Suzanne P. Clark 

President and CEO, U.S. Chamber of Commerce

Suzanne P. Clark is president and chief executive officer of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, a director on two corporate boards, a former business owner, and an entrepreneur at heart. With a global perspective and a fierce commitment to free enterprise, Clark’s experience in the private sector deeply informs her leadership of the U.S. Chamber—the world’s largest business organization representing employers of every size and sector in Washington, D.C., across the country, and around the globe.  She is a vocal proponent for policies that enable businesses to innovate, invest, and grow and helps lead the fight against government proposals that undermine America’s economic strength and competitiveness. Under her leadership, the U.S. Chamber champions constructive solutions and builds coalitions around the issues most important to the business community. The U.S. Chamber’s work with leaders on both sides of the aisle helped deliver bipartisan passage of the most significant infrastructure investment in decades. The organization works closely with lawmakers to shape policy in some 300 issue areas, including workforce, legal reform, global trade, energy, and technology. Clark spearheaded efforts to dramatically increase support for small businesses through the creation of CO—, the U.S. Chamber’s award-winning digital home for small business. When the pandemic hit, the U.S. Chamber launched a massive mobilization to save America’s small businesses by proposing key policies included in the CARES Act, lobbying for and securing replenishment of the Paycheck Protection Program, producing dozens of practical guides used by millions of businesses, and creating the #SaveSmallBusiness grant program. In addition, Clark has helped drive the national conversation on issues central to managing, recovering from, and moving beyond the pandemic through the U.S. Chamber Foundation’s award-winning Path Forward program. In interviews with dozens of thought leaders and experts, Path Forward has reached tens of millions of viewers with practical information, insightful guidance, and forward-looking strategies. Clark’s commitment to free enterprise and understanding of the challenges facing America’s businesses stem from her experience creating and running a growing company. Prior to rejoining the U.S. Chamber in 2014, she acquired and led a prominent financial information boutique—Potomac Research Group. Before that, Clark was president of the National Journal Group (NJG), a premier provider of information, news, and analysis for Washington’s political and policy communities. Through 2010, Clark led NJG through a period of rapid digital transformation, resulting in record-level profits and multiple journalism awards. Earlier in her career, Clark served in multiple leadership positions at the U.S. Chamber, including chief operating officer, and as chief of staff at a major transportation association. Clark serves on the public company boards for AGCO, a Fortune 500 global leader in the design, manufacture, and distribution of agricultural equipment, and TransUnion, a provider of global risk and credit information. She also serves on the board of The Economic Club of Washington, D.C.  Other awards and recognitions include So Others Might Eat (SOME) Humanitarian of the Year (2019), the National Association of Corporate Directors Directorship 100 honoree (2020), the Baldridge Foundation’s Award for Leadership Excellence (2021), Washingtonian magazine’s Most Powerful Women in Washington (2019 and 2021), Washingtonian magazine’s inaugural Most Influential List (2021), Forbes 50 Over 50 (2021), and The Fund for American Studies Business Leadership Award (2021). Clark earned a B.A., magna cum laude, and an M.B.A. from Georgetown University. She lives in Virginia with her husband and their daughter. 

Stephen Waguespack

President, Institute for Legal Reform and Senior Vice President Federation, State and Advocacy U.S. Chamber of Commerce

Stephen Waguespack is president of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Institute for Legal Reform and senior vice president of Federation, State and Local Advocacy. Prior to his appointment, he was a candidate for Louisiana Governor in 2023, after serving for ten years as the President and CEO of the Louisiana Association of Business and Industry (LABI), the state’s chamber of commerce and manufacturer’s association.

With nearly three decades of experience in federal and state policy and politics, Stephen has earned a reputation as an active voice for reform and free enterprise in both Louisiana and amongst his national peers. Before joining LABI, Stephen served as a member of the Louisiana State Board of Education and as an executive counsel and chief of staff to former Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal. Before that, he spent 10 years working on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. Stephen is a Louisiana native and holds a bachelor’s degree from Louisiana State University and a law degree from The Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C. 

Waguespack is married with three boys and leads the organizations, going between Louisiana and DC.

David McKnight

Principle, The Brattle Group

Mr. McKnight is a Principal with the Brattle Group where he provides expert testimony in litigations, bankruptcies, and arbitrations pertaining to a wide range of matters including mass torts, securities litigations, and commercial disputes.  He has submitted oral and written testimony before the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Districts of New Jersey and Delaware, the United States District Court for the Northern District of Alabama, and the Supreme Court of the State of New York.  In addition, he has testified at AAA, JAMS, and FINRA arbitrations.  Mr. McKnight has worked on a number of high-profile cases including the bankruptcies of LTL, Purdue Pharma, the Boy Scouts of America, and Whittaker Clark & Daniels.

Mr. McKnight has authored numerous economic studies of the U.S. tort system.  In addition to measuring the size of the tort system nationally and within each state, he has studied the costs borne by small businesses and compared the costs of the U.S. tort system relative to other developed economies.  He has analyzed the effects of differences in the tort system across states on economic growth and employment.  His research involves applying economic and statistical analysis to quantitative data from insurance and other sources.

