David W. Ogden

David William Ogden (born November 12, 1953) is an American lawyer who served as the United States deputy attorney general. Ogden was also a high-ranking official in the United States Department of Justice and the United States Department of Defense during the administration of President Bill Clinton.

Early life and education Ogden is the son of Horace G. "Hod" Ogden (1925–1998), who was the first director of the Bureau of Health Education at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (and previously had worked for the United States Department of Health, Education, and Welfare), and Elaine C. Ogden, an elementary school teacher. He served as an editor of the Harvard Law Review. In 1981–82, Ogden clerked for Judge Abraham David Sofaer of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, and in 1982–83, he clerked for U.S. Supreme Court Associate Justice Harry A. Blackmun.

From June 2001 until November 2008, and again since April 2010, Ogden has been a partner in the Washington, D.C., office of the law firm Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr ("WilmerHale"), leading the firm's Government and Regulatory Litigation Practice Group. Ogden's nomination was criticized by conservative groups that objected to some of his previous legal work, such as litigation under the First Amendment on behalf of adult entertainment companies including Playboy and Penthouse and amicus briefs on behalf of the American Psychological Association in constitutional litigation involving abortion and gay rights. However, the selection was praised and supported by the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights, the Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association, the National Sheriffs' Association, the National District Attorneys Association, Larry Thompson, Jamie S. Gorelick, Seth Waxman, the Boys and Girls Clubs of America, and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Ogden was confirmed by the United States Senate on March 12, 2009, in a vote of 65–28.

As deputy attorney general, Ogden set new Justice Department policy in connection with criminal and civil discovery to fulfill the department's obligations to disclose exculpatory information to criminal defendants; providing new law enforcement resources to help Native American tribal communities combat violence against women and children; redoubling federal efforts to combat health care fraud; and accommodating federal enforcement policy to laws in several states legalizing medicinal use of marijuana.

On December 3, 2009, it was announced that he would be resigning his post and returning to private practice in February 2010. According to news accounts, Ogden stepped down in part because of disagreements with Attorney General Eric Holder over management issues.

Personal life Ogden is married to Anne Harkavy and has three children; two by his first marriage. Harkavy was formerly deputy general counsel for litigation, regulation and enforcement for the U.S. Department of Energy.