Associate Dean for Research and Intellectual Life, McKnight Presidential Professor in Law, Distinguished McKnight University Professor, Harlan Albert Rogers Professor in Law, Associate Director, Corporate Institute, University of Minnesota Law School
Professor Kristin E. Hickman is the McKnight Presidential Professor in Law, a Distinguished McKnight University Professor, and Harlan Albert Rogers Professor in Law at the University of Minnesota Law School. She also has taught at Harvard Law School and Northwestern University School of Law. Professor Hickman teaches and writes primarily in the areas of administrative law, tax administration, and statutory interpretation. Her articles on these topics have appeared in the Columbia Law Review, Cornell Law Review, Virginia Law Review, Duke Law Journal, and other publications. She also co-authors the Administrative Law Treatise with Richard J. Pierce, Jr., and a casebook on federal administrative law with Pierce and Christopher J. Walker. Her scholarly work has been cited several times in opinions of the United States Supreme Court as well as regularly in lower court judicial opinions and court briefs.
In 2018-19, Professor Hickman served as Special Adviser to the Administrator of the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs in Washington, D.C. She presently serves as a Senior Fellow, and previously served as a public member and chair of the judicial review committee, for the Administrative Conference of the United States. She also is a Fellow of the American College of Tax Counsel.
Professor Hickman received her B.S. degree in business administration with a concentration in accounting and a secondary major in history from Trinity University in San Antonio, Texas. After practicing for several years as a certified public accountant, Professor Hickman earned her J.D. degree, magna cum laude, from Northwestern University School of Law, where she was awarded the Raoul Berger Prize and the Lowden Wigmore Prize for her scholarly writings. Following law school, Professor Hickman clerked for The Honorable David B. Sentelle of the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit and practiced law as an associate with the Chicago office of Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom, concentrating on corporate and international tax transactions and matters.
William R. Orthwein Distinguished Professor of Law, Washington University in St. Louis School of Law
Professor Ronald M. Levin is a nationally known scholar who specializes in administrative law and related public law issues. He is the co-author of a casebook on state and federal administrative law, now in its third edition, as well as a nutshell on administrative law and process, now in its fifth edition. Formerly the law school's associate dean, he has published numerous articles and book chapters on administrative law topics, including judicial review, rulemaking, and legislative reform of the regulatory process. He also has written about the law of legislation, lobbying, and legislative ethics. Among his professional affiliations, Professor Levin has chaired the ABA Section of Administrative Law and Regulatory Practice and served as the ABA's advisor to the drafting committee to revise the Model State Administrative Procedure Act. He also has chaired the Section on Administrative Law and the Section on Legislation of the Association of American Law Schools (AALS). Currently a public member of the Administrative Conference of the United States (ACUS), he previously served as a consultant to ACUS and to the Supreme Court of Indonesia. Before joining the law faculty, Professor Levin clerked for the Hon. John C. Godbold, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, and practiced for three years in Washington, D.C., with the firm of Sutherland, Asbill & Brennan.
Senior Litigation Counsel, New Civil Liberties Alliance
Mr. Vecchione is a Senior Litigation Counsel for the non-profit New Civil Liberties Alliance representing clients against the Administrative State. He was previously President and CEO of the non-profit Cause of Action Institute, also advancing the constitutional order. He practiced at a number of D.C. area firms, including the eponymous John J. Vecchione Law, PLLC. Mr. Vecchione focuses his practice on strategic litigation in the federal district and appellate courts, including the Supreme Court of the United States. He is an experienced trial and appellate advocate having tried cases and argued appeals across the country. He is a member of the bars of the State of New York, the District of Columbia, and the Commonwealth of Virginia, as well as the Supreme Court of the United States and many federal courts. His cases are reported in scores of published opinions. He has also published pieces advancing the freedom agenda and constitutional order in the Wall Street Journal, the Washington Times and many other forums. He lives in Virginia with his wife Rebecca, sons Tommy and Joe.
Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, The George Washington University Law School
Aram A. Gavoor is the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and an internationally recognized scholar in American administrative law, national security, and federal courts. His co-authored work was cited by the U.S. Supreme Court in Department of Commerce v. New York (2019). His scholarship has earned placement in the Florida Law Review, Indiana Law Journal, Ohio State Law Journal, and other law journals. He has briefed and argued over a dozen high-profile public law cases before a majority of the U.S. Courts of Appeals and numerous cases before almost a third of the 94 U.S. District Courts. Associate Dean Gavoor frequently shares his national security, artificial intelligence policy, and federal courts expertise with international news media, including CNN, BBC World News, Wall Street Journal, NBC News, and ABC (Australia) World News. In 2021, the National Law Journal named Associate Dean Gavoor a Rising Star (top 40 under 40) honoree.
Earlier in his career, Associate Dean Gavoor served as Senior Counsel for National Security in the Civil Division of the U.S. Department of Justice, as third-in-rank Counselor to the Administrator of the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs in the White House Office of Management and Budget, and in private practice. He received the Attorney General's Award for Distinguished Service in 2019, the Civil Division Special Commendation Award in 2020, 2019, and 2018, and a Commendation from the Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section of the Criminal Division in 2018.
Associate Dean Gavoor previously served on the law school’s part-time faculty from 2008-2017 before accepting a term-limited position as Visiting Associate Professor from 2017-2019. He received GW Law’s Distinguished Adjunct Faculty Teaching Award from the 2020 and 2017 graduating classes. He currently teaches Constitutional Law II, Administrative Law, National Security Law, and Federal Courts.
