Office Of Counsel To The President Takes Shape

President Obama rolled out 22 attorneys to join his White House counsel's office today, including one specifically designated for first lady Michelle Obama.

The plague of barristers will serve under White House Counsel Greg Craig and Deputy Counsel Cassandra Butts.

Most of the lawyers named today are alumni of either President Clinton's administration (as is Craig), Harvard Law School (as is Butts) or clerkships for left-leaning Supreme Court Justices.

The deputy counsels are Principal Deputy Counsel Daniel Meltzer (Harvard); Deputy Counsel to the President for National Security Affairs and Legal Adviser to the National Security Council Mary DeRosa (Clinton); and Deputy Counsel to the President for Economic Policy and Deputy Assistant to the President Neal Wolin (Clinton).

The Obama White House has appointed Norman Eisen to serve as a Special Counsel to the President for Ethics and Government Reform Norman Eisen. Eisen is an alumnus of both Harvard Law School and the liberal good government group CREW.

Associate Counsels named today include Kendall Burman; Susan Davies (Clinton, clerk for Kennedy and Breyer); Karen Dunn (Hillary Clinton's Senate Office, Breyer); Danielle Gray (Harvard, Breyer); Michael Gottlieb (Harvard, Stevens); Roberto J. Gonzalez (Stevens) Virginia Canter (Clinton); Caroline Krass (Clinton); Jonathan Kravis (Breyer); Trevor Morrison (Ginsburg); Alison J. Nathan (Stevens); Kate Shaw (Stevens); and Christian A. Weideman.

Susan Sher, a legal eagle who worked with Michelle Obama at the University of Chicago Medical Center and has served as Corporation Counsel for the City of Chicago, will serve as associate counsel to the president and counsel to the first lady.

Deputy Associate Counsels include Ian Bassin; Rashad Hussain; Blake Roberts (Harvard); and Jason G. Green.

Here are their profile

Daniel Meltzer, a professor at Obama's alma mater, Harvard Law School, and, like the president, a former head of the Harvard Law Review, has been named as a deputy White House counsel and deputy assistant to the president. Meltzer served a stint at the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare before entering academia and took part in the investigation of the Iran-Contra Affair in the 1980s.

Mary DeRosa, a member of Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy's staff, has been selected as the deputy counsel to the president for national security affairs and legal adviser to the National Security Council. DeRosa also worked for the Clinton White House. The president's selected deputy counsel for economic policy, Neal Wolin, most recently worked in the private sector but has also served as a Treasury department lawyer and an assistant to then-National Security Advisor Anthony Lake in the Clinton White House.

And Norman L. Eisen, who was lead ethics adviser to the Obama transition team, will continue to work for the president as special counsel for ethics and government reform. Co-founder of watchdog group Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, Eisen will, according to a White House press release, help "to advance the president's overall government reform agenda."

Full bios, provided by the White House, are available after the jump.

Deputy Counsels and Special Counsel

Daniel Meltzer

The President has named Daniel Meltzer to be Principal Deputy White House Counsel to the President and Deputy Assistant to the President. Mr. Meltzer is the Story Professor of Law at Harvard Law School and the Vice Dean for Physical Planning. He joined the faculty of Harvard Law School in 1982, teaching courses in federal courts, criminal law, and criminal procedure. Prior to his tenure at Harvard, Mr. Meltzer served as Special Assistant to Joseph A. Califano, Jr., Secretary of the United States Department of Health, Education, and Welfare, and, after leaving the government, practiced law for three years at Williams & Connolly in Washington, D.C. Earlier, Mr. Meltzer served as a Law Clerk to the Judge Carl McGowan of the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit and for Justice Potter Stewart of the United States Supreme Court. Mr. Meltzer earned his bachelor's degree from Harvard College and his J.D. from Harvard Law School, where he served as President of the Harvard Law Review and was awarded the Fay Diploma. From 1988-1992, he served as Associate Counsel, Office of Independent Counsel Lawrence E. Walsh, Iran-Contra Prosecution. He is a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and has served as a member of the Committee on Rules of Practice and Procedure, Judicial Conference of the United States and on the Council of the American Law Institute.

