Verified profile

John E. Clabby

Investigations, cybersecurity, and securities enforcement

John E. Clabby's profile photo
LocationTampaUnited States
Current roleShareholderCarlton Fields · since Jan 2016
Government service5yrsU.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) · Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit

About

Jack Clabby’s practices focus on corporate governance, fiduciary duty, and shareholder litigation, including the defense of securities industry class actions, D&O litigation, and SEC enforcement matters. Recent engagements have included the defeat of class certification against claims that a brokerage violated fiduciary duties in its clients’ account selection; the defense of a former bank chairman and president against allegations of breach of fiduciary duty arising from a series of private placements and the later sale of the bank; and litigation of restrictive covenants in employment agreements for clients in the securities, banking, and technology industries.

A former assistant U.S. attorney in the District of New Jersey, Jack also represents companies and special litigation committees in connection with internal corporate investigations. As examples, Jack recently concluded (i) an investigation into alleged executive self-dealing arising from business with a related company and (ii) a series of investigations prompted by environmental, social, and governance (ESG) topics, including alleged executive sexual misconduct and a business unit’s racial preferences and discrimination in customer-facing practices.

As a former cyber prosecutor, Jack advises corporate boards and management on legal issues regarding cybersecurity and represents companies in litigation, including class actions, concerning breaches and data loss incidents. Jack serves as a “breach coach,” guiding clients through the loss or suspected loss of personally identifiable information, business interruption, and other system compromises.

Jack also provides governance, safety, and risk management advice to colleges and boarding schools, conducts internal and independent investigations of such institutions, assists universities with matters pertaining to Title IX, and represents education clients in litigation.

Jack began his career as an associate at the litigation firm Williams & Connolly LLP in Washington, D.C. He leads the firm's Securities Litigation and Enforcement Practice and is the firm's Hiring Chair. Jack is also a co-director of the firm’s annual Carlton Fields Class Action Survey.

Roles

Jan 2016–Present
Current role

Shareholder

Carlton Fields

Tampa, Florida

Attorney
Aug 2014–Jan 2016
Former role

Of Counsel

Carlton Fields

Tampa, Florida

In-House Counsel
Sep 2010–Jun 2014
Former role

Assistant United States Attorney

U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), District of New Jersey

(appointed)New Jersey

Attorney
Sep 2006–Aug 2010
Former role

Associate

Williams & Connolly LLP

Washington, District of Columbia

Attorney
Sep 2005–Aug 2006
Former role

Law Clerk

Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, Greater Philadelphia Area

(appointed)Pennsylvania

Law Clerk

Projects

American Bar Association

Co-Chair, Class Actions Subcommittee, Securities Litigation Committee, Section of Litigation (2017–present)

Hillsborough County Bar Association

Tampa Bay Cyber Fraud Task Force

Clemency Project

Screening Committee (2014)

Berkeley Preparatory School, Tampa, FL

Varsity Crew Team, Team Parent (2024–2025)

Princeton University Class of 2002

Alumni Class President (2012–2017)

Princeton Club of Tampa Bay

President (2018–2023)

Infragard, Tampa Chapter

Recognition

Honors

Top Author, Cybersecurity, JD Supra Readers' Choice Awards (2022)

JD Supra

March 2022

The Best Lawyers in America, Commercial Litigation (2020–2025)

March 2025

Florida Rising Stars, Super Lawyers Magazine (2021–2022)

Super Lawyers Magazine

March 2021

Publications & speeches

No Password Required Podcast: Chief Product Officer at ThreatLocker and Advocate of Buc-ee’s, Mascots, and Buc-ee Mascots

Carlton Fields

March 2025

The No Password Required podcast is dedicated to introducing and celebrating the practitioners, leaders, researchers, and individuals who are shaping the cybersecurity industry. Join us for an in-depth conversation that explores our guests' personalities, expertise, and the path that led them into cybersecurity. The team also discusses current cyber threats and readiness tips for security professionals and business leaders alike. On this episode, we sit down with Rob Allen, chief marketing officer at ThreatLocker, live from the 2024 Sunshine Cyber Conference. From his early days “locked” in an IT closet to his current role in the C-suite, Rob’s journey is one of curiosity, adaptation, and a passion for cybersecurity. At ThreatLocker, he takes customer ideas and use cases and transforms them into solutions for organizations of all sizes. Rob shares why businesses shouldn’t fear the “deny by default” approach, explaining how the zero-trust mindset is essential in today’s threat landscape. He also discusses with hosts Jack Clabby of Carlton Fields and Kayley Melton, director of strategic initiatives at the Cognitive Security Institute and the Bob Ross of infosec, how media coverage often distorts public perception of cybersecurity by only highlighting major breaches and incidents. In the lifestyle polygraph segment, Rob reveals his love for Apple products, why he wishes he could have met Steve Jobs, and his obsession with Buc-ee’s brisket sandwiches. He also shares a hilarious (and perhaps exaggerated) story about the Cyber Florida team “infiltrating” ThreatLocker and taking his backpack back to Tampa!

