Judge, United States Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit
James C. Ho is a Circuit Judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. Before taking the bench on January 4, 2018, he was a partner and co-chair of the national Appellate and Constitutional Law practice group of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP.
As an appellate litigator for over a decade, including three years as the Solicitor General of Texas, Judge Ho presented 50 oral arguments in federal and state courts nationwide. He won numerous appeals, including three merits cases at the U.S. Supreme Court. He was routinely ranked among the nation’s leading lawyers by Benchmark, Chambers, Law360, The Legal 500, and The National Law Journal, among other publications. His work has been cited favorably by courts at every level of both the federal and state judiciaries. He won a Best Brief Award from the National Association of Attorneys General for every year that he served as solicitor general, and he is the only state solicitor general in history to be invited by the U.S. Supreme Court to express the views of a state.
Judge Ho has served in all three branches of the federal government. On the Senate Judiciary Committee, he served as chief counsel of the Subcommittees on the Constitution and Immigration under Senator John Cornyn. At the Justice Department, he served as Special Assistant to the Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights and an attorney-advisor at the Office of Legal Counsel. He clerked for Judge Jerry E. Smith of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit and Justice Clarence Thomas of the U.S. Supreme Court.
His record of public service also includes appointments as vice chair of the Federal Judicial Evaluation Committee in Texas and co-chair of the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association Judiciary Committee, and as a member of the U.S. Magistrate Judge Merit Selection Panel for the Northern District of Texas, the U.S. delegation to the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, and the Continuity of Government Commission.
In addition, Judge Ho has served as an Adjunct Professor of Law at the University of Texas School of Law, where he taught seminars on U.S. Supreme Court Litigation and Religious Liberty. He has authored numerous articles in respected law reviews nationwide, including an annual feature on exemplary judicial writing for The Green Bag Almanac & Reader. He previously served as senior editor of The Green Bag and as co-editor of Pub. L. Misc.
Judge Ho graduated from Stanford University with honors and a B.A. in Public Policy in 1995, and the University of Chicago Law School with high honors in 1999. Before law school, he was a legislative aide to California State Senator Quentin Kopp. He and his wife Allyson live in Dallas, Texas, with their twin daughter and son.
Partner, Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP
Michael J. Edney is head of the white collar criminal defense practice at Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP and partner in its Washington office. He guides clients through all aspects of government regulation, criminal and regulatory investigations, and civil litigation.
Mr. Edney vigorously defends corporations and individuals facing government agency inquiries and prosecutorial threats. Mr. Edney has represented clients before the Department of Justice, the Department of the Treasury and its Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), the Department of State, the Department of Commerce, the Department of Defense, the Department of Health and Human Services, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the Commodities Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), the National Security Agency (NSA), congressional committees, and other government entities. In 2014, for example, Mr. Edney successfully negotiated a resolution of what was then the largest non-bank trade sanctions investigation in United States history, along with a resolution of charges under the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA).
When companies encounter allegations of wrongdoing, Mr. Edney has conducted many internal investigations on their behalf, while carefully avoiding disruption of the client's important business operations. He has worked extensively with the Audit Committees and senior management of public companies to determine how to comprehensively resolve suggestions of misconduct.
General Counsel and Chief Compliance Officer, Aristotle International
The Honorable David M. Mason is General Counsel and Chief Compliance Officer at Aristotle. He assists campaigns, PACs, and political parties in maximizing their effectiveness while complying with federal and state regulatory requirements.
Mr. Mason served as Commissioner and Chairman (2002 and 2008) of the Federal Election Commission from 1998 until 2008, a presidentially appointed, Senate-confirmed position.
President Reagan appointed Mason as Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense (Legislative Affairs) where he was instrumental in working with Defense Secretary Frank Carlucci and Representative Dick Armey in securing passage of base closing legislation.
Commissioner Mason has testified before Congress over 20 times, addressed international conferences on elections and appeared in or wrote for scores of American print and broadcast media outlets. He is an honors graduate of Claremont McKenna College in Government, graduated with highest honors from Concord Law School and is a member of the California Bar.