Mr. McKnight holds an MS in Mathematics and an MBA in Finance and Financial Systems & Analytics from New York University

 

Shira Rawlinson

Vice President, Communications, U.S. Chamber Institute for Legal Reform

 

Shira Rawlinson is the vice president of communications at the U.S. Chamber Institute for Legal Reform (ILR). She manages ILR’s communications team, serves as its point of contact for reporters, and is the executive producer of its award-winning Faces of Lawsuit Abuse campaign and award-winning podcast Cause for Action. Rawlinson crafts and implements the communications strategies to support ILR’s research and advocacy to achieve a fair legal system that promotes economic growth and opportunity. She also guides ILR’s digital communications efforts to ensure that its messages reach broad audiences.

Before joining ILR, Rawlinson was assistant director of communications for nearly ten years at the Institute for Justice (IJ), one of the nation’s premier public interest law firms. There she led communication efforts for several of its initiatives, and her work appeared in outlets such as Good Morning America, CNN, The Wall Street Journal, NPR, and Food and Wine. In addition, Rawlinson served as editor-in-chief of Liberty & Law, IJ’s flagship bimonthly publication.

Rawlinson graduated from the University of California, Davis. She resides in Northern Virginia with her husband.

Oriana Senatore

Managing Director and Senior Vice President of Strategy, U.S. Chamber Institute for Legal Reform 

Oriana Senatore is managing director and senior vice president of strategy at the U.S. Chamber Institute for Legal Reform (ILR). She oversees the research function of ILR and provides strategy, policy development, and legal analysis for its comprehensive program aimed at improving the nation’s litigation climate. She also leads and manages ILR’s annual Legal Reform Summit, which highlights civil justice topics affecting the business community.

In addition to research and policy, Senatore manages a variety of ILR initiatives, including its trial lawyer advertising and data privacy projects.

Before joining the Chamber, Senatore was a senior associate in the Washington, D.C., office of Drinker, Biddle & Reath, LLP, where she focused on directors’ and officers’ liability insurance and other professional liability insurance issues. She also worked as an associate for Shaw Pittman, LLP’s insurance group.

Senatore received a Bachelor of Science degree in public relations, summa cum laude, from Boston University and her Juris Doctor from Washington and Lee University School of Law. She is a member of the Georgia and District of Columbia bars. She resides in Northern Virginia with her husband and three sons.

Vanessa Green Sinders

President and CEO, Indiana Chamber of Commerce 

Vanessa became the Indiana Chamber’s first female president and CEO on January 5, 2024. After 20 years in Washington D.C. at the center of politics and power, Vanessa moved “home” to Indianapolis with her husband, a Clay County native, and their two sons. She founded Green Sinders Consulting, a woman-led firm offering strategic advice, project execution and crisis management, and leadership development and coaching services to clients. Previously, Vanessa served as senior vice president for government affairs at Charter Communications/Spectrum, a Fortune 100 cable and broadband company. She was responsible for directing the company’s strategic policy and political engagement with Congress and the White House, as well as managing a seven-person internal team and 15 external consulting firms. Vanessa came to Charter after a four-year stint as senior vice president and department head for government affairs at the American Hotel & Lodging Association. In that capacity, she oversaw the association’s advocacy work at the federal, state and local levels, and managed the 10-person government affairs team. Vanessa’s political and policy roots run deep. For a decade, earlier in her career, she held high-profile positions on Capitol Hill, including chief of staff for then-U.S. Sen. Scott Brown of Massachusetts and policy director for former U.S. Sen. Judd Gregg of New Hampshire. Additionally, she was chief of staff for the “Campaign to Fix the Debt,” a nonpartisan issue based coalition advocating for better national fiscal policies. There, she oversaw the implementation of the campaign’s strategy and directed the activities for its 45-person staff. Vanessa received a bachelor’s degree in government with a minor in economics from Dartmouth College

Jim Holcomb

President and CEO, Michigan Chamber of Commerce 

Jim started his tenure as president & CEO in January of 2022 as part of a two-year strategic Executive Leadership Transition Plan announced by the Michigan Chamber Board of Directors in early 2020.  

Jim first joined the MI Chamber in 2008 to lead its Business Advocacy Team where he designed, coordinated and implemented strategies to enact the MI Chamber’s legislative agenda and advance policies to strengthen Michigan’s business climate and economic competitiveness. From there, he became the Executive Vice President and General Counsel. Jim also directed the Chamber’s political action activities and the Michigan Chamber Litigation Center, a nonprofit organization dedicated to championing important precedent issues before the highest courts in Michigan and nationally. His work has helped the Chamber consistently earn top honors as the “Most Effective Association” in a biennial survey of Michigan capital insiders. 

Jim has worked in and around Lansing political circles for over 33 years. A lawyer and former legislative staffer, with a background rooted in policy, he has held senior positions in both the Michigan House of Representatives and the State Senate. In between stints of public service, Jim practiced law with a major Michigan firm where he focused on government relations, regulatory compliance and civil litigation. Immediately before joining the Chamber, Jim served as Chief of Staff for Rep. Craig DeRoche during his tenure as Speaker of the House and Minority Leader.   