Mary DeRosa

The President has named Mary DeRosa to be Deputy Counsel to the President for National Security Affairs and Legal Adviser to the National Security Council. Ms. DeRosa most recently served as Chief Counsel for National Security to the Senate Judiciary Committee, working for the Chairman, Senator Patrick Leahy. Prior to that, she was a Senior Fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. Earlier, she served on the Clinton Administration National Security Council staff as Special Assistant to the President and Legal Adviser and Deputy Legal Adviser. She has also been Special Counsel to the General Counsel at the Department of Defense and an Associate in the Washington, D.C. and Los Angeles offices of Arnold & Porter. Ms. DeRosa served as a Law Clerk for Judge Richard J. Cardamone of the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit. She received her bachelor's degree from the University of Virginia and her J.D. from the George Washington University Law School, where she served as an editor of the George Washington Law Review.

Neal Wolin

The President has named Neal Wolin to be Deputy Counsel to the President for Economic Policy and Deputy Assistant to the President. Mr. Wolin most recently served as the President and Chief Operating Officer for Property and Casualty operations of The Hartford Financial Services Group, Inc. Prior to that, Mr. Wolin worked as Executive Vice President and General Counsel to the Hartford Financial Services Group. Earlier in his career, Mr. Wolin served as the general counsel of the U.S. Department of the Treasury. Prior to joining the Treasury Department, Mr. Wolin served in the White House as the executive assistant to National Security Advisor Anthony Lake. Prior to that, Mr. Wolin was the deputy legal adviser of the National Security Council, providing foreign affairs and national security legal advice to the National Security Advisor and the Counsel to the President. Mr. Wolin has also served as special assistant to three directors of Central Intelligence: William H. Webster, Robert M. Gates, and R. James Woolsey. Before joining the federal government, Mr. Wolin practiced law in Washington D.C. with the law firm of Wilmer, Cutler, and Pickering, and as Law Clerk for Judge Eugene H. Nickerson of the Eastern District of New York. Mr. Wolin received a bachelor's degree from Yale College, a Masters degree from the University of Oxford, and a J.D. from Yale Law School.

Norman L. Eisen

The President has named Norman L. Eisen to be Special Counsel to the President for Ethics and Government Reform. Mr. Eisen most recently served as the Deputy General Counsel to the Transition, where his duties include serving as lead ethics advisor. He will reprise that ethics role in the White House, as well as helping to advance the President's overall government reform agenda. Before joining the Transition, Mr. Eisen was a partner at Zuckerman Spaeder LLP in Washington D.C. acting as outside counsel to governmental clients in a wide array of matters. He also handled white-collar and Congressional investigations during his 17 years at the firm. He is the co-founder of Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW), a progressive government watchdog group. Mr. Eisen received his bachelor's degree from Brown University and his J.D. from Harvard Law School.

Associate Counsels

Kendall C. Burman

The President has named Kendall C. Burman to be Associate Counsel to the President. Ms. Burman most recently served as Chief Staff Counsel to the Obama for America campaign. Earlier in her career, she served as an Associate at Latham & Watkins, LLP. Ms. Burman received her bachelor's degree from Bowdoin College and her J.D. from the University of Chicago Law School, where she was an editor of the University of Chicago Law Review.

Susan Davies

The President has named Susan Davies to be Associate Counsel to the President. Ms. Davies recently served as General Counsel to the United States Senate Judiciary Committee. Earlier in her career, she served in the Department of Justice in the Antitrust Division, the Office of the Solicitor General, and the Office of Policy Development. Prior to that, Mrs. Davies worked as a litigator at Sidley and Austin in Chicago. Ms. Davies also served as a Law Clerk to Justice Anthony M. Kennedy and Justice Stephen G. Breyer, and as a special counsel to President Bill Clinton. Ms. Davies received her bachelor's degree from Yale University and her J.D. from the University of Chicago Law School, where she was an editor of the University of Chicago Law Review.

Karen Dunn

The President has named Karen Dunn to be Associate Counsel to the President. Ms. Dunn most recently served as Deputy to Chief Strategist David Axelrod on the Obama for America campaign. Prior to that, Ms. Dunn served as a Law Clerk to Justice Stephen Breyer of the Supreme Court of the United States and to Judge Merrick Garland of the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. Earlier in her career, Ms. Dunn worked for Senate candidate and then-Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton as her press secretary and later as her communications director and a senior adviser. Prior to that, Ms. Dunn served as an aide to Congresswoman Nita M. Lowey. She received her bachelor's degree from Brown University and her J.D. from Yale Law School.

