Washington, D.C. – The Board of Governors of the Republican National Lawyers Association (RNLA) named Elliot S. Berke of Arlington, Virginia the 2021 Republican Lawyer of the Year. Mr. Berke was selected in recognition of his outstanding professional accomplishments and years of tireless dedication and service to the Republican Party. He will be honored at a reception in Washington, DC, on Friday, November 5, 2021.
Republican Leader McCarthy said:
Elliot has been and remains one of the most trusted legal advisors to House Republicans, and it is fitting that he is being awarded Lawyer of the Year by the Republican National Lawyers Association. His imprimatur on legal and constitutional issues that uphold the rights and due process of countless members, staff and the House as an institution, along with his advice on cert petitions to the Supreme Court of the United States (including his work on remote proxy voting in the House), is a clear reflection of his always-wise counsel and how deserved he is for his work and leadership on behalf of Republican lawyers nationwide.
Representative Devin Nunes, the Ranking Member of the House Intelligence Committee stated:
I congratulate my good friend Elliot Berke for winning this prestigious award. Many Republicans rely on Elliot for legal advice, and he always comes through for us. He has grit and determination, and he's a great fighter for conservative causes.
RNLA Chair and 2017 Republican Lawyer of the Year Larry Levy said of this year’s honoree:
Elliot Berke richly deserves recognition as the 2021 Republican Lawyer of the Year. He has consistently provided sage counsel to Republican elected officials and private clients, never more so than in 2021. His mastery of the law and government procedures drives his outstanding service to his client; he is an inspiration for us all.
RNLA President David Bowsher agreed:
I cannot think of anyone more deserving of this award than Elliot. His tireless efforts on behalf of the Republican Party are well known, and he has earned this recognition the hard way—by working to advance our cause day in and day out.
RNLA Vice Chair and 2020 Republican Lawyer of the Year Joanne Young added:
Elliot’s quiet leadership, thoughtfulness, sense of humor and ability to inspire trust and confidence have resonated with me and the many other lawyers and friends who look up to him.
Elliot S. Berke serves as Managing Partner of Berke Farah LLP. Prior to founding Berke Farah LLP, Elliot served as a partner and as practice group co-chair at McGuireWoods LLP. He has been named by Chambers USA as a "Nationwide Best Lawyer" and by Washingtonian as one of "Washington's Best Lawyers."
His diverse client base consists of federal and state elected and appointed officials, campaign committees, political parties, PACs, corporations, small businesses, trade associations, lobbying firms, public relations firms, nonprofits, artists, and musicians. He represents clients before congressional ethics and oversight committees, the FEC, the DOJ, Inspectors General, and other and federal and state departments and agencies. He has represented presidential appointees on their confirmation and tenure over three Administrations including at the cabinet level. He has represented the top four leadership positions in the U.S. House of Representatives – Speaker, Majority Leader, Majority Whip, and Conference Chair – as either in-house or outside counsel, and currently serves as outside counsel for Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy, as well as many other Members of Congress including Ranking Members Devin Nunes, Michael McCaul, Cathy McMorris Rodgers, and Bruce Westerman. He was appointed as Special Assistant Attorney General for the State of Georgia from 2018-2020 and as a Special Assistant Attorney General for the State of Oregon from 2014-2016. He has run election day war rooms for presidential and gubernatorial candidates.
He is a frequent speaker on political law, and regularly conducts the ethics training for the Members of Congress and Chief of Staff retreats sponsored by the Congressional Institute, where he serves as its outside counsel. He is General Counsel & Senior Advisor to the Jack Kemp Foundation as part of his practice. His commentary has appeared in media outlets including Fox's Special Report w/Bret Baier and Tucker Carlson Tonight, NBC Nightly News, the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times, USAToday, Politico, SALT Talks, and the Washington Post.
Elliot is a cum laude graduate of Wake Forest University, where he was a member of the Pi Sigma Alpha and Phi Alpha Theta Honor Societies, and Emory University School of Law, where he served as Executive Articles Editor of the Emory International Law Review.
Elliot currently serves as a member of the RNLA Advisory Council and is an RNLA Life Member. The RNLA is pleased to honor Elliot S. Berke with this prestigious award.
The Republican Lawyer of the Year Award has been presented annually since 2004. Previous awardees include Joanne Young (2020), Lee Goodman (2019), Harmeet Dhillon (2018), Larry Levy (2017), John Ryder (2016), Bobby R. Burchfield (2015), and E. Mark Braden (2014).
RNLA is the national organization of Republican attorneys. The mission of RNLA is to advance professionalism; open, fair, and honest elections; career opportunity; and Republican ideals. For more information, please visit: http://www.rnla.org.
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