About the Attorney
D.J. Rivera — Virginia Criminal Defense & Cybercrime Attorney
Computer Engineer. Cybersecurity Expert. Trial Attorney. D.J. Rivera is the rare combination of technical mastery and legal excellence — a criminal defense lawyer who has beaten the FBI and the U.S. Department of Justice in federal jury trials.
Schedule a Free ConsultationIn United States v. Cassim, D.J. Rivera secured a complete defense victory in a federal criminal copyright infringement case prosecuted by the FBI and the U.S. Department of Justice — a landmark result that has never been replicated.
Attorney Domingo J. Rivera founded iCyberLaw — Rivera Law Group with a singular vision: to provide clients facing criminal charges and Internet law matters with representation that matches the technical sophistication of their adversaries. Since 2005, he has been at the forefront of cyberlaw, handling cases that define the boundaries of Internet regulation, digital evidence, and online rights.
Before entering the legal profession, Mr. Rivera earned a Bachelor of Science in Computer Engineering and a Master of Science in Information Technology from Virginia Polytechnic Institute (Virginia Tech). His technical foundation was further deepened by his service defending critical computer networks for the United States Marine Corps under US Cyber Command. He then earned a Doctor of Engineering (D.Eng.) in Cybersecurity Analytics from George Washington University — one of the nation's premier programs at the intersection of engineering, data science, and national security. He also serves as an Adjunct Instructor at GWU in both Cybersecurity and Artificial Intelligence.
He holds an advanced law degree (Ll.M.) from the University of Alabama School of Law in addition to his Juris Doctor, and is recognized internationally as an Internet law attorney. He regularly teaches Continuing Legal Education (CLE) seminars to other attorneys on Internet law topics and has published scholarly articles on Internet law in peer-reviewed journals.
His cybersecurity certifications — CISSP, CEH, GCFE, GPEN, GCIH, and GSLC — are the same certifications held by the government's top cyber investigators. When D.J. Rivera challenges digital evidence in court, he does so with the same technical vocabulary and depth of knowledge as the investigators who collected it. That is not a marketing claim. It is a verifiable credential that no other Virginia criminal defense attorney can match.
| Degree | Field / Institution |
|---|---|
| D.Eng. | Cybersecurity Analytics — George Washington University |
| Ll.M. | Advanced Law — University of Alabama School of Law |
| J.D. | Doctor of Jurisprudence |
| M.B.A. | IT Management Specialty |
| M.S. | Information Technology — Virginia Tech |
| B.S. | Computer Engineering (Registered E.I.T., Florida) |
| Cert. | Full Name |
|---|---|
| CISSP | Certified Information Systems Security Professional |
| CEH | Certified Ethical Hacker |
| GCFE | GIAC Certified Forensic Examiner |
| GPEN | GIAC Penetration Tester |
| GCIH | GIAC Certified Incident Handler |
| GSLC | GIAC Security Leadership Certification |
These are the same certifications held by the government's top cyber investigators — meaning D.J. Rivera speaks their technical language in court.
Most criminal defense attorneys accept digital evidence at face value because they lack the technical background to challenge it. D.J. Rivera holds a D.Eng. in Cybersecurity Analytics, a B.S. in Computer Engineering, and six elite cybersecurity certifications. He can examine IP attribution, forensic disk images, network traffic captures, and metadata at the engineering level — and find the flaws that win cases.
D.J. Rivera is the only attorney in the United States to have won a federal jury trial against the FBI and the U.S. Department of Justice in a criminal copyright infringement case (United States v. Cassim). He is also recognized as a Top 100 Trial Lawyer. When the stakes are highest, his record speaks for itself.
Virginia's criminal code is complex, and the difference between a conviction and a dismissal often comes down to understanding the precise statutory language, the applicable case law, and the procedural rules that govern your specific court. D.J. Rivera focuses on Virginia criminal defense across both the state and federal systems.
Arrests do not happen on a schedule. When you or a loved one is in custody, you need a lawyer immediately. D.J. Rivera is available around the clock for emergency consultations and bond hearings. When you hire him, you work directly with him — not a paralegal or junior associate.
First attorney in the United States to win a federal jury trial against the FBI and U.S. Department of Justice in a federal criminal copyright infringement case. The case involved the alleged leader of the most prolific Internet music piracy group in the world, prosecuted in the Eastern District of Virginia and transferred to the Southern District of Texas.
Won summary judgment in a civil computer trespass case, establishing important precedent for Internet law in Virginia. The case required a deep technical analysis of network access and authorization under Virginia's Computer Crimes Act.
Successfully filed a Motion to Quash a subpoena issued to Comcast for a client's identity in a BitTorrent copyright infringement case, protecting the client's privacy and preventing prosecution based on flawed IP attribution evidence.
D.J. Rivera regularly appears in Richmond City Circuit Court, Richmond General District Court, and the surrounding county courts. Whether your case is in Henrico, Chesterfield, or Hanover, you will have an attorney who knows the local prosecutors, judges, and procedures.
Northern Virginia — particularly the Eastern District of Virginia (EDVA) — is one of the most active federal districts in the country for cybercrime prosecutions. D.J. Rivera provides experienced representation across the entire NoVA corridor and in federal court.
Also admitted pro hac vice in: District of Columbia, Maryland, California, Texas, New York, Florida, North Carolina, Alabama, Arkansas, and other jurisdictions.
Contact D.J. Rivera today for a free, confidential consultation. Available 24/7 for urgent matters — including federal cybercrime charges.