Matt Leggett

Experience

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  Office of the Chief of Staff to the President, The White House

  Jan 1997 - Jan 1997

  White House Intern

  As a White House Intern, I served under Erskine Bowles, Chief of Staff to the President. I prepared the Chief of Staff's daily briefing book, organized and maintained files, and researched and drafted memoranda for the Deputy Chiefs of Staff, the Chief of Staff, and the President. In addition, I prepared materials and coordinated events in connection with One America In the 21st Century: The President's Initiative on Race.

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  Office of Senator Jesse Helms, U.S. Senate

  Jan 2000 - Jan 2003

  Legislative Correspondent

  As a Legislative Correspondent, I developed legislation, responded to regulations, and provided communications support regarding agriculture, rural development, and trade matters, including those relating to Senator Helms’ membership on the Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee.During my tenure, I participated in the development of major legislation to eliminate the federal tobacco quota program and to compensate active producers and quota holders for lost value. I played an integral role in laying the foundation for enactment of this major legislation. In addition, I worked with the Foreign Relations Committee, the State Department, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture in successfully responding to a ban on U.S. poultry by foreign countries.As a Legislative Correspondent, my responsibilities included: • Participating in the management of Senator Helms’ membership on the Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee; • Staffing hearings, business meetings, briefings, and meetings;• Participating in the drafting of speeches, media releases, correspondence, and other communications.• Serving as a liaison to constituents, businesses, government agencies, and other stakeholders; • Performing constituent casework and responding to appropriations requests;• Accompanying Senator Helms at all events. Show less

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  Committee on Agriculture, U.S. House of Representatives

  Jan 2003 - Jan 2004

  Legislative Assistant

  As a Legislative Assistant, I developed legislation, responded to regulations, managed hearings, and provided communications support regarding matters impacting agricultural producers, businesses, and rural communities. Congressman Bob Goodlatte from the 6th District of Virginia served as Chairman. During my tenure, I was the lead staffer in charge of major legislation to eliminate the federal tobacco quota program and to compensate active producers and quota holders for lost value. I managed a full committee hearing to consider the tobacco quota buyout proposal, which heard from Members of Congress, tobacco producers, tobacco product manufacturers, and health groups. I played an integral role in laying the foundation for enactment of this major legislation. As a Legislative Assistant, my responsibilities included:• Managing all matters impacting the Chairman’s home state of Virginia;• Creating and managing a constituent correspondence system;• Responding to constituent casework and appropriations requests;• Organizing constituent outreach events. Show less

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  Office of the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia

  Jan 2005 - Jan 2005

  Legal Intern

  As a Legal Intern, I provided legal research and drafted legal memoranda, pleadings, and motions regarding criminal prosecutions for murder, narcotics, firearms, and terrorism offenses. I attended federal civil and criminal hearings and trials, and federal appellate oral arguments.

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  Williams Mullen P.C.

  Jan 2006 - Jan 2006

  Summer Associate

  As a Summer Associate, I provided legal research, drafted legal memoranda, and performed legal due diligence regarding a variety of legal matters, including preparing a fifty-state survey on telemarketing laws; participating in due diligence and conducting a complex multi-state filing in connection with the acquisition of a U.S. money wire transmitter by a foreign bank in a cross-border transaction; and drafting a memorandum concerning the novelty issue in intellectual property law.

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  Williams Mullen P.C.

  Jan 2007 - Jan 2009

  Associate

  As an Associate, I provided general legal representation to corporations and financial institutions in matters regarding corporate formation, governance, compliance, mergers and acquisitions, restructuring, securities, antitrust and international trade. I appeared in civil actions filed against U.S. Customs and Border Protection in the U.S. Court of International Trade and appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit. I served as an active member of the firm's Pro Bono Committee and the Ad Hoc Committee on the Revision of the District of Columbia Business Code. Show less

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  Office of Congressman Tim Murphy, U.S. House of Representatives

  Jan 2010 - Jan 2011

  Legislative Counsel

  As Legislative Counsel, I managed all energy, environment, agriculture, manufacturing, telecommunications, and trade matters, including those relating to Congressman Murphy’s membership on the Energy and Commerce Committee, chairmanship of the Congressional Steel Caucus, and co-chairmanship of the Congressional Natural Gas Caucus.During my tenure, I developed and advocated for Congressman Murphy's legislative priorities, including legislation that passed the House to counteract the unfair trade practice of currency manipulation by other countries, and legislation to establish an all-of-the-above American energy program that expands the use of fossil energy resources and supports the development of renewable energy resources and clean energy technologies.As Legislative Counsel, my responsibilities included:• Managing Congressman Murphy’s membership of the Energy and Commerce Committee, chairmanship of the Congressional Steel Caucus, and co-chairmanship of the Congressional Natural Gas Caucus;• Leading Congressman Murphy's response to legislative, regulatory, and industry developments, including the Gulf of Mexico oil spill, the offshore oil and gas moratorium and federal “permitorium,” and proposed hydraulic fracturing and greenhouse gas regulations;• Staffing hearings, business meetings, briefings, and meetings;• Drafting speeches, media releases, correspondence, and other communications. Show less

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  U.S. Senate Republican Policy Committee