Deputy General Counsel, Public Company Accounting Oversight Board
Connor Raso serves as acting deputy general counsel at the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board. He is a contributor to the Brookings' Series on Regulatory Process and Perspective as part of the Brookings Center on Regulation and Markets.
From 2014-2022 Mr. Raso Served as Special Senior Counsel at the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
Senior Litigation Counsel, New Civil Liberties Alliance
Russell G. Ryan, a former assistant director of enforcement at the SEC, is now Senior Litigation Counsel at the New Civil Liberties Alliance.
Attorney, Institute for Justice
Anya Bidwell (née Cherkasova) leads IJ’s Project on Immunity and Accountability (“PIA”). Through this project, Anya works to promote judicial engagement and ensure that government officials are held to account when they violate individuals’ constitutional rights. Anya also serves as an adviser on the American Law Institute’s Restatement of the Law, Constitutional Torts project.
One of Anya’s PIA cases—Gonzalez v. Trevino—was heard by the United States Supreme Court on March 20, 2024. She argued the case for the petitioner, with the goal of convincing the Justices that retaliatory arrests not involving on-the-spot decisions by police officers should be actionable under the First Amendment regardless of probable cause. The decision is expected in June.
This was Anya’s third appearance before the U.S. Supreme Court. She second-chaired Brownback v. King (an excessive force case) and Tennessee Wine & Spirits Retailers Association v. Thomas (a commerce clause case) in November 2020 and January 2019 respectfully.
Before joining IJ, Anya worked for a top national law firm, handling cases in trial and appellate courts. She earned her J.D. with honors from the University of Texas. Two years prior to entering law school, Anya received a master’s degree in Global Policy Studies, also from the University of Texas, and wrote a thesis on asymmetric warfare.
Anya spent her childhood in Ukraine and Kyrgyzstan. At 16, she left her family behind and came to America on a university scholarship. Her upbringing motivated her to study law and become an advocate for a strong, independent judiciary.
Anya’s work has been featured in numerous publications, including the Washington Post, the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times, USA Today, and the Guardian. She is also the host of live recordings of our Short Circuit podcast and a co-producer of our documentary-style podcast Bound by Oath.
Partner, Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP
Michael J. Edney is head of the white collar criminal defense practice at Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP and partner in its Washington office. He guides clients through all aspects of government regulation, criminal and regulatory investigations, and civil litigation.
Mr. Edney vigorously defends corporations and individuals facing government agency inquiries and prosecutorial threats. Mr. Edney has represented clients before the Department of Justice, the Department of the Treasury and its Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), the Department of State, the Department of Commerce, the Department of Defense, the Department of Health and Human Services, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the Commodities Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), the National Security Agency (NSA), congressional committees, and other government entities. In 2014, for example, Mr. Edney successfully negotiated a resolution of what was then the largest non-bank trade sanctions investigation in United States history, along with a resolution of charges under the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA).
When companies encounter allegations of wrongdoing, Mr. Edney has conducted many internal investigations on their behalf, while carefully avoiding disruption of the client's important business operations. He has worked extensively with the Audit Committees and senior management of public companies to determine how to comprehensively resolve suggestions of misconduct.
General Counsel and Chief Compliance Officer, Aristotle International
The Honorable David M. Mason is General Counsel and Chief Compliance Officer at Aristotle. He assists campaigns, PACs, and political parties in maximizing their effectiveness while complying with federal and state regulatory requirements.
Mr. Mason served as Commissioner and Chairman (2002 and 2008) of the Federal Election Commission from 1998 until 2008, a presidentially appointed, Senate-confirmed position.
President Reagan appointed Mason as Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense (Legislative Affairs) where he was instrumental in working with Defense Secretary Frank Carlucci and Representative Dick Armey in securing passage of base closing legislation.
Commissioner Mason has testified before Congress over 20 times, addressed international conferences on elections and appeared in or wrote for scores of American print and broadcast media outlets. He is an honors graduate of Claremont McKenna College in Government, graduated with highest honors from Concord Law School and is a member of the California Bar.