Jim holds a bachelor’s degree from Central Michigan University, a law degree from the Thomas Cooley Law School and an MBA from the University of Michigan. 

Rachelle Mortimer

Senior Director, Legislative Affairs, U.S. Chamber Institute for Legal Reform

Rachelle Mortimer serves as a senior director at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Institute for Legal Reform (ILR). She is primarily responsible for legal reform advocacy efforts in state capitols throughout the eastern and mid-western portions of the country. 

Before joining ILR, Rachelle worked in copyright law and policy, advising clients on proper intellectual property protections and clearance as well as advocating for creators’ intellectual property rights in Congress. 

Rachelle is a graduate of Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. She holds a J.D. from the Antonin Scalia Law School at George Mason University and is admitted to practice law in Washington, D.C. 

Lina Bensman

Partner, Cleary Gottlieb

Lina Bensman litigates “bet-the-company” commercial disputes and class actions, including breach of contract, fraud, and consumer claims.

Her practice focuses on complex civil litigation, including coordination of litigation strategy across state and international borders as well as management of simultaneous high-stakes litigations, arbitrations, and criminal investigations. She has led trial teams to success in federal and state court, both in jury and bench trials. She has successfully represented clients facing novel and challenging legal issues, and always ensures that the legal strategy serves the client’s business strategy. 

Within Cleary, Lina chairs the Women Lawyers Advisory Committee and is the principal author of Cleary’s Guide to Good Management.

Lina joined the firm in 2011.

Donald Kochan

Professor of Law and Executive Director, Law and Economics Center, Antonin Scalia Law School, George Mason University

Donald Kochan is Professor of Law and Executive Director of the Law & Economics Center (LEC) at George Mason University’s Antonin Scalia Law School where he teaches property law, civil procedure, state constitutional law, and law & economics. 

Professor Kochan is an elected member of the American Law Institute (ALI) and serves as an Adviser to ALI's Restatement of the Law Fourth, Property project. Professor Kochan is also a Nonresident Scholar at the Center for the Constitution at Georgetown University Law Center. 

Professor Kochan has published several books and more than 50 scholarly articles and essays in well-regarded law journals.  His work has been cited in more than a dozen state and federal court opinions, in more than 75 briefs filed in state and federal courts including more than 25 filed in the U.S. Supreme Court, in dozens of books and treatises, and in more than 800 scholarly articles. 

Professor Kochan has been researching, writing, and presenting on issues affecting the civil justice system for more than 25 years.  Most recently, Professor Kochan testified before Congress in June 2024 regarding Third Party Litigation Funding, presented on the topic at the IADC 2024 Annual Meeting in Vancouver this past July, and moderated the panel on international TPLF initiatives at an October 2024 conference at the NYU School of Law.  He is also overseeing several initiatives at the Law & Economics Center dedicated to studying TPLF and educating judges and state attorneys general on the topic as well.  This included overseeing a research roundtable last month that involved a peer review workshop where ten new scholarly working papers on TPLF were rigorously discussed and commented upon, with final papers expected to be made publicly available in December.

Professor Kochan received his JD from Cornell Law School, where he was a John M. Olin Scholar in Law and Economics and managing editor of the Cornell International Law Journal. He received his BA from Western Michigan University, magna cum laude, with majors in both political science and philosophy.  After graduating from law school, Professor Kochan was a law clerk to The Honorable Richard F. Suhrheinrich of the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit. Following his clerkship, Professor Kochan was an associate with the firm of Crowell & Moring LLP in Washington, D.C., where he specialized in natural resources & environmental law as well as tort, products, and consumer civil litigation & legislative affairs. 

Maya Steinitz

Professor of Law, R. Gordon Butler Scholar of International Law, Boston University School of Law

Prof. Steinitz, who teaches at Boston University Law School, is the leading U.S. expert on litigation finance. She has published on the topic extensively in leading academic journals, her upcoming book “Litigation finance, law firm ownership, and the future of the legal profession” will be published by Cambridge University Press, and she has taught a course on the topic at Harvard Law School. She is regularly consulted by federal, state, and other governments including U.S. Congress, the Department of Justice, New York’s Senate, and the European Commission. She also regularly serves as an expert witness in high profile cases and as a consultant to leading law firms, Fortune 500 companies, private equity funds, hedge funds, and others.  Her views are sought after and published in leading media such as the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, CBS 60 Minutes, The Financial Times, The Economists, and many others. 

John Abegg

Executive Vice President, U.S. Chamber of Commerce Institute for Legal Reform

John K. Abegg serves as executive vice president of the U.S. Chamber Institute for Legal Reform (ILR). He is responsible for providing advocacy, strategy, policy development, and administrative leadership to support ILR’s extensive initiatives, particularly with respect to its federal program.

Before joining ILR, Abegg was chief counsel to then-Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. There he managed the passage of multiple reforms to our civil justice system, including class action and bankruptcy reform legislation. He also worked on medical liability reform, immigration policy, intellectual property legislation, and law enforcement matters. In addition, Abegg oversaw the judicial confirmation process, including for six Supreme Court justices.

Earlier in his career, Abegg served as legal adviser to a member of the Federal Election Commission, clerked on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit, and was in private practice specializing in campaign finance litigation.