Vice President and Legal Director, MacArthur Justice Center
Johnathan Smith as the inaugural Vice President and Legal Director of the Roderick & Solange MacArthur Justice Center. Smith has extensive leadership experience in the legal advocacy sector and both federal and state government agencies. Most recently, he served as Deputy Assistant Attorney General and acting Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General in the Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Department of Justice, where he helped oversee the Division’s investigatory, enforcement, and policy efforts. Smith previously served in the New York State government as the Governor’s deputy secretary for civil rights and workforce and as the interim commissioner for the New York State Division of Human Rights. He has also worked as the legal director at Muslim Advocates, a staff attorney at the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, and a litigation associate at Fried Frank Harris Shriver & Jacobson LLP. Additionally, Smith served as a lecturer at the University of Michigan Law School. He received his JD from New York University School of Law, and his Masters in Education and Bachelors in Arts from Harvard University.
Senior Fellow, R Street Institute
Prior to R Street, Adam spent 12 years as a senior fellow at the Mercatus Center at George Mason University. Before the Mercatus Center, he served as the president of the Progress and Freedom Foundation. Adam has also worked for the Adam Smith Institute, the Heritage Foundation and the Cato Institute.
Adam has published 10 books on a wide range of topics, including online child safety, internet governance, intellectual property, telecommunications policy, media regulation and federalism.
In 2008, Adam received the Family Online Safety Institute’s “Award for Outstanding Achievement.”
Deputy Secretary of Labor, U.S. Department of Labor
Keith E. Sonderling was confirmed by the U.S. Senate on March 12, 2025 to be the 38th United States Deputy Secretary of Labor.
As the United States Deputy Secretary of Labor, Sonderling is the second-highest-ranking official and serves as the Department's Chief Operating Officer, overseeing the agency’s $14 billion dollar budget and 16,000 employees. The Deputy Secretary oversees key operational functions such as: strategic planning; budget formulation; financial management; information technology; and human resource management. Additionally, the Deputy Secretary provides the leadership and management of DOL’s agencies necessary to support the Secretary and the Department’s mission.
Prior to becoming Deputy Secretary, he was previously confirmed by the United States Senate to serve as the Commissioner of the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) from September 2020 until August 2024. He also served as the Commission’s Vice-Chair from 2020-2021.
During his tenure at the EEOC, one of Sonderling’s highest priorities was ensuring that artificial intelligence and workplace technologies are designed and deployed consistent with long-standing laws. He published numerous articles on the benefits and potential harms of using artificial intelligence-based technology in the workplace and spoke globally on artificial intelligence’s impact on the workplace.
Sonderling previously served at the US Department of Labor as the Acting and Deputy Administrator of the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division from 2017-2020. During his tenure, the Division accomplished back-to-back record-breaking enforcement collections and educational outreach events. Sonderling also oversaw the development and publication of large-scale deregulatory rules and authored numerous Opinion Letters, Field Assistance Bulletins, and All Agency Memorandums. Additionally, he was instrumental in developing the Division’s first comprehensive self-audit program, which collected more than $7 million for nearly eleven thousand workers.
Before his government service, Sonderling was a partner at one of Florida’s oldest and largest law firms, Gunster. At Gunster, he counseled employers and litigated labor and employment disputes. In 2012, then-Governor Rick Scott appointed Sonderling to serve as the Chair of the Judicial Nominating Committee for appellate courts in South Florida. Sonderling was also active in the community, serving on the Board of Directors for Morse Life Health System, the Boca Raton Chamber of Commerce, and Leadership Florida.
Sonderling also serves as a Professional Lecturer in the Law (Adjunct Professor) at George Washington University Law School, teaching employment discrimination.
Sonderling received his B.S., magna cum laude, from the University of Florida and his J.D., magna cum laude, from Nova Southeastern University.
Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, The George Washington University Law School
Aram A. Gavoor is the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and an internationally recognized scholar in American administrative law, national security, and federal courts. His co-authored work was cited by the U.S. Supreme Court in Department of Commerce v. New York (2019). His scholarship has earned placement in the Florida Law Review, Indiana Law Journal, Ohio State Law Journal, and other law journals. He has briefed and argued over a dozen high-profile public law cases before a majority of the U.S. Courts of Appeals and numerous cases before almost a third of the 94 U.S. District Courts. Associate Dean Gavoor frequently shares his national security, artificial intelligence policy, and federal courts expertise with international news media, including CNN, BBC World News, Wall Street Journal, NBC News, and ABC (Australia) World News. In 2021, the National Law Journal named Associate Dean Gavoor a Rising Star (top 40 under 40) honoree.
Earlier in his career, Associate Dean Gavoor served as Senior Counsel for National Security in the Civil Division of the U.S. Department of Justice, as third-in-rank Counselor to the Administrator of the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs in the White House Office of Management and Budget, and in private practice. He received the Attorney General's Award for Distinguished Service in 2019, the Civil Division Special Commendation Award in 2020, 2019, and 2018, and a Commendation from the Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section of the Criminal Division in 2018.
Associate Dean Gavoor previously served on the law school’s part-time faculty from 2008-2017 before accepting a term-limited position as Visiting Associate Professor from 2017-2019. He received GW Law’s Distinguished Adjunct Faculty Teaching Award from the 2020 and 2017 graduating classes. He currently teaches Constitutional Law II, Administrative Law, National Security Law, and Federal Courts.