Link

No Password Required Podcast: Senior Security Researcher at Nokia and Guardian of Secure AI Networks

Carlton Fields

February 2025

The No Password Required Podcast is dedicated to introducing and celebrating the practitioners, leaders, researchers, and individuals who are shaping the cybersecurity industry. Join us for an in-depth conversation that explores our guests' personalities, expertise, and the path that led them into cybersecurity. The team also discusses current cyber threats and readiness tips for security professionals and business leaders alike. On this episode, Jack Clabby of Carlton Fields and resident cybersecurity expert Kayley Melton, founder of Reality Shift, chat with Dr. Anmol Agarwal, a senior security researcher at Nokia. With deep expertise in AI security, adversarial machine learning, and privacy-preserving technologies, she is advancing innovation in next-generation communications. Her career began with a focus on health management, where her exposure to the transformative power of technology in patient care sparked a passion for cybersecurity. Dr. Agarwal previously managed federal enterprise risks at the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) and now shares her knowledge as an adjunct professor at George Washington University. Committed to community engagement, she mentors aspiring cybersecurity professionals through Women in Cybersecurity (WiCyS) and other initiatives, empowering the leaders of tomorrow in the ever-evolving cyber landscape. In the “Lifestyle Polygraph” segment, Dr. Agarwal gave us some insight into her life away from all things cybersecurity, including a passion for British baking competitions and why she wouldn't mind adding a couple of journalists to her team. The show begins with Jack Clabby of Carlton Fields, joined by resident cybersecurity expert Kayley Melton, analyzing what they learned in this week’s insightful episode with Dr. Anmol Agarwal.

Link

No Password Required: Director and Cybersecurity Adviser at KPMG and Rain Culture Authority

Carlton Fields

March 2025

The No Password Required Podcast is dedicated to introducing and celebrating the practitioners, leaders, researchers, and individuals who are shaping the cybersecurity industry. Join us for an in-depth conversation that explores our guests' personalities, expertise, and the path that led them into cybersecurity. The team also discusses current cyber threats and readiness tips for security professionals and business leaders alike. Zabrina Mcintyre is a director and cybersecurity adviser at KPMG, where she leverages her diverse expertise in cybersecurity, risk management, and strategic project leadership. She brings a unique blend of creativity and expertise to her work by combining a Master of Arts (MA) in Art Business, a specialized MBA program with an international focus, and extensive professional experience in the creative and cybersecurity industries. She has worked at three major animation studios, bringing a fresh perspective to her role in cybersecurity. A passionate advocate for women in cybersecurity, Zabrina serves as a founding member and past president of the WiCyS Western Washington Affiliate. She continues to contribute to the industry as a board member of the national Women in Cybersecurity (WiCyS) BISO Affiliate. Additionally, she is known for her unique understanding of rain culture, shaped by her time living in the rainy cities of Seattle and London. The show begins with Jack Clabby of Carlton Fields, joined by resident cybersecurity expert Kayley Melton, analyzing a new U.S. Army initiative to support small businesses in meeting cybersecurity requirements and ensuring a secure and resilient network of partners critical to national security.

Link

No Password Required Podcast: Application Pen Tester, Author, and Bug Bounty Enthusiast

Carlton Fields

December 2024

The No Password Required Podcast is dedicated to introducing and celebrating the practitioners, leaders, researchers, and individuals who are shaping the cybersecurity industry. Join us for an in-depth conversation that explores our guests' personalities, expertise, and the path that led them into cybersecurity. The team also discusses current cyber threats and readiness tips for security professionals and business leaders alike. Dr. Sunny Wear began her career as a developer, spending countless hours maintaining others' code—a humbling experience, as she describes it. Realizing she wanted a different path, a friend suggested exploring cybersecurity at just the right time. Together, they tackled the CISSP exam, which Dr. Sunny passed, igniting her passion for application penetration testing. Now an accomplished author and proud bird mom, Dr. Sunny discusses her Burp Suite Cookbook, a practical guide to identifying, testing, and exploiting vulnerabilities in web applications and APIs. The show begins with Jack Clabby of Carlton Fields, joined by resident cybersecurity expert Kayley Melton, analyzing the Star Health Insurance (India) data breach, where the company’s CISO has been accused of selling sensitive data for $43,000.

Link

Code, Compliance, and Crisis: Exploring Cybersecurity Law and Policy

Carlton Fields

December 2024

Welcome to chat:CYBR, Cyber Florida’s policy discussion platform. In this episode, host James Jacobs and co-host Jordan Deiuliis engage with Carlton Fields attorney Jack Clabby to explore the intricate world of cybersecurity law and policy. They discuss the role of cybersecurity attorneys, the most common types of cyberattacks, the legal implications of data breaches, and the evolving landscape of cybersecurity legislation in Florida. The conversation highlights the challenges organizations face in navigating legal requirements and the potential costs associated with cyber incidents, as well as the potential for a cohesive federal standard to address these issues effectively. In this conversation, James, Jordan, and Jack discuss the challenges local governments face in complying with cybersecurity regulations, the importance of data management, and the necessity of simplifying technology solutions. They also explore the implications of Florida's ransomware legislation, including its enforcement and effectiveness.

Link

Cyber Trivia Quiz Bowl

12th Annual Gasparilla Cybersecurity Summit — Tampa, FL

January 2024

When One Stands for Many: Ethical Issues in Class Action Defense

Carlton Fields

October 2024

The Role of Outside Lawyers and Insurance Carriers in Cybersecurity Incident Response

Tampa Bay Cyber Fraud Task Force — Tampa Bay, FL

June 2024

2024 Carlton Fields Class Action Survey Results

Carlton Fields — Carlton Fields

May 2024

Cyber Trivia Quiz Bowl

11th Annual Gasparilla Cybersecurity Summit — Tampa, FL

January 2024