Abegg received his law degree cum laude from Indiana University Mauer School of Law and his undergraduate degree from Indiana University, where he was elected to Phi Beta Kappa.

JB McCuskey

State Attorney General-Elect, State of West Virgina

John “JB” McCuskey is West Virginia’s 21st State Auditor. He is currently in his second term, first elected in 2016. Previously, he served two terms in the House of Delegates and practiced law in Charleston. 

As Auditor, McCuskey has made it his mission to ensure an efficient, effective, and transparent government. On his watch, McCuskey has turned West Virginia into the most transparent state in the country by allowing citizens to access real-time data about how their tax dollars are spent through WVCheckbook.gov. He also established the Public Integrity and Fraud Unit which has opened more than 200 investigations into local governments, uncovering fraud totaling more than $2.5 million.

McCuskey is also leading the nation in using augmented intelligence and machine learning to streamline government processes and mitigate fraud and abuse of taxpayer dollars. The Auditor’s Office has established a platform, the first of its kind, to be used to track government spending and highlight fraud and important trends.

He is a graduate of The George Washington University with a degree in Political Communication. He is also a graduate of the West Virginia University College of Law. Before attending law school, McCuskey worked as a civilian for the Department of Defense at the Pentagon in the offices of the Army and Department of Defense General Counsels.

Auditor McCuskey lives in Charleston with his wife, Wendy, and daughters, Charlotte Anne and Martha Elizabeth, and their dog Pearl, where they own a small business.

John “JB” McCuskey is West Virginia’s 21st State Auditor. He is currently in his second term, first elected in 2016. Previously, he served two terms in the House of Delegates and practiced law in Charleston. 

As Auditor, McCuskey has made it his mission to ensure an efficient, effective, and transparent government. On his watch, McCuskey has turned West Virginia into the most transparent state in the country by allowing citizens to access real-time data about how their tax dollars are spent through WVCheckbook.gov. He also established the Public Integrity and Fraud Unit which has opened more than 200 investigations into local governments, uncovering fraud totaling more than $2.5 million.

McCuskey is also leading the nation in using augmented intelligence and machine learning to streamline government processes and mitigate fraud and abuse of taxpayer dollars. The Auditor’s Office has established a platform, the first of its kind, to be used to track government spending and highlight fraud and important trends.

He is a graduate of The George Washington University with a degree in Political Communication. He is also a graduate of the West Virginia University College of Law. Before attending law school, McCuskey worked as a civilian for the Department of Defense at the Pentagon in the offices of the Army and Department of Defense General Counsels.

Auditor McCuskey lives in Charleston with his wife, Wendy, and daughters, Charlotte Anne and Martha Elizabeth, and their dog Pearl, where they own a small business.

Derek Brown

State Attorney General-Elect, State of Utah

Derek Brown is a prominent Utah attorney and former Chairman of the Utah Republican Party with a strong commitment to conservative principles, and a fervent desire to safeguard the integrity of the Constitution. He has practiced law with two of the largest law firms in the country and served as a law clerk with the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit.

While serving as a member of the Utah House of Representatives, Brown served on the House Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice Committee, and the House Judiciary Committee. As a member of the House, he was a stalwart advocate for conservative values, including; Cutting taxes, Supporting law enforcement, Reducing burdensome government regulations and Resisting encroachment by the federal government

When called upon by Senator Mike Lee, Derek voluntarily left the legislature to become Senator Lee’s Deputy Chief of Staff and Utah State Director. There he joined Senator Lee in his daily fight to restore constitutionally-limited government to our nation and protect Utah’s 10th Amendment rights.

Derek and his wife Emilie are both accomplished musicians. They met through music, he on the piano and Emilie singing. When not working, they are at home around the piano with their four children.

Dave Sunday

State Attorney General-Elect, State of Pennsylvania  

Elected on November 5th, 2024, Attorney General-Elect Dave Sunday is at the forefront of enhancing public safety and community well-being. During his time as York County District Attorney, his leadership significantly impacted crime rates and the prison population. During his first term, crime decreased by 30%, and the prison population fell by nearly 40% from its peak. His Early Termination of Probation Program boasts a 95% success rate, making it a model statewide. After high school, Dave joined the Navy as an enlisted recruit and was deployed to the Persian Gulf, where he participated in Operation Desert Strike. Dave was also deployed to South America and conducted numerous counter-narcotics operations in the Caribbean. Those four years changed his life forever. While serving, Dave learned what it takes to be an effective leader under tremendous pressure. He proudly carries on the Navy’s core principles of honor, commitment, and courage to this day. Dave Sunday pursued his education while working at UPS. He graduated with a Finance degree from Penn State University in 2002 and from Widener Law School in 2007. His legal career began as an intern at the United Nations and continued as a Law Clerk for the Honorable Joseph C. Adams in York County. For fifteen years, he served as a prosecutor in the York County District Attorney’s Office, including roles as Chief Deputy Prosecutor of Litigation, supervising major crime and narcotics cases, and serving as a Legal Advisor to the Drug Task Force and SWAT Team. In 2013, Dave was appointed Special Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Pennsylvania, where he led the prosecution of Operation Sunrise, targeting the "Latin Kings" gang. As District Attorney, he has actively addressed the heroin and fentanyl crisis through the York County Opioid Collaborative and expanded the District Attorney’s Drug Task Force. His dedication extends to protecting seniors through the Elder Abuse Task Force, where he has prosecuted scam artists and appointed a special prosecutor for elder abuse cases. Dave has tried approximately fifty felony jury trials, including high-profile murder cases, and has obtained numerous convictions for serious crimes. He is the Immediate Past President of the York County Bar Association and serves on several boards, including the York County Children’s Advocacy Center and the Pennsylvania District Attorney’s Association (PDAA). He also holds national roles, including on the American Conservative Union’s prosecutor advisory board. Dave lives in Spring Garden Township with his wife and young son, and was endorsed during his campaign by the Republican Attorneys General Association, PA Chamber PAC, PA Sheriff’s Association PAC, Pennsylvania Fraternal Order of Police, Pennsylvania State Troopers and the Philadelphia Firefighters and Paramedics Union. His commitment to justice and community safety continues to drive his work in York County and he is excited to continue that work as Pennsylvania’s next Attorney General

