Dana Remus

American lawyer

Dana Remus
Remus in 2021
White House Counsel
In office
January 20, 2021 – July 1, 2022
PresidentJoe Biden
Preceded byPat Cipollone
Succeeded byStuart Delery
Personal details
BornNew Hampshire, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
Spouse(s)
Michael J. Irwin
​
​
(m. 2005, divorced)​

Brett M. Holmgren
​
(m. 2018)​
EducationHarvard University (BA)
Yale University (JD)

Dana Ann Remus is an American lawyer who served as White House counsel for U.S. President Joe Biden from January 2021 to July 2022. Prior to her appointment as White House counsel, Remus was general counsel for Joe Biden's 2020 presidential campaign. Earlier in her career, she was deputy assistant to the president and deputy counsel for ethics during the presidency of Barack Obama, was general counsel for the Obama Foundation from 2017 to 2019, and was counsel to Michelle Obama.[1]

Early life and education

Dana Remus was born in New Hampshire[1] and raised in the town of Bedford.[2] She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in East Asian studies from Harvard University in 1997[3] and a Juris Doctor from Yale Law School in 2002.[4][5] While at Harvard, Remus rowed as senior heavyweight crew captain and tried out for the United States National Women's Rowing Team.[6]

Career

After graduating from law school, Remus clerked for Judge Anthony Scirica of the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. She eventually joined Cravath, Swaine & Moore (2002-05). In 2006, she began her academic career as an inaugural faculty member at the newly established Drexel University College of Law (now Thomas R. Kline School of Law) (2006-08).[7] In 2008, she clerked for Justice Samuel Alito of the Supreme Court of the United States.[8] She then taught from 2009-13 at the University of New Hampshire School of Law[9] and property law and judicial and legal ethics at the University of North Carolina School of Law (2013-16).

Remus joined the Obama administration, serving in 2016 as Deputy Assistant to the President and Deputy Counsel for Ethics. After Obama left office, Remus joined the Obama Foundation (2017-20) as general counsel and also served as counsel to Michelle Obama. She left the Foundation in 2019 to become general counsel in 2020 for the Joe Biden 2020 presidential campaign.[10]

Biden administration

Remus was named White House counsel on November 17, 2020.[11] She left her position in July 2022 and was replaced by Stuart F. Delery.[12][13]

Remus is co-leading legal offensives on behalf of the Democratic Party against third-party candidates in the 2024 United States presidential election, alongside outside lawyer Robert D. Lenhard.[14]

Personal life

Dana Remus is married to Brett M. Holmgren, who serves as the Assistant Secretary of State for Intelligence and Research in the Biden administration. The wedding took place on January 21, 2018, in Washington, D.C., with former President Barack Obama officiating.[15] The couple have one son.[16] Remus was previously married to Michael J. "Mike" Irwin, a rowing coach.[17]

See also

  • List of law clerks of the Supreme Court of the United States (Seat 8)