Danielle Gray

The President has named Danielle C. Gray to be Associate Counsel to the President. Ms. Gray recently served as Deputy Policy Director for Obama for America, focusing on domestic policy as well as law and judicial issues. Prior to this, she was an associate with the law firm of Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom in New York. Earlier in her career, she served as a Law Clerk to Justice Stephen Breyer on the Supreme Court of the United States and to Judge Merrick Garland on the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. She also worked on the policy and research staff of the President-elect's 2004 United States Senate campaign. Ms. Gray received her bachelor's degree from Duke University and her J.D. from Harvard Law School, where she served as an editor of the Harvard Law Review.

Michael Gottlieb

The President has named Michael J. Gottlieb to be Associate Counsel to the President. Mr. Gottlieb recently served as an Assistant United States Attorney in the United States Attorney's Office for the Central District of California. Prior to this, he was an associate with the law firm of Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale & Dorr. Earlier in his career, he served as a Law Clerk to Justice John Paul Stevens on the Supreme Court of the United States and to Judge Stephen Reinhardt of the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. Mr. Gottlieb received his bachelor's degree from Northwestern University and his J.D. from Harvard Law School, where he served as an editor of the Harvard Law Review.

Roberto J. Gonzalez

The President has named Roberto Gonzalez to be Associate Counsel to the President. Mr. Gonzalez recently served as an associate at Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale & Dorr LLP. Earlier in his career, he served as a Law Clerk to Justice John Paul Stevens of the Supreme Court of the United States and a Law Clerk to Judge Guido Calabresi of the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit. Mr. Gonzalez received his bachelor's degree from Duke University and his J.D. from Stanford Law School, where he served as an editor of the Stanford Law Review.

Virginia Canter

The President has named Virginia Canter to be Associate Counsel to the President. Ms. Canter most recently served as Associate Director of the Office of Foreign Assets Control at the Department of the Treasury. Earlier in her career, Ms. Canter was Senior Ethics Counsel at the Department of the Treasury, General Counsel of the National Endowment for the Humanities, Associate Counsel to President Clinton, and Assistant Ethics Counsel at the Securities and Exchange Commission. Ms. Canter received both her bachelor's degree and her J.D. from the University of Baltimore.

Caroline Krass

The President has named Caroline Krass to be Associate Counsel to the President for National Security Affairs. Ms. Krass recently served as Senior Counsel in the Office of Legal Counsel at the Department of Justice. Prior to this, she served as Deputy Legal Adviser at the National Security Council. Earlier in her career, she served as a Special Assistant U.S. Attorney in the National Security Section of the United States Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia. Ms. Krass also worked as an Attorney Advisor in the Office of Legal Counsel, as the Special Assistant to the General Counsel at the Department of the Treasury, and as an Attorney Advisor at the Department of State. Ms. Krass served as a Law Clerk to Judge Patricia M. Wald of the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. Ms. Krass received her bachelor's degree from Stanford University and her J.D. from Yale University, where she served as an editor of the Yale Law Journal.

Jonathan Kravis

The President has named Jonathan Kravis to be Associate Counsel to the President. Mr. Kravis recently served as an Assistant United States Attorney in the United States Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia. Prior to this, he was an associate at Williams & Connolly in Washington, D.C. Earlier in his career, he served as a Law Clerk to Justice Stephen Breyer of the Supreme Court of the United States and to Judge Merrick Garland of the United States Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit. Kravis received his bachelor's degree from Williams College and his J.D. from Yale Law School, where he served as an editor of the Yale Law Journal.

Trevor Morrison

The President has named Trevor Morrison to be Associate Counsel to the President for National Security Affairs. Mr. Morrison is on leave from Columbia Law School, where he is a Professor of Law. Earlier in his career, he served as a Law Clerk to Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg of the Supreme Court of the United States and to Judge Betty Binns Fletcher of the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. Mr. Morrison received his bachelor's degree from the University of British Columbia and his J.D. from Columbia Law School.