Steve Marshall

Attorney General, State of Alabama

Steve Marshall was sworn in as the forty-eighth Attorney General of the State of Alabama on February 10, 2017.

Marshall received his undergraduate education at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and his legal education at the University of Alabama School of Law, graduating from both with academic honors.

Prior to taking office as Attorney General, Marshall was the District Attorney for Marshall County, a post he held for sixteen years. As District Attorney, Marshall helped draft and pass the Brody Act—a law that makes it a crime to kill or injure an unborn child. Marshall later became the first prosecutor to secure a death sentence under the Brody Act (in a case where a man murdered his pregnant wife and was charged with the homicide of both her and her unborn child). Five years later, when this landmark case was on appeal to the Alabama Supreme Court, Marshall—now Attorney General—had the privilege of successfully defending that conviction.

As Attorney General, Marshall has embraced his role as the state’s chief law-enforcement officer and has committed himself to making Alabama a safer place to live. In January 2018, Marshall launched the Initiative on Violent Crime with the mission to “help cities reclaim their streets, restore the rule of law, and . . . see their communities revived.” Since its launch, the initiative has resulted in the arrests of hundreds of violent offenders.

Marshall serves as a member of the executive committee of the Republican Attorneys General Association, a nod to his demonstrated expertise and leadership on a variety of national policy issues including the opioid crisis, human trafficking, illegal immigration, religious liberty, and the rule of law.

Marshall is a man of deep faith with an impeccable reputation. He is a member of the Church of the Highlands in Montgomery, Alabama.

Marshall is esteemed across Alabama by prosecutors and law enforcement alike. On the day of his inauguration in 2019, nearly every District Attorney in the state came to the capital to show their support for him.

Attorney General Marshall and his wife, Tammy, share three children: Faith Marshall, John Millan Gaston, and Benen Gaston. Another cherished member of the Marshall family is Pippa, their sweet Pomeranian.

 

Mark Brennan

Partner, Hogan Lovells 

Mark W. Brennan leads our global Technology and Telecommunications industry sector group. He is also our Lead Innovation Partner, responsible for championing innovation in client service, new products, and legal innovation across the firm's global business.

Mark has a truly unique global regulatory and policy practice that makes him a valuable resource for clients across industry sectors. An experienced advisor, Mark is a respected voice on privacy and communications matters, and his thoughtful strategies empower clients on matters spanning regulatory consultations and rulemakings to compliance and product design to government investigations and enforcement. He advises clients on artificial intelligence, online content (including Section 230), market entry and licensing, spectrum policy, biometric data and facial recognition, Internet of things, U.S. CLOUD Act, cloud services, calling/texting laws, and other technology and consumer protection matters.

Global internet and technology companies and household name clients in the financial, health care, pharmaceutical, government contracts, advertising, and automotive sectors all rely on Mark to help solve their most pressing challenges.

Mark receives dozens of requests each year to share his insights on telecommunications, privacy, and consumer protection issues at marquee conferences and is most well-known for obtaining significant victories for clients on data protection and Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) issues.

Mark also advises on other communications and privacy matters, including Section 5 of the Federal Trade Commission Act and state privacy laws, the FCC's CPNI rules, CAN-SPAM, the Video Privacy Protection Act, COPPA, data breach laws, and more.

Mark is a member of our Americas Diversity Committee and was a founding Chair of our global Pride+ LGBT+ ally network.

Michael Kenneally 

Partner, Morgan Lewis

Michael E. Kenneally is co-leader of appellate litigation practice at Morgan Lewis. He helps clients tackle complex legal issues on appeal and throughout all stages of a case, drawing on deep experience across many federal and state courts. Clients often turn to Michael when they face high-stakes litigation or novel questions of constitutional, statutory, and administrative law.  Before joining Morgan Lewis, Michael clerked for Justice Antonin Scalia and Justice Samuel A. Alito, Jr. at the Supreme Court of the United States and for then-Judge Neil M. Gorsuch at the US Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit.