Vice President and Legal Director, MacArthur Justice Center
Johnathan Smith as the inaugural Vice President and Legal Director of the Roderick & Solange MacArthur Justice Center. Smith has extensive leadership experience in the legal advocacy sector and both federal and state government agencies. Most recently, he served as Deputy Assistant Attorney General and acting Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General in the Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Department of Justice, where he helped oversee the Division’s investigatory, enforcement, and policy efforts. Smith previously served in the New York State government as the Governor’s deputy secretary for civil rights and workforce and as the interim commissioner for the New York State Division of Human Rights. He has also worked as the legal director at Muslim Advocates, a staff attorney at the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, and a litigation associate at Fried Frank Harris Shriver & Jacobson LLP. Additionally, Smith served as a lecturer at the University of Michigan Law School. He received his JD from New York University School of Law, and his Masters in Education and Bachelors in Arts from Harvard University.
Senior Fellow, R Street Institute
Prior to R Street, Adam spent 12 years as a senior fellow at the Mercatus Center at George Mason University. Before the Mercatus Center, he served as the president of the Progress and Freedom Foundation. Adam has also worked for the Adam Smith Institute, the Heritage Foundation and the Cato Institute.
Adam has published 10 books on a wide range of topics, including online child safety, internet governance, intellectual property, telecommunications policy, media regulation and federalism.
In 2008, Adam received the Family Online Safety Institute’s “Award for Outstanding Achievement.”
Deputy Secretary of Labor, U.S. Department of Labor
Keith E. Sonderling was confirmed by the U.S. Senate on March 12, 2025 to be the 38th United States Deputy Secretary of Labor.
As the United States Deputy Secretary of Labor, Sonderling is the second-highest-ranking official and serves as the Department's Chief Operating Officer, overseeing the agency’s $14 billion dollar budget and 16,000 employees. The Deputy Secretary oversees key operational functions such as: strategic planning; budget formulation; financial management; information technology; and human resource management. Additionally, the Deputy Secretary provides the leadership and management of DOL’s agencies necessary to support the Secretary and the Department’s mission.
Prior to becoming Deputy Secretary, he was previously confirmed by the United States Senate to serve as the Commissioner of the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) from September 2020 until August 2024. He also served as the Commission’s Vice-Chair from 2020-2021.
During his tenure at the EEOC, one of Sonderling’s highest priorities was ensuring that artificial intelligence and workplace technologies are designed and deployed consistent with long-standing laws. He published numerous articles on the benefits and potential harms of using artificial intelligence-based technology in the workplace and spoke globally on artificial intelligence’s impact on the workplace.
Sonderling previously served at the US Department of Labor as the Acting and Deputy Administrator of the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division from 2017-2020. During his tenure, the Division accomplished back-to-back record-breaking enforcement collections and educational outreach events. Sonderling also oversaw the development and publication of large-scale deregulatory rules and authored numerous Opinion Letters, Field Assistance Bulletins, and All Agency Memorandums. Additionally, he was instrumental in developing the Division’s first comprehensive self-audit program, which collected more than $7 million for nearly eleven thousand workers.
Before his government service, Sonderling was a partner at one of Florida’s oldest and largest law firms, Gunster. At Gunster, he counseled employers and litigated labor and employment disputes. In 2012, then-Governor Rick Scott appointed Sonderling to serve as the Chair of the Judicial Nominating Committee for appellate courts in South Florida. Sonderling was also active in the community, serving on the Board of Directors for Morse Life Health System, the Boca Raton Chamber of Commerce, and Leadership Florida.
Sonderling also serves as a Professional Lecturer in the Law (Adjunct Professor) at George Washington University Law School, teaching employment discrimination.
Sonderling received his B.S., magna cum laude, from the University of Florida and his J.D., magna cum laude, from Nova Southeastern University.
Director of Health Policy Studies, Cato Institute
Michael F. Cannon is the Cato Institute’s director of health policy studies. His scholarship spans public health; regulation of clinicians, medical facilities, pharmaceuticals, and medical devices; employer‐sponsored and other private health insurance; Medicare; Medicaid; CHIP; the Veterans Health Administration; medical malpractice litigation; administrative law; international health systems; political philosophy; and more. Cannon is “an influential health‐care wonk” (Washington Post) and “the most famous libertarian health care scholar” (Washington Examiner). Washingtonian magazine named Cannon one of Washington, DC’s “Most Influential People” in 2021, 2022, and 2023.
Cannon has appeared on ABC, Al Jazeera, BBC, CBS, CNN, CNBC, C‑SPAN, Fox News Channel, NPR, and other broadcast media. His articles have appeared in the Wall Street Journal; the New York Times; USA Today; the Washington Post; the Los Angeles Times; SCOTUSBlog; Forum for Health Economics and Policy; JAMA Internal Medicine; Health Matrix: Journal of Law‐Medicine; Harvard Health Policy Review; the Yale Journal of Health Policy, Law, and Ethics; the Journal of Health Politics, Policy and Law; and Quinnipiac Health Law Journal. His latest book is Recovery: A Guide to Reforming the U.S. Health Sector.
Cannon was previously a domestic policy analyst for the U.S. Senate Republican Policy Committee, where he advised the Senate leadership on health, education, labor, welfare, and the Second Amendment. He is a member of the Board of Advisers of Harvard Health Policy Review and the Federalist Society Regulatory Transparency Project’s FDA & Health Working Group.