Alison J. Nathan

The President has named Alison J. Nathan to be Associate Counsel to the President. Ms. Nathan was recently the Fritz Alexander Fellow at New York University School of Law and a Visiting Assistant Professor at Fordham Law School. Prior to academia, Ms. Nathan was an associate at Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr. She served a Law Clerk to Justice John Paul Stevens of the Supreme Court of the United States and Judge Betty B. Fletcher of the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. During the 2008 Presidential campaign, Ms. Nathan was the National Voter Protection Senior Advisor to the Obama campaign and a member of the campaign's LGBT Advisory Committee. Ms. Nathan received her bachelor's degree from Cornell University and her J.D. from Cornell Law School, where she served as Editor-in-Chief of the Cornell Law Review.

Kate Shaw

The President has named Kate Shaw to be Associate Counsel to the President. Ms. Shaw most recently served as an Associate Counsel in the office of the General Counsel to the Transition. Prior to this, Ms. Shaw served as a Law Clerk to Justice John Paul Stevens of the Supreme Court of the United States and to Judge Richard A. Posner of the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit. Ms. Shaw received her bachelor's degree from Brown University and her J.D. from Northwestern University School of Law, where she served as Editor-in-Chief of the Northwestern University Law Review.

Susan S. Sher

The President has named Susan S. Sher to be Associate Counsel to the President and Counsel to the First Lady. Mrs. Sher most recently served as the Vice President for Legal and Governmental Affairs and General Counsel of the University of Chicago Medical Center and was responsible for all legal, government, regulatory, and community affairs at the Medical Center. From 1993 through 1997, she was the Corporation Counsel for the City of Chicago. She was the City of Chicago's chief lawyer, responsible for representing the Mayor, city departments, boards, and commissions on all legal matters. She was the first Assistant Corporation Counsel from 1980-1993. Previously, she was Associate General Counsel of the University of Chicago, and earlier, was a partner at Mayer, Brown & Platt, specializing in Labor and Litigation. Mrs. Sher received her J.D. from Loyola University of Chicago School of Law, her bachelor's degree from George Washington University, and attended Smith College.

Christian A. Weideman

The President has named Christian A. Weideman to be Associate Counsel to the President. Mr. Weideman served as a Law Clerk to the United States Attorney's Office for the Northern District of California and as a Law Clerk to Judge Richard L. Nygaard of the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. Mr. Weideman most recently served as an Associate at Williams & Connolly LLP. Mr. Weideman served the Obama for America campaign as a political advisor, assisting in debate preparation and in voter protection planning. Mr. Weideman received his bachelor's degree from The Pennsylvania State University and his J.D. from Stanford Law School, where he served as an editor of the Stanford Law Review.


Deputy Associate Counsels

Ian Bassin

The President has named Ian Bassin to be Deputy Associate Counsel to the President. Mr. Bassin recently served as a member of the Education Policy Working Group for the Presidential Transition Team, and had earlier served as the Florida Policy Director on the Obama Campaign for Change. Prior to that, Mr. Bassin served as a Law Clerk to Judge Sidney R. Thomas of the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. Mr. Bassin earned his bachelor's degree from Wesleyan University and his J.D. from Yale Law School, where he served as an editor of the Yale Law Journal.

Rashad Hussain

The President has named Rashad Hussain to be Deputy Associate Counsel to the President. Mr. Hussain recently served as a Trial Attorney at the U.S. Department of Justice. Prior to that, he was as a Law Clerk to Damon J. Keith on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit. Earlier in his career, Mr. Hussain served as a legislative assistant on the House Judiciary Committee, where he reviewed legislation such

as the USA Patriot Act. Mr. Hussain earned his bachelor's degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, his Master's degree in Public Administration and in Arabic & Islamic Studies from Harvard University, and his J.D. from Yale Law School, where he served as an editor of the Yale Law Journal.

Blake Roberts

The President has named Blake Roberts to be Deputy Associate Counsel to the President. Mr. Roberts recently served as a member of the pre-election transition team and then as Assistant to Transition Executive Director Chris Lu. Prior to that, he worked as a Field Organizer in six states for Obama for America. Earlier in his career, Mr. Roberts served as a Law Clerk to Judge Diana Gribbon Motz of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit. Mr. Roberts received his bachelor's degree from Georgetown University and his J.D. from Harvard Law School, where he served as an editor of the Harvard Law Review.

Jason G. Green

The President has named Jason G. Green to be Deputy Associate Counsel to the President. Mr. Green held several positions with the Obama for America campaign, most recently serving as the National Voter Registration Director. Prior to that, Mr. Green served as a summer associate at Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen and Katz in New York. Earlier in his career, Mr. Green conducted a legal study of human rights compliance assessments in Johannesburg, South Africa. Mr. Green received his J.D. from Yale Law School and his bachelor's degree from Washington University.

