The global law firm Jones Day announces that Brett Shumate and Margaret “Peggy” Blake have joined the Firm’s Washington Office. Mr. Shumate comes to Jones Day as a partner in its Government Regulation Practice, while Ms. Blake joins as of counsel in the Firm’s Financial Institutions Litigation and Regulation Practice. Mr. Shumate joins Jones Day from the U.S. Department of Justice while Ms. Blake comes to the firm from the Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board.
Shumate served at the DoJ from 2017 to 2019 as deputy assistant attorney general for the Federal Programs Branch of the Civil Division. Mr. Shumate was the government’s lead counsel in a number of significant cases, personally arguing the successful defense of claims under the Constitution’s emoluments clauses, the Presidential Executive Order on Reducing Regulation, and the appointment of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s acting director.
Mr. Shumate is a litigator with broad experience handling high-profile, high-stakes cases with industry-wide implications. He focuses on “bet-the-company” litigation involving the government, often with respect to the telecommunications and technology sectors, and develops creative strategies to challenge state and federal laws and policies. He has represented clients in numerous cases involving Title II common carrier, satellite, wireless, cable, and internet issues under the Communications Act and Telecommunications Act of 1996. Mr. Shumate has argued more than two dozen cases in federal district courts across the country, and he has tried cases and argued appeals in the United States Courts of Appeals for the D.C., Fourth, and Ninth Circuits.
“Brett’s experience at the Justice Department, combined with his previous work on behalf of clients, particularly in the telecommunications and tech areas, make him a great addition to our team in Washington,” said Don McGahn, who co-leads Jones Day’s global Government Regulation Practice. “The insights and understanding he brings to regulatory matters will immeasurably benefit our clients. I am very pleased Brett is part of our team, and I look forward to working with him.”
While at Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board, Ms. Blake was associate general counsel—regulatory affairs. She was responsible for rulemaking, regulatory policy, and legal projects related to market price transparency, trade reporting, and uniform practice rules. She also provided guidance and responded to industry inquiries related to, among other things, prevailing market price determinations, bank loan disclosure issues, and municipal advisor and dealer compliance issues. Her previous federal government experience includes serving as senior special counsel at the U. S. Securities and Exchange Commission’s Office of Compliance Inspections and Examinations.
While in private practice, Ms. Blake advised U.S.-based and other financial entities on the application of the U.S. securities laws to their activities, with emphasis on the areas of trading and markets. She has counseled market participants, including registered broker-dealers, on compliance issues and applicable rules under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as well as rules of FINRA, NYSE, MSRB, and other self-regulatory organizations.
Ms. Blake writes extensively on matters relating to securities regulations and their applications, and she has served as a speaker and moderator at numerous industry events focusing on these issues.
“Peggy’s broad experience in both public service and in the private sector make her a valuable addition to what is already a highly effective practice,” said Jay Tambe, co-leader of Jones Day’s Financial Institutions Litigation & Regulation Practice. “She brings a thorough understanding of the challenges our clients will encounter as the regulatory environment becomes more and more complex. I enthusiastically welcome her to the Firm.”
Added Kevyn Orr, Partner-in-Charge of Jones Day’s Washington Office, “Bringing talented lawyers like Brett and Peggy to Jones Day makes it clear that the Firm remains dedicated to providing our clients access to experienced, successful lawyers with a serious commitment to client service. They have both earned distinguished reputations in the areas of the law in which they practice, and I am very pleased that they have chosen to join us at Jones Day.”
Source: www.jonesday.com