Cannon holds an MA in economics and a JM in law and economics from George Mason University and a BA in American government from the University of Virginia.
Executive Vice President, Goldwater Institute
Christina Sandefur is the Executive Vice President at the Goldwater Institute. She develops policies and litigates cases advancing healthcare freedom, free enterprise, private property rights, free speech, and taxpayer rights.
Christina is a co-drafter of the Right to Try initiative, now federal law, which protects terminally ill patients' right to try safe investigational treatments that have been prescribed by their physician but are not yet FDA-approved. She has won important victories for property rights in Arizona and works nationally to promote the Institute's Private Property Rights Protection Act, a state-level reform that requires government to pay owners when regulations destroy property rights and reduce property values.
Christina is the co-author of the book Cornerstone of Liberty: Private Property Rights in 21st Century America (2016). She is a frequent guest on national television and radio programs, has provided expert legal testimony to various legislative committees, and is a frequent speaker at conferences. She is the recipient of the 2018 Buckley Award in recognition of her leadership in the freedom movement, and she is an Advisory Board Member of the Network of enlightened Women. Christina serves on the board of the Phoenix Lawyers Chapter of the Federalist Society and is a member of the executive committee for the Federalist Society's Regulatory Transparency Project: FDA & Health.
Christina is a graduate of Michigan State University College of Law and Hillsdale College.
Government Affairs Director, National Employment Law Project
Judy Conti, National Employment Law Project's government affairs director, joined NELP in 2007, after spending seven years as the co-founder and executive director of the D.C. Employment Justice Center, a legal service provider devoted to workplace justice in the D.C. metro.
Judy has years of experience lobbying on issues including raising the minimum wage, fair chance hiring, unemployment insurance, wage theft, immigration reform, and other issues involving turning low-wage work into good jobs with a pathway to the middle-class. In her time with NELP, Judy has made significant achievements in developing the organization’s presence in the Capitol, where she is committed to bringing the expertise and experience of NELP’s staff and allies to the halls of Congress and relevant Cabinet and Executive agencies. In early 2017, Judy played an instrumental role in guiding the coalition of workers’ rights and other advocates who ensured that fast-food CEO Andy Puzder would not become the next secretary of labor.
She has been widely recognized for her work, with awards from the American Bar Association, the Washington Area Women’s Foundation, the Hispanic Bar Association of D.C., William and Mary Law School, and DC Jobs with Justice.
In addition to her advocacy, Judy is a widely-respected media resource. She has appeared on C-Span’s Washington Journal, CNBC, MSNBC, Fox Business News, CBS News, the BBC, and many other television outlets, she has been widely quoted in the print media, and has written for The Hill, Fortune, and other outlets. Judy has also testified before Congress on numerous occasions, particularly regarding unemployment insurance, and regularly speaks at conferences and on panels addressing hot topics in labor and employment law.
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.
Partner, Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP
Philip A. Miscimarra is the former Chairman of the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB). Phil leads the firm’s NLRB special appeals practice and is co-leader of Morgan Lewis Workforce Change, which manages all employment, labor, benefits, and related issues arising from mergers, acquisitions, startups, workforce reductions, and other types of business restructuring. He represents clients on a wide range of labor and employment issues, with a focus on labor-management relations, business acquisitions and restructuring, and employment litigation. Phil is also a Senior Fellow at the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School and the Wharton Center for Human Resources. He is admitted in Illinois only, and his practice is supervised by DC Bar members.
Phil was named Chairman of the NLRB by President Donald J. Trump on April 24, 2017, after previously serving as Acting Chairman and a Board Member. He was appointed to the NLRB by President Barack Obama on April 9, 2013, and was approved unanimously by the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions on May 22, 2013. He was confirmed by voice vote in the US Senate on July 30, 2013, and served from August 7, 2013, to December 16, 2017. Upon the completion of his term, Phil served on the NLRB longer than 26 other board members over the past 30 years.
Phil is the author or co-author of several books involving labor law issues, including The NLRB and Managerial Discretion: Subcontracting, Relocations, Closings, Sales, Layoffs, and Technological Change (2d ed. 2010) (by Miscimarra, Turner, Friedman, Callahan, Conrad, Lignowski and Scroggins); The NLRB and Secondary Boycotts (3d ed. 2002) (by Miscimarra, Berkowitz, Wiener and Ditelberg); and Government Protection of Employees Involved in Mergers and Acquisitions (1989 and 1997 supp.) (by Northrup and Miscimarra); and other publications. He has also testified on labor and employment law issues in the United States Congress.
Chambers USA named Phil one of the leading lawyers for employment law in the United States from 2004 to 2012, based on the views of clients, peers, and other industry professionals. He has been described as a "fantastic lawyer" and "prolific writer," with clients admiring his "multilayered abilities and business savvy" and his "high level of integrity."
Partner, Holland & Knight LLP
Timothy Taylor is an employment and litigation partner with Holland & Knight LLP, where he was also previously an associate. He represents clients in federal courts and before federal agencies in a variety of disputes. He has special expertise in employment law, the Administrative Procedure Act, the False Claims Act, and appeals. Before rejoining Holland & Knight, Mr. Taylor served as the Deputy Solicitor of Labor. In that position, he oversaw a wide portfolio of litigation, enforcement, rulemaking, and legal counseling for the agency’s more than 450 attorneys. He previously served as the Department of Labor’s Chief of Staff, and in other senior policy positions in the Department. He also served as the employment counsel and as an investigative attorney for the Department of the Treasury’s Office of the Special Inspector General for Pandemic Recovery.