Deputy General Counsel, Public Company Accounting Oversight Board
Connor Raso serves as acting deputy general counsel at the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board. He is a contributor to the Brookings' Series on Regulatory Process and Perspective as part of the Brookings Center on Regulation and Markets.
From 2014-2022 Mr. Raso Served as Special Senior Counsel at the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
Senior Litigation Counsel, New Civil Liberties Alliance
Russell G. Ryan, a former assistant director of enforcement at the SEC, is now Senior Litigation Counsel at the New Civil Liberties Alliance.
Partner, Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP
Michael J. Edney is head of the white collar criminal defense practice at Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP and partner in its Washington office. He guides clients through all aspects of government regulation, criminal and regulatory investigations, and civil litigation.
Mr. Edney vigorously defends corporations and individuals facing government agency inquiries and prosecutorial threats. Mr. Edney has represented clients before the Department of Justice, the Department of the Treasury and its Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), the Department of State, the Department of Commerce, the Department of Defense, the Department of Health and Human Services, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the Commodities Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), the National Security Agency (NSA), congressional committees, and other government entities. In 2014, for example, Mr. Edney successfully negotiated a resolution of what was then the largest non-bank trade sanctions investigation in United States history, along with a resolution of charges under the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA).
When companies encounter allegations of wrongdoing, Mr. Edney has conducted many internal investigations on their behalf, while carefully avoiding disruption of the client's important business operations. He has worked extensively with the Audit Committees and senior management of public companies to determine how to comprehensively resolve suggestions of misconduct.
General Counsel and Chief Compliance Officer, Aristotle International
The Honorable David M. Mason is General Counsel and Chief Compliance Officer at Aristotle. He assists campaigns, PACs, and political parties in maximizing their effectiveness while complying with federal and state regulatory requirements.
Mr. Mason served as Commissioner and Chairman (2002 and 2008) of the Federal Election Commission from 1998 until 2008, a presidentially appointed, Senate-confirmed position.
President Reagan appointed Mason as Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense (Legislative Affairs) where he was instrumental in working with Defense Secretary Frank Carlucci and Representative Dick Armey in securing passage of base closing legislation.
Commissioner Mason has testified before Congress over 20 times, addressed international conferences on elections and appeared in or wrote for scores of American print and broadcast media outlets. He is an honors graduate of Claremont McKenna College in Government, graduated with highest honors from Concord Law School and is a member of the California Bar.
Deputy General Counsel, Public Company Accounting Oversight Board
Connor Raso serves as acting deputy general counsel at the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board. He is a contributor to the Brookings' Series on Regulatory Process and Perspective as part of the Brookings Center on Regulation and Markets.
From 2014-2022 Mr. Raso Served as Special Senior Counsel at the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
Senior Litigation Counsel, New Civil Liberties Alliance
Russell G. Ryan, a former assistant director of enforcement at the SEC, is now Senior Litigation Counsel at the New Civil Liberties Alliance.
Attorney, Institute for Justice
Anya Bidwell (née Cherkasova) leads IJ’s Project on Immunity and Accountability (“PIA”). Through this project, Anya works to promote judicial engagement and ensure that government officials are held to account when they violate individuals’ constitutional rights. Anya also serves as an adviser on the American Law Institute’s Restatement of the Law, Constitutional Torts project.
One of Anya’s PIA cases—Gonzalez v. Trevino—was heard by the United States Supreme Court on March 20, 2024. She argued the case for the petitioner, with the goal of convincing the Justices that retaliatory arrests not involving on-the-spot decisions by police officers should be actionable under the First Amendment regardless of probable cause. The decision is expected in June.
This was Anya’s third appearance before the U.S. Supreme Court. She second-chaired Brownback v. King (an excessive force case) and Tennessee Wine & Spirits Retailers Association v. Thomas (a commerce clause case) in November 2020 and January 2019 respectfully.
