Co-Chairman, Workplace Policy Institute and Shareholder, Littler Mendelson PC
Michael J. Lotito is the founder and co-chair of Littler’s Workplace Policy Institute® (WPI®), the firm’s government relations and public policy arm. He provides strategic advice to C-suite executives and policy makers on the complex intersection of public policy, communications and the law at the international, national and local levels. Michael takes a proactive and holistic approach to advocating for the interests of employers on a global scale, working with companies, trade associations, business groups and other influencers to define and shape the laws, regulations and policies that have critical implications for the workplace.
Michael focuses on giving employers a voice in the midst of changes affecting their workplaces. He has been at the forefront of challenging numerous rules and regulations impacting employers, such as the expansion of the joint employer doctrine, changes to the definition of an independent contractor, new overtime pay requirements, the Protecting the Right to Organize (PRO) Act, and the Persuader Rule. Michael also advocates for employers on issues including nominations to government agencies, state level developments impacting freedom of speech for corporations, and the rapid expansion of sectoral bargaining boards. He serves as labor and policy counsel to the International Franchise Association, as a member of the Labor Relations Committee of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, and a member of the California Business Roundtable’s board of directors.
Michael speaks around the world on workplace topics and writes extensively on emerging issues for the workplace. He has testified before committees in the U.S. Senate and U.S. House of Representatives, as well as before the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). He is regularly quoted and published in such media outlets as The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, The Financial Times, Bloomberg, Reuters, Chief Executive Magazine, Law360, Fox Business, National Law Journal, CNBC, The Hill and Politico, and has a significant social media presence on LinkedIn. Michael was inducted into Human Resource Executive magazine’s Most Powerful Employment Attorneys Hall of Fame, and Villanova University Graduate School of Human Resources named him HR Alumnus of the 20th Century.
Through the Emma Coalition – a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that he co-founded in 2018 to address the technology-induced displacement of employment (TIDE™) – Michael has been at the vanguard of preparing American business and the American workforce for the future of work. As technological innovation drives significant changes in employers’ talent needs, the Emma Coalition focuses on understanding the skills the American workforce will need in the future and addressing the country’s varied and complex workforce challenges through education, training and engagement with policymakers.
* Member of the California Bar; not licensed to practice law in the District of Columbia. Practice is limited primarily to governmental affairs advocacy but also includes the practice before Federal Agencies authorized by Rule 49(c)(3) and does not constitute the practice of law under Rule 49 of the District Columbia Court of Appeals.
Partner, O'Melveny & Myers LLP
Gregory Jacob is a partner in O’Melveny’s Washington, D.C. office. Greg Jacob represents financial services companies including banks, investment managers, health care payors, and insurers, as well as other employers, in class action and other litigation concerning ERISA and other labor and employment matters. A former Solicitor of Labor, Greg has extensive knowledge on a wide variety of labor and employment issues including ERISA, FLSA, OFCCP, and whistleblower law. He regularly litigates in federal courts throughout the country, defends clients against Department of Labor investigations, and provides counseling to plans and plan sponsors.
Prior to rejoining O’Melveny in 2021, Greg served as Counsel to Vice President Pence and Deputy Assistant to the President. He directly advised the Vice President on all legal issues relating to the Office of the Vice President, and advised the White House Coronavirus Task Force concerning the Defense Production Act and other legal issues related to bolstering the domestic supply chain.
Assistant Attorney General, Civil Division, United States Department of Justice
Brett A. Shumate was sworn in as the Civil Division’s 36th Assistant Attorney General on June 11, 2025. He previously served in the Civil Division from 2017 to 2019 as the Deputy Assistant Attorney General for the Federal Programs Branch. Prior to rejoining the Department, Mr. Shumate was a partner at Jones Day in Washington, D.C.
Mr. Shumate clerked for Judge Edith H. Jones on the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. He graduated from Wake Forest University School of Law and Furman University.
Chairman Emeritus, Wiley Rein LLP
Dick, co-founder and name partner of the firm, has received numerous accolades throughout his storied career, including being named a Washington “Visionary” by The National Law Journal, the “most influential media and telecommunications lawyer in the United States” by the International Herald Tribune, one of the top “100 Men of the Century” by Broadcasting & Cable, and the “Father of High-Definition” television by The Globe and Mail. As Chairman of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), he fostered increased competition and lessened regulation in the communications field. Dick played a pivotal role in the development of HDTV in this country, serving for nine years as Chairman of the FCC’s Advisory Committee on Advanced Television Service. He has represented a number of major communications-oriented organizations, including Verizon, AT&T, JP Morgan, Credit Suisse, Newspaper Association of America, Motorola, CBS, Belo, Gannett, Sirius/XM, Emmis, Gray Television, and LG. Dick also is a frequent author and lecturer on telecommunications and information law.
John W. Wade Professor of Law, Pepperdine University School of Law
Richard L. Cupp, Jr. serves as the John W. Wade Professor of Law at Pepperdine Law School. He loves teaching and working with students. He is widely recognized as a leading scholar and commentator in the fields of torts and products liability law. He has authored more than 20 significant scholarly articles and numerous shorter articles. Professor Cupp is an elected member of the American Law Institute, and he has served as chair of the Association of American Law Schools Section on Torts and Compensation Systems.
In addition to his work in torts and products liability, Professor Cupp writes and speaks extensively about the legal and moral status of animals. He has advised many organizations on these subjects, including the National Academy of Sciences Committee on Science, Technology and Law, the National Academy of Sciences Committee on Neuroscience, the American Veterinary Medical Association, the National Association for Biomedical Research, the Animal Health Institute, and the American Animal Hospital Association.
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