Mr. Taylor clerked for the Honorable Harris Hartz of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit and the Honorable Charles Lettow of the U.S. Court of Federal Claims. He graduated summa cum laude with a B.A. from Brigham Young University and cum laude with a J.D. from Harvard Law School, where he was an editor of the Harvard Law Review and the Harvard Journal of Law and Public Policy. He lives in Virginia with his wife and two children.
Government Affairs Director, National Employment Law Project
Judy Conti, National Employment Law Project's government affairs director, joined NELP in 2007, after spending seven years as the co-founder and executive director of the D.C. Employment Justice Center, a legal service provider devoted to workplace justice in the D.C. metro.
Judy has years of experience lobbying on issues including raising the minimum wage, fair chance hiring, unemployment insurance, wage theft, immigration reform, and other issues involving turning low-wage work into good jobs with a pathway to the middle-class. In her time with NELP, Judy has made significant achievements in developing the organization’s presence in the Capitol, where she is committed to bringing the expertise and experience of NELP’s staff and allies to the halls of Congress and relevant Cabinet and Executive agencies. In early 2017, Judy played an instrumental role in guiding the coalition of workers’ rights and other advocates who ensured that fast-food CEO Andy Puzder would not become the next secretary of labor.
She has been widely recognized for her work, with awards from the American Bar Association, the Washington Area Women’s Foundation, the Hispanic Bar Association of D.C., William and Mary Law School, and DC Jobs with Justice.
In addition to her advocacy, Judy is a widely-respected media resource. She has appeared on C-Span’s Washington Journal, CNBC, MSNBC, Fox Business News, CBS News, the BBC, and many other television outlets, she has been widely quoted in the print media, and has written for The Hill, Fortune, and other outlets. Judy has also testified before Congress on numerous occasions, particularly regarding unemployment insurance, and regularly speaks at conferences and on panels addressing hot topics in labor and employment law.
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.
Partner, Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP
Philip A. Miscimarra is the former Chairman of the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB). Phil leads the firm’s NLRB special appeals practice and is co-leader of Morgan Lewis Workforce Change, which manages all employment, labor, benefits, and related issues arising from mergers, acquisitions, startups, workforce reductions, and other types of business restructuring. He represents clients on a wide range of labor and employment issues, with a focus on labor-management relations, business acquisitions and restructuring, and employment litigation. Phil is also a Senior Fellow at the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School and the Wharton Center for Human Resources. He is admitted in Illinois only, and his practice is supervised by DC Bar members.
Phil was named Chairman of the NLRB by President Donald J. Trump on April 24, 2017, after previously serving as Acting Chairman and a Board Member. He was appointed to the NLRB by President Barack Obama on April 9, 2013, and was approved unanimously by the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions on May 22, 2013. He was confirmed by voice vote in the US Senate on July 30, 2013, and served from August 7, 2013, to December 16, 2017. Upon the completion of his term, Phil served on the NLRB longer than 26 other board members over the past 30 years.
Phil is the author or co-author of several books involving labor law issues, including The NLRB and Managerial Discretion: Subcontracting, Relocations, Closings, Sales, Layoffs, and Technological Change (2d ed. 2010) (by Miscimarra, Turner, Friedman, Callahan, Conrad, Lignowski and Scroggins); The NLRB and Secondary Boycotts (3d ed. 2002) (by Miscimarra, Berkowitz, Wiener and Ditelberg); and Government Protection of Employees Involved in Mergers and Acquisitions (1989 and 1997 supp.) (by Northrup and Miscimarra); and other publications. He has also testified on labor and employment law issues in the United States Congress.
Chambers USA named Phil one of the leading lawyers for employment law in the United States from 2004 to 2012, based on the views of clients, peers, and other industry professionals. He has been described as a "fantastic lawyer" and "prolific writer," with clients admiring his "multilayered abilities and business savvy" and his "high level of integrity."
Partner, Holland & Knight LLP
Timothy Taylor is an employment and litigation partner with Holland & Knight LLP, where he was also previously an associate. He represents clients in federal courts and before federal agencies in a variety of disputes. He has special expertise in employment law, the Administrative Procedure Act, the False Claims Act, and appeals. Before rejoining Holland & Knight, Mr. Taylor served as the Deputy Solicitor of Labor. In that position, he oversaw a wide portfolio of litigation, enforcement, rulemaking, and legal counseling for the agency’s more than 450 attorneys. He previously served as the Department of Labor’s Chief of Staff, and in other senior policy positions in the Department. He also served as the employment counsel and as an investigative attorney for the Department of the Treasury’s Office of the Special Inspector General for Pandemic Recovery.
Mr. Taylor clerked for the Honorable Harris Hartz of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit and the Honorable Charles Lettow of the U.S. Court of Federal Claims. He graduated summa cum laude with a B.A. from Brigham Young University and cum laude with a J.D. from Harvard Law School, where he was an editor of the Harvard Law Review and the Harvard Journal of Law and Public Policy. He lives in Virginia with his wife and two children.