Before joining IJ, Anya worked for a top national law firm, handling cases in trial and appellate courts. She earned her J.D. with honors from the University of Texas. Two years prior to entering law school, Anya received a master’s degree in Global Policy Studies, also from the University of Texas, and wrote a thesis on asymmetric warfare.
Anya spent her childhood in Ukraine and Kyrgyzstan. At 16, she left her family behind and came to America on a university scholarship. Her upbringing motivated her to study law and become an advocate for a strong, independent judiciary.
Anya’s work has been featured in numerous publications, including the Washington Post, the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times, USA Today, and the Guardian. She is also the host of live recordings of our Short Circuit podcast and a co-producer of our documentary-style podcast Bound by Oath.
Attorney, Institute for Justice
Anya Bidwell (née Cherkasova) leads IJ’s Project on Immunity and Accountability (“PIA”). Through this project, Anya works to promote judicial engagement and ensure that government officials are held to account when they violate individuals’ constitutional rights. Anya also serves as an adviser on the American Law Institute’s Restatement of the Law, Constitutional Torts project.
One of Anya’s PIA cases—Gonzalez v. Trevino—was heard by the United States Supreme Court on March 20, 2024. She argued the case for the petitioner, with the goal of convincing the Justices that retaliatory arrests not involving on-the-spot decisions by police officers should be actionable under the First Amendment regardless of probable cause. The decision is expected in June.
This was Anya’s third appearance before the U.S. Supreme Court. She second-chaired Brownback v. King (an excessive force case) and Tennessee Wine & Spirits Retailers Association v. Thomas (a commerce clause case) in November 2020 and January 2019 respectfully.
Before joining IJ, Anya worked for a top national law firm, handling cases in trial and appellate courts. She earned her J.D. with honors from the University of Texas. Two years prior to entering law school, Anya received a master’s degree in Global Policy Studies, also from the University of Texas, and wrote a thesis on asymmetric warfare.
Anya spent her childhood in Ukraine and Kyrgyzstan. At 16, she left her family behind and came to America on a university scholarship. Her upbringing motivated her to study law and become an advocate for a strong, independent judiciary.
Anya’s work has been featured in numerous publications, including the Washington Post, the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times, USA Today, and the Guardian. She is also the host of live recordings of our Short Circuit podcast and a co-producer of our documentary-style podcast Bound by Oath.
A Conversation with Judge James C. Ho
San Antonio Lawyers Chapter
San Antonio, TXDiscussing Clarke v. CFTC: The Case of PredictIt & the CFTC's No-Action Letter
Michael J. Edney, David M. Mason, Connor Raso, Russell G. Ryan
In July of 2023, the Fifth Circuit reversed the district court's decision in Clarke v....
Discussing Clarke v. CFTC: The Case of PredictIt & the CFTC's No-Action Letter
Michael J. Edney, David M. Mason, Connor Raso, Russell G. Ryan
In July of 2023, the Fifth Circuit reversed the district court's decision in Clarke v....
Discussing Clarke v. CFTC: The Case of PredictIt & the CFTC's No-Action Letter
Topics
Abortion Returns to the Supreme Court: Oral Arguments In FDA v. AHM
Last month, the U.S. Supreme Court heard oral arguments about access to a chemical abortion...
Topics
Simple Rules for Jarkesy v. SEC in a Complex Administrative World
“Administrative law is not for sissies,” Justice Scalia famously quipped. It’s complex. And that’s no...
Topics
Oral Arguments in Murthy v. Missouri
The Supreme Court looked unlikely to uphold a sweeping Fifth Circuit injunction on Monday, as...
Courthouse Steps Oral Argument: Gonzalez v. Trevino
Anya Bidwell
In Gonzalez v. Trevino, Petitioner Sylvia Gonzalez is a 72 year-old city councilwoman from Castle...
Courthouse Steps Oral Argument: Gonzalez v. Trevino
Anya Bidwell
In Gonzalez v. Trevino, Petitioner Sylvia Gonzalez is a 72 year-old city councilwoman from Castle...
Courthouse Steps Oral Argument: Gonzalez v. Trevino