On Friday, December 10, eight lawyers were elected to join RNLA's Board of Governors. RNLA Chair Harmeet Dhillon stated:
On behalf of RNLA, I am thrilled to welcome such a distinguished group of incoming board members to our organization’s Board of Governors. Service on RNLA’s Board of Governors is an opportunity for lawyers who care about the profession, about the party, and about the integrity of our elections, to not only donate their time but also to lead and shape the national conversation on how to ensure public confidence in free and fair elections. I look forward to working with these colleagues in the coming year!
The new members of the Board are as follows:
Erin Clark, of Washington D.C., is the General Counsel to the National Republican Congressional Committee. Prior to joining the NRCC, she was an Associate with Holtzman Vogel Baran Josefiak Torchinsky, PLLC, providing counsel in the areas of campaign finance and election law, lobbying and ethics compliance, and tax-exempt organizations. Previously, Erin served on Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s 2014 re-election campaign as Assistant to the Senior Advisor.
Troy Cumings, of Michigan, chairs Warner Norcross + Judd LLP’s Government Affairs Group and serves as the Executive Partner of the firm’s Lansing office. Troy has over 20 years of experience working on government policy in Michigan, other states, Washington D.C., and around the world. Troy is one of the top campaign-finance and election lawyers in the state—with experience representing statewide candidates and ballot initiatives, local and state public officials, PACs, nonprofit entities, and political parties. He has served as the chair of RNLA’s Michigan Chapter since 2019.
Tyler Green, of Utah, is Partner at Consovoy McCarthy PLLC. Mr. Green helps clients litigate constitutional, statutory, and regulatory issues in courts and agencies throughout the country. Before joining the firm, he served as the Solicitor General of the State of Utah for five years. Before his service to the State of Utah, Mr. Green was Deputy Chief Counsel for Litigation at the U.S. Chamber Litigation Center. Mr. Green served as a law clerk to Justice Clarence Thomas at the U.S. Supreme Court, to Judge Michael McConnell at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit, and to Judge Paul Cassell at the U.S. District Court for the District of Utah.
Matthew Morgan, of Indiana, is a Partner in the Indianapolis and Washington D.C. offices of Barnes & Thornburg LLP. Prior to rejoining Barnes & Thornburg, Matt served in the White House as the Chief Counsel and Deputy Chief of Staff to Vice President Mike Pence. Matt has wide-ranging political law experience, including extensive experience with presidential campaigns. He has served as General Counsel to a presidential campaign and as Counsel to the selection and nomination of a vice presidential candidate. Additionally, Matt has counseled numerous governors and members of Congress on a comprehensive portfolio of election law issues.
Patricia Paoletta, of Virginia, is a Partner with the law firm of Harris, Wiltshire & Grannis LLP, where she focuses on telecommunications, trade, and technology policy. Ms. Paoletta provides advice on regulatory, trade, and legislative policy to clients before the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and the Administration. She has served as Senior Advisor to the International Bureau Chief and Office Director at the Federal Communications Commission, Director of Telecommunications Trade Policy in the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, Executive Office of the President, and as Majority Counsel to the House Energy and Commerce Committee. Ms. Paoletta previously served as RNLA Vice President for Judicial Affairs and Vice President for Washington, D.C. Operations during a prior term on the Board of Governors.
Lowell Pearson, of Missouri, is the Office Managing Partner of the Jefferson City office of Husch Blackwell LLP. Lowell has more than 30 years of experience navigating the intersection of business and government at both the state and federal levels. A wide range of clients – including regulated businesses in manufacturing, aviation and healthcare; individual political candidates and political action committees (PACs); and political subdivisions – rely on Lowell’s extensive experience in administrative law; election law and political campaign finance law; as well as government contract and procurement matters.
Philip Thomas, of North Carolina, is the Chief Counsel and Strategy Director for the North Carolina Republican Party. Philip came to the NCGOP in the spring of 2020 after working as the Deputy General Counsel for the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction. He has experience in every branch of NC state government - including working with the Lt. Governor's General Counsel, the NC State House, the NC State Senate, the NC Court of Appeals, and several administrative agencies. Philip has also worked for state and congressional campaigns as well as Americans for Prosperity. He is the Chair of RNLA’s North Carolina Chapter.
Jack White, of Virginia, is a Partner at FH+H PLLC. White represents, advises, and counsels companies, boards of directors, municipalities, academic institutions, and a variety of individual and corporate clients on a wide array of matters, including corporate structuring, governance, and business transactions; litigation for Indian Tribes; employment matters; civil litigation; white collar criminal defense; compliance with federal, state, and local regulations and ordinances; and individual rights under both state and federal law, including 42 U. S. C. § 1983. Separate from his active law practice, Mr. White has advised state and local law enforcement, social services, and education chief executives on public school safety issues. He has also argued before federal appellate courts and briefed the United States Supreme Court on issues related to First Amendment Rights. Mr. White clerked for Justice Samuel Alito at the U.S. Supreme Court and the United States Court of Appeals for the 3rd Circuit.
We look forward to working with these attorneys and the rest of the Board in the year to come!
The full press release announcing RNLA's new members of the Board of Governors can be viewed here.