Judson O. Littleton

Partner, Sullivan & Cromwell

Judd Littleton is a partner in Sullivan & Cromwell’s Litigation Group and Co-Head of the Firm’s Supreme Court & Appellate Practice. He represents clients in high-stakes appeals before the U.S. Supreme Court and federal and state appellate courts across the country, as well as in litigation challenging federal agency action under the Administrative Procedure Act.  Mr. Littleton also regularly advises clients on complex, strategic legal issues arising from litigation, new laws or regulations, or government investigations.

In addition to his Supreme Court and appellate work, Mr. Littleton has experience in a wide range of complex commercial litigation and criminal defense and investigations. He has also represented individuals accused of crimes or other serious wrongdoing in high-profile matters.

Prior to joining Sullivan & Cromwell, Mr. Littleton served as a trial attorney in the Civil Division of the U.S. Department of Justice, where he litigated cases involving a wide range of constitutional and statutory issues and received the Attorney General’s Distinguished Service Award, the Department’s second-highest award for employee performance. Mr. Littleton also served as a Bristow Fellow in the Office of the Solicitor General, where he worked on numerous cases before the U.S. Supreme Court and federal courts of appeals.

After law school, Mr. Littleton clerked for Chief Justice John G. Roberts, Jr. of the U.S. Supreme Court and for Judge A. Raymond Randolph of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit.

Mr. Littleton is a member of the Edward Coke Appellate Inn of Court and the Supreme Court Historical Society. He’s been recognized by Lawdragon as a “Leading Litigator in America” (Appellate/Supreme Court) since 2023 and by The National Law Journal as one of its 2019 D.C. Rising Stars. Mr. Littleton is a frequent speaker at Supreme Court and appellate forums, and is one of the creators and editors of Sullivan & Cromwell’s annual Supreme Court Business Review.

Maria Monoghan 

Counsel, U.S. Chamber Litigation Center

Maria C. Monaghan is counsel at the U.S. Chamber Litigation Center, the litigation arm of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. In this capacity, she handles a variety of litigation matters for the Chamber.

Before joining the Litigation Center, Monaghan practiced as an associate in the D.C. office of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP. She represented clients in the telecommunications, energy, transportation, and e-commerce sectors, with a focus on appellate litigation and regulatory matters.   

Monaghan served as a law clerk to the Honorable Samuel A. Alito of the United States Supreme Court, the Honorable Ed Carnes of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit, and the Honorable Amul R. Thapar of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit. She graduated Order of the Coif from the University of Virginia School of Law, where she served as Articles Development Editor for the Virginia Law Review and participated in the Supreme Court Litigation Clinic. She received her undergraduate degree in Human Resource Management and Labor Studies from Rutgers University.

Seema Kennedy

OBE, Executive Director, Fair Civil Justice 

Seema Kennedy was a Government Minister under Theresa May’s Premiership, serving as Immigration Minister and Public Health Minister. Before that she was Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Prime Minister between 2017 and 2019, responsible for relations between MPs and Downing Street during the Brexit negotiations. While Member of Parliament for South Ribble in Lancashire, Seema co-chaired the Jo Cox Loneliness Commission and was Vice-Chair of the Conservative Middle East Council. A graduate of Pembroke College, Cambridge and the Sorbonne, she began her career as a lawyer in the City of London with involvement on projects including the Emirates Stadium and St Bart’s Hospital before becoming Director of a commercial property business in the North West of England. Kennedy has been Executive Director of Fair Civil Justice since June 2022, where she has led the advocacy campaign around predatory litigation and unregulated litigation funding inside government circles and in the UK business community. Seema is married to a General in the British Army and has three children and two step children

David Meyerson

Senior Director, Legislative and International Affairs

David Meyerson is a Senior Director for Legislative and International Affairs at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Institute for Legal Reform (ILR). In that capacity, he is responsible for legal reform advocacy efforts in state capitols throughout the western and mid-western portions of the country. Additionally, David leads ILR’s efforts in the United Kingdom, where he works with in-country partners to stymie the increasing trend of US-style litigation tactics moving across the Atlantic.  

Prior to joining ILR, David was a public affairs consultant in London. Before that, he served as a Regional Political Director for the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) in the Mountain West and Pacific Northwest, where he oversaw AIPAC’s political and policy operations in the region.  

David is a graduate of the University of Arizona. He holds a Juris Doctor from the University of Pacific-McGeorge School of Law and is a licensed member of the Washington, D.C. Bar Association.  

Chiara Garofoli

Senior Legal Counsel, Google 

Chiara Garofoli, an LL.M. graduate from the University of Cambridge in the UK, is Senior Counsel on Google's International Litigation team. A qualified lawyer in her native Italy, Chiara transitioned to Google in 2011, bringing with her a wealth of experience from private practice. Her team plays a pivotal role in safeguarding Google's interests in civil litigation matters arising outside of the United States. This entails ensuring coordination and a unified strategic approach in high-stakes, high-priority cases, including those brought before the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU), national Supreme Courts, matters involving novel issues and, more recently, class actions in the UK and the EU.

