For more than three decades, Mr. Leonard has been a distinguished practitioner in the small circle of federal tax policy advocates. He served as chief counsel and staff director of the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Ways and Means from 1987 to 1993, as chief majority tax counsel of the Committee from 1981 to 1986, and as majority tax counsel from 1974 to 1980. During his 20+-year tenure on Capitol Hill, he was involved in all major tax and trade legislation considered by Congress. Since leaving the government, Mr. Leonard has represented major manufacturers, financial services companies and many other clients on a wide variety of policy matters.

Mr. Leonard received his B.A. from the University of Pennsylvania and his J.D. from Vanderbilt Law School. He received his M.B.A. from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.

Joining Mr. Leonard as senior policy counsel is Jayne T. Fitzgerald. Ms. Fitzgerald served as tax counsel on the Committee on Ways and Means from 1980 to 1985 and from 1992 to 1995 before moving to the private sector. She has extensive experience representing clients on tax, trade, pension and health matters before Congress and federal agencies. She received her B.A. summa cum laude and her J.D. magna cum laude from Georgetown University, where she was a member of Phi Beta Kappa.

Joel Jankowsky, chair of Akin Gump’s policy and regulatory practice, commented, “Without a doubt, Rob is one of the best-known and most highly regarded tax policy advocates in Washington. His long-time relationships with the chairmen and members of the House and Senate Committees who craft tax law – relationships that have been built on their recognition of the quality of his work – are of critical competitive importance to our ability to serve our clients.”

Akin Gump’s tax policy practice is anchored by former Commissioner of the Internal Revenue Service Donald C. Alexander, and includes Jeff McMillen, the former staff director of the House Ways and Means Committee's Subcommittee on Select Revenue Measures, who served under Committee Chairman Bill Thomas (R-CA) and Subcommittee Chairman Jim McCrery (R-LA).

Mr. Leonard stated, “Akin Gump’s policy practice is one of the most prominent and diverse in the world. I have long respected the firm’s progressive approach to policy issues and client service. I am pleased to join a team of friends whom I respect and have worked with for many years.”

Mr. Jankowsky added, “We believe that Rob and Jayne will significantly enhance our bipartisan tax policy capability. We are very pleased to welcome them to Akin Gump.”

Akin Gump’s 50-member policy department – one of the largest and most diverse policy groups of any major law firm in the world – advises major corporations, coalitions of companies and trade associations, as well as nonprofit organizations, municipal governments, Native American tribes and foreign governments.

Founded in 1945, Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP, a leading international law firm, numbers more than 900 lawyers with offices in Austin, Beijing, Dallas, Dubai, Houston, London, Los Angeles, Moscow, New York, Philadelphia, San Antonio, San Francisco, Silicon Valley, Taipei and Washington. The firm has a diversified practice and represents regional, national and international clients in a wide range of areas, including antitrust; appellate; banking and finance; capital markets; communications and information technology; corporate and securities; corporate governance; employee benefits; energy; entertainment and media; environmental; estate planning, wealth transfer and probate; financial restructuring; global security; government contracts; health; insurance; intellectual property; international trade; investment funds; labor and employment; land use; litigation; mergers and acquisitions; private equity; privatization; project development and finance; public law and policy; real estate development and finance; Russia/CIS; tax; and technology.

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