References

  1. ^ a b Aldridge, Bailey (November 17, 2020). "Who is Dana Remus? Senior counsel to President-elect Biden has a North Carolina tie". The News & Observer. Retrieved November 17, 2020.
  2. ^ DiStaso, John (November 19, 2020). "NH Primary Source: Newly named Biden legal counsel Dana Remus was raised in Bedford". WMUR-9. Retrieved November 19, 2020.
  3. ^ Hochman, Dafna V. (June 4, 1997). "Pulling for the Team". Harvard Crimson.
  4. ^ Kashino, Marisa M. (October 26, 2020). "If the Election Leads to a Legal Battle, Here Are the Lawyers Who Will Head Up the Fight". Washingtonian. Retrieved November 17, 2020.
  5. ^ "Biden for President Campaign Organization - Staff, Advisors and Supporters". www.democracyinaction.us. Retrieved November 17, 2020.
  6. ^ https://www.thecrimson.com/article/1997/6/4/pulling-for-the-team-pwith-a/
  7. ^ "Drexel Law lines up faculty - Philadelphia Business Journal". Philadelphia Business Journal. Retrieved November 17, 2020.
  8. ^ Ollstein, Alice Miranda; Cook, Nancy. "Biden names former Alito clerk to top White House job". POLITICO. Retrieved November 17, 2020.
  9. ^ "Two Members of the Rudman Advisory Board Named to Top Posts in Biden Administration". University of New Hampshire Franklin Pierce School of Law. December 3, 2020.
  10. ^ Shear, Michael D. (November 18, 2020). "Dana Remus Has Taken an Unlikely Path to the White House Counsel's Office". The New York Times.
  11. ^ Barber, C. Ryan (November 17, 2020). "Former Alito Clerk Dana Remus Is Named Biden White House Counsel". National Law Journal. Retrieved November 17, 2020.
  12. ^ Samuels, Brett (July 15, 2022). "White House counsel Dana Remus to leave role next month". The Hill. Retrieved July 24, 2022.
  13. ^ Johnson, Carrie (June 15, 2022). "Dana Remus made legal history in the White House. Now she's moving on". NPR. Retrieved July 24, 2022.
  14. ^ O'Brien, Rebecca Davis (March 20, 2024). "Democrats Prepare Aggressive Counter to Third-Party Threats". The New York Times. Archived from the original on March 20, 2024. Retrieved March 22, 2024.
  15. ^ Garrison Phillips, Hayley (January 23, 2018). "President Obama Officiated at a Wedding in DC This Past Weekend". Washingtonian. Retrieved January 27, 2020.
  16. ^ "Statement of Brett Holmgren Nominee for Assistant Secretary of State for Intelligence and Research Senate Foreign Relations Committee" (PDF). foreign.senate.gov. June 15, 2021. Retrieved May 18, 2022.
  17. ^ https://sjuhawks.com/staff-directory/mike-irwin/39