Research Director

Shauna Daly

Shauna Daly is the research director in the White House Counsel's office. Ms. Daly most recently served as the Deputy Research Director to the Obama for America campaign. Earlier, Ms. Daly served as the Deputy Research Director at the Democratic National Committee. Ms. Daly has served as Research Director to Betty Castor for U.S. Senate, Tim Johnson for U.S. Senate, and Gifford Miller for Mayor. Ms. Daly earned her bachelor's degree from Smith College.


Staff Assistants and Administrative Assistants

Rhonda M. Carter

Rhonda M. Carter is the Executive Assistant to the Deputy White House Counsel, Cassandra Butts. Prior to joining the White House, Ms. Carter was the Assistant to the General Counsel at the Presidential Transition Team. Earlier in her career, Ms. Carter served as the Special Assistant for Domestic Policy at the Center for American Progress. Ms. Carter began her career at the University of Washington in Seattle where she was the Program Coordinator for the UW Student Support Services TRIO program. Ms. Carter earned her bachelor's degree at Claremont McKenna College.

Nicholas Colvin

Nicholas Colvin is a staff assistant in the White House Counsel's office. Mr. Colvin most recently served as a special assistant on the Obama for America campaign in Chicago. Prior to that, Mr. Colvin served as a special assistant and traveling aide to then-Senator Barack Obama in Washington D.C. Mr. Colvin earned his bachelor's degree at the University of Michigan.

Shomik Dutta

Shomik Dutta is the Special Assistant to the President's Counsel, Greg Craig. Mr. Dutta most recently worked as a member of the Presidential Transition Team and had earlier served as Mid-Atlantic Finance Director to the Obama for America campaign for two years. Prior to that, Mr. Dutta worked for Martin O'Malley's successful gubernatorial campaign in Maryland. Mr. Dutta received his bachelor's degree from Williams College.

Matthew Flavin

Matthew Flavin is a staff assistant on the National Security Counsel legal team. Mr. Flavin most recently served on the Department of Defense Agency Review Team for the Presidential Transition Team. Prior to this, he was a National Security advisor on the Obama for America campaign. Earlier in his career, Mr. Flavin served in the United States Navy, having joined shortly after September 11th. As a member of the Naval Special Warfare community, Mr. Flavin completed extended combat deployments to Afghanistan and Iraq - serving as the targeting and intelligence director for Special Operations Task Force West, where he was awarded the Bronze Star Medal. Mr. Flavin also served as the operations officer for a Human Intelligence Battalion in Bosnia. Mr. Flavin received his bachelor's degree from Amherst College.

Micah Fergenson

Micah Fergenson is the Executive Assistant to Norm Eisen. Mr. Fergenson most recently worked as a special assistant to the Office of Personnel Management in the Presidential Transition Team. Earlier in his career, Mr. Fergenson served as a field organizer for the Virginia Campaign for Change. Mr. Fergenson graduated from Washington & Lee University.

Matthew Kennedy

Matthew Kennedy is the Administrator to the White House Counsel's Office. Mr. Kennedy most recently served as Constituency Vote Director in New Hampshire. Earlier in his career, Mr. Kennedy successfully managed Senator Ted Kennedy's 2006 re-election bid in Massachusetts and worked as an associate at JMP Securities. Mr. Kennedy received his MBA from Harvard Business School and his bachelor's degree from Stanford University.

Desiree Pipkins

Desiree Pipkins is a staff assistant to the Counsel's office. Ms. Pipkins most recently served as the research assistant to the Presidential Transition Team's General Counsel Cassandra Butts. Prior to that, Ms. Pipkins worked as member of the pre-election transition team. Earlier in her career, Ms. Pipkins served as the Research Director at the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, where she worked on civil rights policy, judicial nominations, and voting rights issues. Ms. Pipkins received her bachelor's degree from Oberlin College.

Catherine Whitney

Catherine Whitney is the Executive Assistant to the President's Counsel, Greg Craig. Prior to joining the White House, Mrs. Whitney served as Mr. Craig's assistant at the firm of Williams & Connolly LLP in Washington, DC for ten years.

source:National Journal