  Jan 2012 - Jan 2017

  Policy Counsel, Energy, Environment, and Agriculture

  As Policy Counsel, I served as the staffer in Senate Republican leadership responsible for providing Senate Republicans with strategic guidance, policy solutions, communications support, and research and analysis regarding energy, environment, and agriculture matters. Senator John Barrasso, an orthopaedic surgeon from Wyoming, served as Chairman. During my tenure, I played a key role in Senate floor consideration of all energy, environment, natural resources, and agriculture matters, including major legislation to lift the ban on crude oil exports, approve a presidential permit for the Keystone XL oil pipeline, modernize the nation’s energy policy for a new era of American energy abundance, and respond to federal environmental regulations.As Policy Counsel, my responsibilities included:• Working closely with Senate leadership, the Energy and Natural Resources Committee, the Environment and Public Works Committee, and the Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee in developing and advocating for energy, environment, and agriculture policies aligned with the will of the members of the Senate Republican Conference;• Providing Senate Republicans with legislative analysis and voting guidance on all legislation, including bills, amendments, and resolutions, regarding energy, environment, and agriculture matters considered on the Senate floor;• Publishing over 50 in-depth policy papers to drive the Senate Republican message on energy, environment, and agriculture matters within the Senate, to outside stakeholders, and to the national media; • Serving as a featured speaker at policy, legal, and energy conferences, including the Federalist Society, the Energy Bar Association, the Hudson Institute, and the Institute for Energy Law; • Conducting outreach with additional stakeholders, including other Senate and House committees and personal offices, state government officials, think tanks, trade associations, businesses, and media outlets. Show less

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  U.S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works

  Jan 2017 - Jan 2021

  As Chief Counsel, I managed staff in the implementation of the committee agenda, which addressed energy, environment, natural resources, fish and wildlife, water resources, transportation infrastructure, and public works issues. Senator John Barrasso, an orthopaedic surgeon from Wyoming, served as Chairman. Under my leadership, the committee enacted numerous bills, including major legislation to develop carbon capture utilization and sequestration technologies, reduce emissions of hydrofluorocarbons and other greenhouse gases, modernize water infrastructure, improve commercial nuclear power regulation, and promote fish and wildlife conservation. The committee drafted and approved by a roll call vote of 21 to 0 major transportation infrastructure legislation, much of which was later incorporated into the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act enacted in the 117th Congress. I also led the confirmation of numerous presidential nominees, including at the Environmental Protection Agency, Federal Highway Administration, and Nuclear Regulatory Commission. As Chief Counsel, my responsibilities included:• Managing committee staff in legislative development, policy negotiation, hearing preparation, floor tactics, media strategy, and participation in the regulatory process;• Providing legal counsel, strategic guidance, legislative solutions, and communications support to the Chairman, committee members, and other Senate offices;• Ensuring compliance with Senate, committee, and Republican conference rules;• Formulating rules-based strategies for passing legislation and confirming nominees, defending committee jurisdiction, and advocating before the Senate Parliamentarian.As Chief Counsel, I was in charge of:• Senate, committee, and conference rules and procedures;• Budget and appropriations matters;• Oversight and investigations matters;• Ethics and employment matters;• Presidential nominations. Show less As Deputy Chief Counsel, I managed staff in the implementation of the committee agenda, which addressed energy, environment, natural resources, fish and wildlife, water resources, transportation infrastructure, and public works issues. Senator John Barrasso, an orthopaedic surgeon from Wyoming, served as Chairman. Under my leadership, the committee enacted numerous bills, including major legislation to develop carbon capture utilization and sequestration technologies, reduce emissions of hydrofluorocarbons and other greenhouse gases, modernize water infrastructure, improve commercial nuclear power regulation, and promote fish and wildlife conservation. The committee drafted and approved by a roll call vote of 21 to 0 major transportation infrastructure legislation, much of which was later incorporated into the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act enacted in the 117th Congress. I also led the confirmation of numerous presidential nominees, including at the Environmental Protection Agency, Federal Highway Administration, and Nuclear Regulatory Commission. As Chief Counsel, my responsibilities included:• Managing committee staff in legislative development, policy negotiation, hearing preparation, floor tactics, media strategy, and participation in the regulatory process;• Providing legal counsel, strategic guidance, legislative solutions, and communications support to the Chairman, committee members, and other Senate offices;• Ensuring compliance with Senate, committee, and Republican conference rules;• Formulating rules-based strategies for passing legislation and confirming nominees, defending committee jurisdiction, and advocating before the Senate Parliamentarian.As Chief Counsel, I was in charge of:• Senate, committee, and conference rules and procedures;• Budget and appropriations matters;• Oversight and investigations matters;• Ethics and employment matters;• Presidential nominations. Show less

  • Chief Counsel

    Jan 2017 - Jan 2021

  • Deputy Chief Counsel

    Jan 2017 - Jan 2017
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  U.S. Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources

  Jan 2021 - Feb 2023

  Chief Counsel

  As Chief Counsel, I managed staff in the implementation of the committee agenda, which addressed energy and natural resources issues. Senator John Barrasso, an orthopaedic surgeon from Wyoming, serves as Ranking Member. The committee has jurisdiction over the U.S. Department of Energy, the U.S. Department of the Interior, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, and other federal government agencies. As Chief Counsel, my responsibilities included:• Managing committee staff in legislative development, policy negotiation, hearing preparation, floor tactics, media strategy, and participation in the regulatory process;• Providing legal counsel, strategic guidance, legislative solutions, and communications support to the Chairman, committee members, and other Senate offices;• Ensuring compliance with Senate, committee, and Republican conference rules;• Formulating rules-based strategies for passing legislation and processing nominees, defending committee jurisdiction, and advocating before the Senate Parliamentarian.As Chief Counsel, I was in charge of:• Senate, committee, and conference rules and procedures;• Budget and appropriations matters;• Oversight and investigations matters;• Ethics and employment matters;• Presidential nominations. Show less

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  K&L Gates

  Feb 2023 - now

  Partner