Executive in Residence, Wake Forest University School of Business
John Allison is an Executive in Residence at the Wake Forest School of Business. He is a member of the Cato Institute’s Board of Directors and Chairman of the Executive Advisory Council of the Cato Institute’s Center for Monetary and Financial Alternatives. Allison was president and CEO of the Cato Institute from October 2012 to April 2015. Prior to joining Cato, Allison was chairman and CEO of BB&T Corporation, the 10th-largest financial services holding company headquartered in the United States. During his tenure as CEO from 1989 to 2008, BB&T grew from $4.5 billion to $152 billion in assets. He was recognized by theHarvard Business Reviewas one of the top 100 most successful CEOs in the world over the last decade.
Allison has received the Corning Award for Distinguished Leadership, been inducted into the North Carolina Business Hall of Fame, and received the Lifetime Achievement Award from theAmerican Banker. He is the author of The Financial Crisis and the Free Market Cure: Why Pure Capitalism Is the World Economy’s Only Hope and The Leadership Crisis and the Free Market Cure: Why the Future of Business Depends on the Return to Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness. In addition, he is a former Distinguished Professor of Practice at Wake Forest University School of Business, and serves on the Board of Visitors at the business schools at Wake Forest, Duke, and the University of North Carolina–Chapel Hill.
Allison is a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of the University of North Carolina–Chapel Hill. He received his master’s degree in management from Duke University and is also a graduate of the Stonier Graduate School of Banking. Allison is the recipient of six honorary doctorate degrees.
Former CEO, Wells Fargo
Mr. Richard M. Kovacevich, also known as Dick, serves as Vice President at San Francisco Symphony. Mr. Kovacevich serves as the Chief Executive Officer at Hudson Executive Capital LP. He served as the Chief Executive Officer at Wells Fargo & Company from November 1998 to June 2007 and also served as its President from November 1998 to August 1, 2005. Mr. Kovacevich served as the Chief Executive Officer of Norwest Corp. from January 1993 to November 1998 and as its Chief Operating Officer since 1989. He joined Norwest in March 1986, as Vice Chairman, Chief Operating Officer and Head of Norwest Banking Group. Mr. Kovacevich served as the President of Norwest Corporation from January 1993 to January 1997. Prior to Norwest, he served as a Group Executive of the Policy Committee of CitiCorp. and Division General Manager at General Mills. Mr. Kovacevich served as the President of The Financial Services Roundtable and serves as its Co-Chairman of Commission to Enhance Competitiveness. He served as the Chairman of the Board at Wells Fargo Bank Minnesota, National Association. Mr. Kovacevich served as the Chairman of Wells Fargo Bank, National Association. He served as the Chairman of the Board of Wells Fargo & Company from August 2005 to December 30, 2009. Mr. Kovacevich served as the Chairman of Norwest Corp. from May 1995 to November 1998. He serves as Vice Chairman of the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. Mr. Kovacevich served as the Vice Chairman of the American Bankers Council. He has been a Director of Norwest Corporation since 1986. He has been Director of Theranos, Inc. since May 12, 2016 and previously served as Director of Theranos, Inc. since July 29, 2013. He serves as an Independent Director of Cargill, Incorporated. Mr. Kovacevich serves as a Director of The Clearing House LLC. He served as a Director at Cisco Systems, Inc. since January 19, 2005 until November 19, 2013. Mr. Kovacevich served as a Director of Wells Fargo & Company from 1986 to December 30, 2009. He served as an Independent Director of Target Corp. from 1996 to December 31, 2010. Mr. Kovacevich serves as a Member of The Federal Reserve's Federal Advisory Council, California Business Roundtable and Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger's California Commission for Jobs and Economic Growth. He graduated from Stanford University where he earned his MBA and his Bachelors and Masters degrees in Industrial Engineering.
Research Fellow, Harvard Kennedy School
Timothy Massad is currently a Research Fellow at the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University, an Adjunct Professor of Law at Georgetown Law School and a consultant on financial regulatory and fintech issues.
Mr. Massad served as Chairman of the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission from 2014-2017. Under his leadership, the agency implemented the Dodd Frank reforms of the over-the-counter swaps market and harmonized many aspects of cross-border regulation, including reaching a landmark agreement with the European Union on clearinghouse oversight. The agency also declared virtual currencies to be commodities, introduced reforms to address automated trading and strengthened cybersecurity protections.
Previously, Mr. Massad served as the Assistant Secretary for Financial Stability of the U.S. Department of the Treasury. In that capacity, he oversaw the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP), the principal U.S. governmental response to the 2008 financial crisis. During his tenure, Treasury recovered more on all the crisis investments than was disbursed. Mr. Massad was with the Treasury from 2009 to 2014 and also served as a counselor to the Treasury Secretary.
Prior to his government service, Mr. Massad was a partner in the law firm of Cravath, Swaine & Moore, LLP. His practice included corporate finance, derivatives and advising boards of directors. He managed the firm’s Hong Kong office from 1998 to 2002 and represented governments and corporations on transactions throughout Asia. Mr. Massad was also one of a small group of lawyers who drafted the original ISDA standard agreements for swaps.
Of Counsel, Covington & Burling LLP
The Honorable Paul J. Ray is currently Of Counsel at Covington & Burling LLP where he advises clients on regulatory opportunities and challenges and helps them formulate and execute advocacy strategies for their regulatory policy priorities before the executive branch and Congress.