Throughout her time at Google, Chiara has advised on forthcoming EU legislation and attended meetings with policy-makers and regulators, both in Italy and in Brussels. As a litigator she has contributed to landmark cases, like the precedent setting Lloyd v Google before the UK Supreme Court. Her expertise covers liability disputes across various jurisdictions in EMEA and APAC, preliminary reference cases at the CJEU, matters before the European Court of Human Rights and cross-border regulatory issues.

She currently leads Google's Class Actions Working Group and oversees the response to representative actions in the UK and the EU.

Chiara's accomplishments have earned her recognition as a top 50 woman in the Italian legal sector in 2022 and a European Counsel Award for litigation in 2016. She is a frequent speaker at national and international conferences and serves as an adjunct lecturer at the University of Pavia's Law Faculty.

Prior to her in-house role, Chiara spent nine years in private practice at DLA Piper and Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer. She qualified as a lawyer in 2006, following her legal education at the University of Cambridge (2005) and the University of Pavia (2002), where she was a member of merit-based Collegio Ghislieri and the Scuola Universitaria Superiore IUSS Pavia.

Carolyn Blake

Director, Carolyn Blake Consulting

Based in Brussels, Belgium, Carolyn Blake offers bespoke consulting services for clients looking to navigate the complex web of EU legislative and regulatory processes. With a strong commitment to advancing the objectives of her clients, Carolyn excels in crafting strategic solutions that bridge the gap between government, private sector, and civil society.

Before moving to Brussels, Carolyn worked for the U.S. Chamber Institute for Legal Reform (ILR) in Washington, D.C., where she advocated for civil justice reform measures that promote economic growth and opportunity. Before joining ILR, Carolyn worked as an advocate for survivors of domestic violence as part of Break the Cycle.  

Carolyn holds a master’s degree in public policy from the McCourt School at Georgetown University and a B.A. in political science with honors from Texas A&M University. Carolyn is a member of the Phi Beta Kappa society.

Scevole de Cazotte

Senior Vice President, International Initiatives, U.S. Chamber Institute for Legal Reform

Scévole de Cazotte is senior vice president of international initiatives at the U.S. Chamber Institute for Legal Reform (ILR). His responsibilities include the strategic development and management of ILR’s advocacy efforts to address litigation and liability issues in Europe, the Americas, and the Asia-Pacific region. De Cazotte runs ILR’s Coalition to Curb Global Forum Shopping, which fights the export of U.S. litigation-style features—particularly class actions—to other countries, as well as the import of foreign-based claims to the U.S. through the Alien Tort Statute and other legal avenues. In addition, he leads ILR’s global initiative to stem the growth of the third party litigation financing industry.

Before joining ILR, de Cazotte was senior policy director in the U.S. Chamber’s International Division. There he defined and implemented trade and regulatory policies for Europe, the European Union (EU), and transatlantic business relations. His portfolio included Europe, Turkey, and the former Soviet Union republics. De Cazotte also worked on global matters, including the G8, intellectual property rights, and World Trade Organization-related matters.

Previously, de Cazotte was with the law firm Wilmer, Cutler & Pickering in Washington, D.C., where he was part of the international regulatory practice group, with a concentration on EU matters, and the international aviation, defense, and aerospace practice group.

He was born in Hartford, Connecticut, USA, of French-American parents and was raised in Paris, France. He studied law and East Asian studies at the University of Paris and international relations at American University and Georgetown University.

De Cazotte is married and has two children. He lives in McLean, Virginia, and travels frequently abroad wherever his work leads him.

 

Rebecca Francis

Associate General Counsel, Litigation, Microsoft

Becky Francis is an Associate General Counsel in Microsoft’s litigation department, where she manages Microsoft’s general litigation team and docket, which includes class and mass actions, consumer and commercial disputes, privacy and AI-related litigation, arbitrations, and employment litigation, among other matters. Becky’s role also includes collaborating internally and externally to shape and pursue Microsoft litigation’s legal policy reform priorities. Before joining Microsoft in April 2020, Becky was a litigation partner at Davis Wright Tremaine in Seattle, where she handled class and complex actions and appeals, including for technology companies, e-commerce operators, financial institutions, and health care systems. Becky’s experience includes litigating a class action through to a jury trial in the federal district court of Idaho, where the jury returned a complete defense verdict.

Becky was born and raised in Southeast Alaska, where she learned to love mountains and the outdoors and where she still calls home. Becky spends her spare time driving her kids around the greater Seattle area and mediating their disputes, playing classical piano, and when she can, hiking and skiing.

Justin Anderson

Assistant General Counsel for Litigation, ExxonMobil 

Prior to joining ExxonMobil, Justin was a partner in the litigation department of Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison, LLP.  At the law firm, Justin represented clients in a variety of litigation and regulatory matters, including class actions, white collar matters, regulatory enforcement proceedings, and complex business litigation.  In 2019, Justin was named one of the “Litigators of the Week” by the American Lawyer for his work on behalf of ExxonMobil in a landmark $1.6 billion climate-change lawsuit brought by the New York Attorney General’s office.  Justin’s other clients included Mastercard, WWE, and Goldman Sachs.

Justin previously served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York from 2009 to 2015.  He led the investigation, prosecution, and trial of a wide range of federal crimes, including financial fraud, public corruption, identity theft, cybercrime, and money laundering.  For his work on one of those matters, he received the John Marshall Award, the Justice Department’s highest award for trial litigators.

