Ambassador Lee Wolosky is a partner in Willkie’s Litigation Department. He is based in the Firm’s New York and Washington, DC offices.
Lee has served under four U.S. Presidents in senior legal and national security positions, most recently as Special Counsel to the President of the United States. Prior to joining Willkie, Lee served as co-Chair of the Litigation Department of an international law firm and also served on that firm's Management Committee.
Lee is an internationally-recognized litigator who has counseled Presidents, CEOs, boards of directors, corporations, governments, media leaders, and entertainment figures in significant, high-profile matters. He is known for leading precedent-setting cases related to national security matters and foreign affairs, and for representing high-profile clients in multibillion-dollar litigation, including complex multi-jurisdictional disputes.
Lee represents both plaintiffs and defendants in litigation, including in complex commercial and cross-border disputes. He has successfully resolved numerous multibillion-dollar civil disputes, regulatory proceedings, and governmental investigations, and he recently served as government-appointed Monitor of a tier-one financial institution under three separate consent decrees. He also frequently guides clients through congressional investigations and hearings.
In recent years, Lee has developed an active plaintiffs-side practice that has recovered or restrained over $2 billion for his clients, and which has included representing victims of terrorism and antisemitism in multiple contexts and proceedings.
Earlier in his career, Lee served under President Obama as Special Envoy for Guantanamo Closure. Under Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush, Lee served as director of Transnational Threats on the National Security Council at the White House. President Obama accorded him the personal rank of ambassador.
Chambers USA (2025) recognizes Lee as a leading practitioner in the area of Litigation: General Commercial (New York). Lee is also recognized as a 2026 Lawdragon 500 Leading Litigators in America. He has been recognized multiple times for a shout-out as American Lawyer’s “Litigator of the Week” and has received multiple distinguished services awards for his U.S. government service. He is a 2025 recipient of the “Pursuit of Justice” Award of the American Association of Jewish Lawyers and Jurists.
Experience
- Special Counsel to the President of the United States, 2021-2022
- Special Envoy for Guantanámo Closure, 2015-2017
- Director for Transnational Threats, National Security Council, The White House, 2000-2001
- Council on Foreign Relations, Life Member
- Advisory Council, Just Security
- Advisory Council, Counter Extremism Project
- National Security Initiative, Director
- International Advisory Council, Clearview AI
- Advisory Council, Community Security Initiative, UJA-New York
- Served as government-appointed monitor of a tier-one financial institution in connection with the global enforcement and implementation of three consent decrees
- Guided an artificial intelligence company in multidistrict federal litigation, state court actions and international investigations
- Represented a major media company in a multi-billion dollar arbitration against a foreign entity
- Representation of holder of hundreds of millions of dollars in defaulted sovereign bonds in litigation against Sri Lanka
- Enforcement counsel to victims of the 9/11 terrorist attack in efforts to enforce a multi-billion dollar judgment against those found liable for the attack
- Representation of Gold Star families in case against tier one financial institution and in enforcement proceedings against those found liable for attacks
- Representation of U.S. citizen victims of ISIS terrorism against major European company
- Represented the leader of a national political party in connection with cyberattack alleged to have been committed by a foreign sovereign
- Representation of hundreds of U.S. citizen victims of October 7 attacks in multiple proceedings against those who allegedly aided and abetted those responsible for the attacks
- Representation of criminal defendants in FARA and 951 and other counter-intelligence proceedings and investigations
- Representation of defendant in multi-billion dollar defamation action dismissed following invocation of the state secrets doctrine by the United States
- Representation of Chairman and CEO of major insurance company in connection with international business divorce and multiple state and federal investigations
- Representation of NGO in purchase of “House 88” – the Auschwitz Commandant’s home featured in the Academy Award-winning film “Zone of Interest” -- for purposes of preservation and conversion into a museum
- Representation of students suing major public university for issues related to alleged antisemitism
- Representation of employee suing major private university for issues related to alleged antisemitism
*Lee advised on some of these matters prior to joining Willkie.
Credentials
Education
Harvard Law School, J.D. (cum laude), 1995 Harvard University, A.B. (magna cum laude), 1990
Bar Admissions
Court Admissions
United States District Court, District of Columbia United States District Court, Eastern District of New York United States District Court, Southern District of New York United States District Court, Western District of New York United States Court of Appeals, 2nd Circuit United States Court of Appeals, D.C. Circuit United States District Court, District of North Dakota
Clerkships
Hon. Sonia Sotomayor, United States District Court, Southern District of New York