During the first Trump Administration, Paul held various senior positions at the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) within the White House’s Office of Management and Budget, including as acting, and then Senate-confirmed, head of the office. As OIRA Administrator (the "regulations czar"), Paul supervised the review of hundreds of regulations from across the government, drafted numerous executive orders governing the regulatory process, and led the Administration’s regulatory reform effort. As a result of this experience, Paul is well-positioned to help clients understand and achieve regulatory policy priorities in the context of the government’s regulatory agenda and ongoing reform efforts.
Most recently, Paul was also the Director of the Roe Institute for Economic Policy Studies at The Heritage Foundation. In that role, he supervised the formulation of the Foundation’s economic and regulatory policy recommendations and provided technical assistance to congressional committees and staff regarding legislative changes to the regulatory process. In addition to his role at The Heritage Foundation, Paul also served as a Senior Advisor at a strategic advisory firm. Before his time in government, Paul practiced law at a law firm in Washington, specializing in administrative law matters.
Prior to his role at the White House, Paul was Counselor to the Secretary at the U.S. Department of Labor. There he led departmental efforts in high-profile rulemakings and helped formulate the Department’s legal positions and strategy.
Paul served as a law clerk to Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito and as a law clerk to the Honorable Debra Livingston of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit.
Paul is a thought leader in the conservative legal movement and is a frequent commentator and speaker on regulatory policy and reform matters, including at law schools, professional gatherings, and other venues. He is the Chairman of Innovations in Peacebuilding International and the Regulatory Process Working Group of the Federalist Society’s Regulatory Transparency Project and a public member of the Administrative Conference of the United States. Paul is also an adjunct lecturer at the Hillsdale College School of Government.
Partner, Steptoe & Johnson LLP
Stewart Baker is a partner in the law firm of Steptoe & Johnson in Washington, D.C. From 2005 to 2009, he was the first Assistant Secretary for Policy at the Department of Homeland Security. His law practice covers cybersecurity, data protection, homeland security, and travel and foreign investment regulation; he has been awarded one patent.
Mr. Baker has been General Counsel of the National Security Agency and General Counsel of the commission that investigated WMD intelligence failures prior to the Iraq war. He is the author of Skating on Stilts, a book on terrorism, cybersecurity, and other technology issues; he also hosts the weekly Cyberlaw Podcast.
Professor of Law, Michigan State University (currently serving as FCC General Counsel)
Professor Candeub joined the MSU Law faculty in fall 2004. He is also a Fellow with MSU's Institute of Public Utilities. Prior to joining MSU, he served as an advisor at the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). From 1998 to 2000, Professor Candeub was a litigation associate for the Washington D.C. firm of Jones, Day, Reavis & Pogue and also has served as a corporate associate with Cleary, Gottlieb, Steen & Hamilton, also in Washington, D.C. Immediately following law school, he clerked for Chief Judge J. Clifford Wallace, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. While in law school, Professor Candeub was an articles editor for the University of Pennsylvania Law Review.
Professor Candeub's scholarly interests focus on the law and regulation of communications, internet, technology. His numerous law review articles and scholarly papers have placed him at the center of legal and policy controversies, and he often writes for popular outlets such as the Wall Street Journal and US News. Federal courts, including the U.S. Supreme Court, have cited and relied upon his work.
He joined the Trump administration in 2019 as Deputy Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Telecommunications and Information and assumed the role of Acting Assistant Secretary. He later joined the Department of Justice as Deputy Associate Attorney General.
Professor Candeub is a senior fellow at the D.C.-based Center of Renewing America.
Partner, Stris & Maher LLP, Fellow, Constitutional Law Center, Stanford Law School
Matthew A. Seligman is a lawyer and legal scholar based in Los Angeles, California and Washington, D.C. His academic research focuses on election law, with a particular emphasis on disputed presidential elections. He is a partner at Stris & Maher LLP and a fellow at the Constitutional Law Center at Stanford Law School. His broader research interests span constitutional law, federal courts, contracts, and private law theory.
His scholarship has appeared in the Stanford Law Review, the Michigan Law Review, the Vanderbilt Law Review, Philosophy and Public Affairs, and elsewhere. His work on disputed presidential elections has received extensive coverage in the New York Times, the Washington Post, and dozens of other venues. He is a frequent commentator on election law issues, including numerous appearances on CNN, MSNBC, and other news channels.
He was previously a Climenko Fellow and Lecturer on Law at Harvard Law School, a Fellow at the Center for Private Law at Yale Law School, and a Visiting Assistant Professor at the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law.
Prior to his academic appointments, he practiced Supreme Court litigation at a boutique litigation firm in Washington, D.C. He clerked for the Honorable Douglas H. Ginsburg on the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit.
He received a J.D. from Stanford Law School; a Ph.D. in philosophy from New York University, focusing on political and moral philosophy; an M.A. in philosophy from Stanford, and dual undergraduate degrees in mathematics and philosophy from Stanford.
Partner, Steptoe & Johnson LLP
Stewart Baker is a partner in the law firm of Steptoe & Johnson in Washington, D.C. From 2005 to 2009, he was the first Assistant Secretary for Policy at the Department of Homeland Security. His law practice covers cybersecurity, data protection, homeland security, and travel and foreign investment regulation; he has been awarded one patent.
Mr. Baker has been General Counsel of the National Security Agency and General Counsel of the commission that investigated WMD intelligence failures prior to the Iraq war. He is the author of Skating on Stilts, a book on terrorism, cybersecurity, and other technology issues; he also hosts the weekly Cyberlaw Podcast.