External links

  • Dana Remus profile (Archived 1/11/2021) from the Biden-Harris Transition
Legal offices
Preceded by White House Counsel
2021–2022 		Succeeded by
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Office Name Term Office Name Term
White House Chief of Staff Jeff Zients 2023–pres. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan 2021–pres.
White House Deputy Chief of Staff Jen O'Malley Dillon 2021–pres. Deputy National Security Advisor Jonathan Finer 2021–pres.
White House Deputy Chief of Staff Bruce Reed 2021–pres. Homeland Security Advisor Elizabeth Sherwood-Randall 2021–pres.
Counselor to the President Steve Ricchetti 2021–pres. White House Communications Director Ben LaBolt 2023–pres.
Deputy White House Communications Director Pili Tobar 2021–pres. Senior Advisor to the President Mike Donilon 2021–pres.
Kate Berner 2021–pres. Anita Dunn 2021, 2022-pres.
White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre 2022–pres.
Director, Public Engagement Stephen K. Benjamin 2022–pres. Deputy Press Secretary Vacant 2022–pres.
Director, Intergovernmental Affairs Tom Perez 2023–pres.
Director, Speechwriting Vinay Reddy 2021–pres. Chair, Council of Economic Advisers Jared Bernstein 2023–pres.
Director, Digital Strategy Rob Flaherty 2021–pres. Director, Domestic Policy Council Neera Tanden 2023–pres.
Director, Legislative Affairs Shuwanza Goff 2023–pres. White House Cabinet Secretary Evan Ryan 2021–pres.
Director, Presidential Personnel Gautam Raghavan 2022–pres. Director, Oval Office Operations Annie Tomasini 2021–pres.
White House Staff Secretary Stefanie Feldman 2023-pres. Personal Aide to the President Stephen Goepfert 2021–pres.
Director, Management and Administration Dave Noble 2022–pres. Chief of Staff to the First Lady Vacant 2022–pres.
Director, Scheduling and Advance Ryan Montoya 2021–pres. Director, Office of Science and Technology Policy Arati Prabhakar 2022–pres.
White House Social Secretary Carlos Elizondo 2021–pres. Director, Office of Management and Budget Shalanda Young 2021–pres.
Chief of Staff to the Vice President Lorraine Voles 2022–pres. United States Trade Representative Katherine Tai 2021–pres.
White House Chief Usher Robert B. Downing 2021–pres. Director, Office of National Drug Control Policy Rahul Gupta 2021–pres.
Director, White House Military Office Vacant 2022–pres. Chair, Council on Environmental Quality Brenda Mallory 2021–pres.
(s) Indicates nominee requiring Senate confirmation.
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Jack Lew 2012–13 Deputy National Security Advisor Thomas E. Donilon 2009–10
Denis McDonough 2013–17 Denis McDonough 2010–13
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Nancy-Ann DeParle 2011–13 Avril Haines 2015–17
Rob Nabors 2013–15 Dep. National Security Advisor, Homeland Security John O. Brennan 2009–13
White House Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations Jim Messina 2009–11 Lisa Monaco 2013–17
Alyssa Mastromonaco 2011–14 Dep. National Security Advisor, Iraq and Afghanistan Douglas Lute† 2009–13
Anita Decker Breckenridge 2014–17 Dep. National Security Advisor, Strategic Comm. Ben Rhodes 2009–17
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Director, Domestic Policy Council Melody Barnes 2009–12 Amy Rosenbaum 2016–17
Cecilia Muñoz 2012–17 Director, Political Affairs Patrick Gaspard 2009–11
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Grant N. Colfax 2011–13 Rodin A. Mehrbani 2016–17
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Racquel S. Russell 2010–14 Douglas Kramer 2012–13
Roy Austin Jr. 2014–17 Joani Walsh 2014–17
Director, Office of Energy and Climate Change Policy Carol Browner 2009–11 Director, Management and Administration Bradley J. Kiley 2009–11
White House Counsel Greg Craig 2009–10 Katy A. Kale 2011–15
Bob Bauer 2010–11 Maju Varghese 2015–17
Kathryn Ruemmler 2011–14 Director, Scheduling and Advance Alyssa Mastromonaco 2009–11
Neil Eggleston 2014–17 Danielle Crutchfield 2011–14
White House Cabinet Secretary Chris Lu 2009–13 Chase Cushman 2014–17
Danielle C. Gray 2013–14 Director, White House Information Technology David Recordon 2015–17
Broderick D. Johnson 2014–17 Director, Office of Administration Cameron Moody 2009–11
Personal Aide to the President Reggie Love 2009–11 Beth Jones 2011–15
Brian Mosteller 2011–12 Cathy Solomon 2015–17
Marvin D. Nicholson 2012–17 Director, Office of Science and Technology Policy John Holdren 2009–17
Director, Oval Office Operations Brian Mosteller 2012–17 Chief Technology Officer Aneesh Chopra 2009–12
Personal Secretary to the President Katie Johnson 2009–11 Todd Park 2012–14
Anita Decker Breckenridge 2011–14 Megan Smith 2014–17
Ferial Govashiri 2014–17 Director, Office of Management and Budget Peter R. Orszag 2009–10
Chief of Staff to the First Lady Jackie Norris 2009 Jack Lew 2010–12
Susan Sher 2009–11 Jeff Zients 2012–13
Tina Tchen 2011–17 Sylvia Mathews Burwell 2013–14
White House Social Secretary Desirée Rogers 2009–10 Brian Deese 2014
Julianna Smoot 2010–11 Shaun Donovan 2014–17
Jeremy Bernard 2011–15 Chief Information Officer Vivek Kundra 2009–11
Deesha Dyer 2015–17 Steven VanRoekel 2011–14
Chief of Staff to the Vice President Ron Klain 2009–11 Tony Scott 2015–17
Bruce Reed 2011–13 United States Trade Representative Ron Kirk 2009–13
Steve Ricchetti 2013–17 Michael Froman 2013–17
White House Chief Usher Stephen W. Rochon† 2009–11 Director, Office of National Drug Control Policy Gil Kerlikowske 2009–14
Angella Reid 2011–17 Michael Botticelli 2014–17
Director, White House Military Office George Mulligan 2009–13 Chair, Council on Environmental Quality Nancy Sutley 2009–14
Emmett Beliveau 2013–15 Michael Boots 2014–15
Dabney Kern 2016–17 Christy Goldfuss 2015–17
† Remained from previous administration.
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