Nine Fellows were named in the Washingtonian’s special issue that features who they believe to be the 500 most influential people in Washington D.C. In their selection process, they focus on individuals with deep expertise in their subject matter who are able to effectively drive action in Washington; those who understand the nuances and complexities of their policy area; and experts in fields that the Washingtonian believes will be significant to current elected officials – while excluding those currently in elected office and Capitol Hill and administration staffers. The Fellows named are: Jessica Ring Amunson, Professor Dorothy A. Brown, Marc Elias, Professor Justin Hansford, Eric H. Holder, Jr., Debra Katz, Ronald A. Klain, Trevor Potter, and Sara Razi.
Jessica Ring Amunson, Fellow, is currently a partner at Jenner & Block and was featured on the list because of her litigation work and advocacy relating to voting-rights law, as she has shaped legal strategies to defend voting access and ensuring fair redistricting processes in states across the country.
Professor Dorothy A. Brown, Life Fellow, is currently a Professor and the Martin D. Ginsburg Chair in Taxation at Georgetown Law. She was featured on the list because her examination of how the tax system hurts Black Americans received attention on Capitol Hill, leading senators to request IRS officials to examine how the disparities were created and to work on solutions.
Marc Elias, Life Fellow, is the founding partner of Elias Law Group and was featured on the list as he represented many Democratic candidates and progressive organizations, specifically challenging voter restrictions during the 2024 presidential election.
Professor Justin Hansford, Fellow, is currently a law professor and the executive director of the Thurgood Marshall Civil Rights Center at Howard University. He’s featured on the list as he is a founder of the Civil Rights Center at Howard, which is Howard’s flagship institution on civil rights, and also serves as the US representative to the UN Permanent Forum for People of African Descent.
Eric H. Holder, Jr., Life Fellow, is currently senior counsel at Covington, though he was the U.S. attorney general from 2009 to 2015. He is featured on the list as he helmed the vetting for Kamala Harris’s vice-presidential contenders.
Debra Katz, Life Fellow, is currently a partner at Katz Banks Kumin and is featured on the list as an attorney with nearly 40 years of litigation experience, specifically for representing clients like Christine Blasey Ford, who testified that Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh had sexually assaulted her, and Rick Bright, a whistleblower who raised concerns about the Trump administration’s Covid-19 response.
Ronald A. Klain, Fellow, is currently the Chief Legal Officer for Airbnb, and is featured on the list as a former White House chief of staff who has moved into the private sector with Airbnb and will guide them through expanding their offerings and navigating tax, housing and data issues.
Trevor Potter, Life Fellow, is Senior Counsel at Caplin & Drysdale and is the President of the Campaign Legal Center. He is featured on the list as a former Federal Elections Commission chairman and general counsel to John McCain’s presidential campaigns and remains at the forefront of efforts to promote transparency and accountability in politics.
Sara Razi is currently a partner and the global co-chair of the antitrust and trade regulation practice at Simpson Thacher. She is featured on the list after being named the 2024 Antitrust Litigator of the Year by Euromoney’s Benchmark Litigation and specializes in merger reviews and a variety of competition issues.
Read the rest of the list here.