Earlier in his career, Justin was a law clerk to Judge José A. Cabranes of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, and Judge Sidney H. Stein of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York.  Before law school, he worked at an investment bank.

Justin earned his B.A. and M.A. from Johns Hopkins University in 1998 and his J.D. from Yale Law School in 2006.  He is licensed in Texas, California, New York, and the District of Columbia.

Justin is married and has three children.

Roger Gibboni 

Counsel, Hunton Andrews Kurth

Roger’s practice focuses on government investigations and enforcement actions, internal investigations, complex consumer protection litigation, appeals, and state and federal regulatory issues. He regularly represents a wide range of energy, retail, media, manufacturing, technology, and trade association clients on legal and policy matters before state attorneys general and other state and federal regulators and enforcement agencies, including in responding to civil investigative demands and multi-state probes. Roger serves as co-head of the firm’s State Attorneys General Practice.

Roger assists clients in developing productive working relationships with state attorneys general in an effort to avoid enforcement actions and litigation when possible and to convey industry-specific issues and concerns. Roger also counsels clients on developing and implementing legislative and regulatory strategies at the state and federal levels, as well as communications campaigns to support them.

Jonthan Urick

Associate Chief Counsel, U.S. Chamber Litigation Center

Jonathan Urick is associate chief counsel at the U.S. Chamber Litigation Center, the litigation arm of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.  Urick handles a variety of litigation matters for the Chamber.

Urick rejoined the Chamber after helping launch the national litigation boutique Lehotsky Keller LLP, where he represented large corporations and trade associations as one of the firm’s early partners. He previously served as senior counsel for the Chamber Litigation Center, primarily covering arbitration and class-action issues.

Before his first stint at the Chamber, Urick practiced law at McGuireWoods LLP on the firm’s appeals and issues team. With a diverse commercial-litigation practice focused on appeals and dispositive motions, Urick represented a variety of businesses across federal and state courts.

Urick served as a law clerk at all three levels of the federal judiciary: For Justices Antonin Scalia and Clarence Thomas of the U.S. Supreme Court, Judge Jeffrey Sutton of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, and Judge Amul Thapar, then a judge on the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky.

Urick graduated Order of the Coif from the University of Virginia School of Law, where he served as Articles Development Editor of the Virginia Law Review. He received his undergraduate degree in economics from the University of Delaware.

Neil Bradley

Executive Vice President, Chief Policy Officer, and Head of Strategic Advocacy, U.S. Chamber of Commerce 

As executive vice president, chief policy officer, and head of strategic advocacy at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Neil Bradley is responsible for the organization’s overall advocacy efforts. In addition to managing policy development for the Chamber, Bradley oversees its government affairs activities, political program, and relations with other business organizations.

At the Chamber, Bradley has led the national discussion on hundreds of high-profile policy issues, influencing legislation at the federal, state, and local levels. He frequently appears on broadcast and cable news networks to present the business community’s priorities.

Prior to joining the Chamber, Bradley spent nearly 20 years working in the House of Representatives, including 11 years working for the House Republican leadership. He served as deputy chief of staff for then-Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (CA) where he developed the legislative agenda for House Republicans, oversaw policy formulation in the leader’s office, and coordinated committee activity in the House. Bradley held the same position for Eric Cantor (VA) during his tenure as majority leader. Before that, he was policy director for House Republican Whip Roy Blunt (MO).

After leaving Capitol Hill, Bradley founded Chartwell Policy Solutions, LLC, a research, analysis, and advisory firm focused on public policy issues.

While working on Capitol Hill, Bradley was regularly named to Roll Call’s list of 50 top congressional staffers. The Hill recognized Bradley on its list of top lobbyists, and the Washingtonian magazine listed him as one of the Most Influential People in Washington.

Bradley serves on numerous boards, including the advisory board for the McCourt School of Public Policy at Georgetown University; the board of the Convergence Center for Policy Resolution; and the board for the Center for International Private Enterprise, where he is president and permanent secretary.

Bradley, a graduate of Georgetown University, resides in Chevy Chase, Maryland, with his wife, Kiki, and their son, Peter. He is a native of Sapulpa, Oklahoma.

Rodney Davis

Senior Vice President, Government Affairs, U.S. Chamber of Commerce 

Rodney Davis is Head of Government Affairs at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. The former congressman leads the Chamber’s engagement on Capitol Hill and with the administration, helping defend against the growing threats to the American free enterprise system and working to advance pro-growth policies.

As a five-term Republican U.S. Representative for Illinois’ 13^th district, Ranking Member of the Committee on House Administration, and a Deputy Whip, Davis was considered one of the most effective legislators during his tenure, willing to work across the aisle to advance common-sense policy solutions.

Prior to being elected to the U.S. House in 2012, Davis served as projects director for Congressman John Shimkus for 16 years, helping Illinois residents and communities cut through government red tape and support local economic development. He joined the Chamber in August 2024.

Closing Remarks

Stephen Waguespack

President, Institute for Legal Reform and Senior Vice President Federation, State and Advocacy U.S. Chamber of Commerce