Professor of Law, Michigan State University (currently serving as FCC General Counsel)
Professor Candeub joined the MSU Law faculty in fall 2004. He is also a Fellow with MSU's Institute of Public Utilities. Prior to joining MSU, he served as an advisor at the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). From 1998 to 2000, Professor Candeub was a litigation associate for the Washington D.C. firm of Jones, Day, Reavis & Pogue and also has served as a corporate associate with Cleary, Gottlieb, Steen & Hamilton, also in Washington, D.C. Immediately following law school, he clerked for Chief Judge J. Clifford Wallace, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. While in law school, Professor Candeub was an articles editor for the University of Pennsylvania Law Review.
Professor Candeub's scholarly interests focus on the law and regulation of communications, internet, technology. His numerous law review articles and scholarly papers have placed him at the center of legal and policy controversies, and he often writes for popular outlets such as the Wall Street Journal and US News. Federal courts, including the U.S. Supreme Court, have cited and relied upon his work.
He joined the Trump administration in 2019 as Deputy Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Telecommunications and Information and assumed the role of Acting Assistant Secretary. He later joined the Department of Justice as Deputy Associate Attorney General.
Professor Candeub is a senior fellow at the D.C.-based Center of Renewing America.
Partner, Stris & Maher LLP, Fellow, Constitutional Law Center, Stanford Law School
Matthew A. Seligman is a lawyer and legal scholar based in Los Angeles, California and Washington, D.C. His academic research focuses on election law, with a particular emphasis on disputed presidential elections. He is a partner at Stris & Maher LLP and a fellow at the Constitutional Law Center at Stanford Law School. His broader research interests span constitutional law, federal courts, contracts, and private law theory.
His scholarship has appeared in the Stanford Law Review, the Michigan Law Review, the Vanderbilt Law Review, Philosophy and Public Affairs, and elsewhere. His work on disputed presidential elections has received extensive coverage in the New York Times, the Washington Post, and dozens of other venues. He is a frequent commentator on election law issues, including numerous appearances on CNN, MSNBC, and other news channels.
He was previously a Climenko Fellow and Lecturer on Law at Harvard Law School, a Fellow at the Center for Private Law at Yale Law School, and a Visiting Assistant Professor at the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law.
Prior to his academic appointments, he practiced Supreme Court litigation at a boutique litigation firm in Washington, D.C. He clerked for the Honorable Douglas H. Ginsburg on the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit.
He received a J.D. from Stanford Law School; a Ph.D. in philosophy from New York University, focusing on political and moral philosophy; an M.A. in philosophy from Stanford, and dual undergraduate degrees in mathematics and philosophy from Stanford.
Director, Center for American Freedom, America First Policy Institute
James Sherk was born in Ontario, Canada, and immigrated with his family to Midland, Michigan while in middle school. He serves as AFPI’s Director of the Center for American Freedom. Sherk previously served as Special Assistant to the President for Domestic Policy on the White House Domestic Policy Council under President Donald Trump. James served as the Administration’s top civil service reform and labor policy advisor from 2017 to 2021. At the White House, he was the principal author of and/or policy lead for approximately two dozen executive orders and presidential memoranda. Sherk also served as a member of the President’s Council on Improving Federal Civic Architecture. Prior to his White House service, Sherk was a Research Fellow at the Heritage Foundation, where he was a nationally recognized expert on the civil service and labor policy. Sherk received a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics and Economics from Hillsdale College and an Master of Arts in Economics from the University of Rochester. Sherk and his wife, Jill, live in Northern Virginia with three beloved children who teach their parents to ponder inscrutable questions like “how much drawing can go on the walls before we have to repaint them?”
Vice President for Litigation & General Counsel, Goldwater Institute
Jon Riches is the Vice President for Litigation for the Goldwater Institute’s Scharf-Norton Center for Constitutional Litigation and General Counsel for the Institute. He litigates in federal and state trial and appellate courts in the areas of economic liberty, regulatory reform, free speech, taxpayer protections, public labor issues, government transparency, and school choice, among others.
Jon has developed and authored several pieces of legislation, including the landmark Right to Earn a Living Act, which provides some of the greatest protections in the country to job-seekers and entrepreneurs facing arbitrary licensing regulations. He also developed legislation eliminating deference to administrative agencies in Arizona—a first-of-its-kind regulatory reform that can serve as a model for the rest of the country.
His work at the Institute has been covered by national media, including the Wall Street Journal, New York Times, CBS This Morning, Bloomberg News, and Politico. Jon is also a member of the Federalist Society’s Regulatory Transparency Project: State and Local Working Group.
Prior to joining the Goldwater Institute, Jon served on active duty in the U.S. Navy Judge Advocate General’s (JAG) Corps. While on active duty, Jon represented hundreds of clients, litigated dozens of court-martial cases, and advised commanders on a vast array of legal issues.
He previously clerked for Sen. Jon Kyl on the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee, worked for the Rules Committee in the Arizona State Senate, and clerked in the Office of Counsel to the President at the White House. Jon received his B.A. from Boston College, where he graduated magna cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa. He earned his J.D. from the University of Arizona, James E. Rogers College of Law.
Jon served as a presidentially appointed Panel Member on the Federal Service Impasses Panel. He is an officer in the U.S. Navy Reserve and an Adjunct Professor at Arizona State University School of Law. Jon is a native of Phoenix.
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