal of the Title IX investigation and no criminal charges.
•Represented multiple university students in Title IX and student misconduct investigations related to hazing, sexual misconduct, and harassment, leading to full dismissals for each student
•Represented numerous clients accused of state and federal crimes, including healthcare fraud, sexual assault, criminal misbranding, Endangered Species Act violations, and various other regulatory and criminal offenses.
•As a Special Assistant U.S. Attorney, served as lead trial attorney for Fort Hood’s exclusive federal jurisdiction within WDTX.
•As a Special Assistant U.S. Attorney, litigated over 1,000 federal cases, including numerous federal jury trials, bench trials, and hearings.
•As a Special Assistant U.S. Attorney, closely advised FBI and Army CID agents on criminal investigations.
•As an Administrative & National Security Law Attorney in Grafenwohr, Germany, advised on internal investigations into a variety of issues, including senior leader misconduct, discrimination, sexual harassment, death and suicide investigations, and financial loss investigations.
•As an Administrative & National Security Law Attorney in Grafenwohr, Germany, advised on regulatory requirements and reviewed multi-million dollar purchase agreements for construction and acquisition of defense equipment.
•As an Administrative & National Security Law Attorney in Grafenwohr, Germany, served as primary legal POC during outbreak of COVID-19 and lead U.S. Army Europe’s commanders through complex legal hurdles of exercising command/control of personnel in pandemic.
•As a Military Magistrate, responsible for authorizing law enforcement search warrants and making pre-trial confinement determinations for criminally charged defendants.
Awards
•Named “Up & Coming Attorney” for White Collar Investigations by Chambers USA
•Named to Best Lawyers in America “Ones to Watch” in Criminal Defense: White-Collar (2026)
•Recognized as an “Up & Coming Attorney” by Chambers and Partners USA (2025), Litigation: White Collar Investigations
•Named a “Legal Elite” for Cybersecurity & Data Privacy Technology law in Virginia Business magazine (2024-2025)
•Named a Virginia Lawyers Weekly Go To Lawyer for Cybersecurity and Data Privacy (2025)
•Named a Virginia Super Lawyers “Rising Star” in Criminal Defense: White Collar (2025)
Library
•Executive Order Targeting State AI Regulation Shakes Up State Enforcement
Articles
Dec 2025
•Small Business Administration (SBA) Orders 8(a) Firms to Submit Extensive Financial Records
Articles
Dec 2025
•26 Gentry Locke Attorneys Named to 2025 Virginia Business Legal Elite List
News
Dec 2025
•Pentagon Announces Final Rule Implementing CMMC, Effective November 10, 2025
Articles
Sep 2025
•Gentry Locke Partners Paul G. Klockenbrink and John G. Danyluk Recognized by Virginia Lawyers Weekly
News
Sep 2025
•31 Gentry Locke Attorneys Recognized in Best Lawyers 2026 Lists
News
Aug 2025
•Four Gentry Locke Practices and Six Partners Recognized by the Prestigious Chambers USA 2025
News
Jun 2025
•20 Gentry Locke Attorneys Recognized in 2025 Virginia Super Lawyers Lists
News
May 2025
•Virginia Lawyers Weekly Names Gentry Locke Partner John G. Danyluk a 2025 Go To Lawyer for Cybersecurity and Data Privacy
News
Apr 2025
•Gentry Locke Promotes Benjamin R. Law and John G. Danyluk to Partner
News
Jan 2025
•29 Gentry Locke Attorneys Named to 2024 Virginia Business Legal Elite List
News
Dec 2024
•DOJ’s Cyber Fraud Initiative Gains Steam in 2024
Articles
Nov 2024
•Client Alert: DOJ Announces $2.7 Million Settlement with Insight Global in Latest Cyber-Fraud Enforcement
Articles
May 2024
•New Cybersecurity Requirements For Healthcare Providers and Hospitals
Articles
Jan 2024
•FTC Amends Safeguards Rule
Articles
Nov 2023
•SEC Charges SolarWinds and Chief Information Security Officer with Fraud and Internal Cybersecurity Failures
Articles
Nov 2023
•Virginia's New Data Privacy Rules: What Businesses Need to Know About Compliance
Articles
Sep 2022
•2023 Gentry Locke Seminars
Events
May 2022
•2022 Gentry Locke Seminar
Events
Apr 2022
•Gentry Locke Welcomes John Danyluk to its Richmond Office
News
May 2021
