Leslie Kiernan was sworn-in today as the General Counsel for the U.S. Department of Commerce by Deputy Secretary of Commerce Don Graves. Last week, Kiernan was confirmed by a voice vote in the Senate.

“We are thrilled to have Leslie Kiernan join our world-class team at the Commerce Department as we continue to set a course to build back from the economic damage caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and enhance our national competitiveness,” said U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina M. Raimondo. “She brings decades of experience in government and the private sector to her role that will serve the Department of Commerce and our bureaus well. I am excited to see her hit the ground running as our General Counsel.”

“I am grateful and humbled by the trust and confidence President Biden and Secretary Raimondo have placed in me,” said Kiernan. “I plan to work hard to justify that trust and ensure that the Commerce Department fulfills its mission of promoting the conditions for economic growth – and continues to support innovation and opportunities for all Americans and businesses.”

Kiernan has decades of experience working with corporations, boards, nonprofits, and governmental entities in litigation, regulatory compliance, policy development, and enforcement matters. During the Obama-Biden Administration, she served in the White House as Deputy Counsel to the President from 2011-14, where she advised on a wide range of compliance, risk-management, policy, and oversight issues. She also worked with the White House Council on Women and Girls, and later served as a senior advisor to the U.S. Mission to the United Nations. Recently, Kiernan served as a senior advisor on the Biden-Harris Transition, and she most recently served as Special Counsel in the Office of the White House Counsel. In addition to her government service, Kiernan has over 20 years’ experience as a litigation partner at national law firms in Washington, D.C. Since 2016, she has served on the board of Children’s National Medical Center, where she is currently vice-chair. Kiernan is a graduate of Brown University and Georgetown University Law Center.