Philip Perry is a litigation partner in the Washington, D.C. office. His practice includes a range of complex litigation, including matters involving biotechnology, environmental compliance, government contracts and federal administrative law issues. He also handles a variety of Homeland Security and National Security issues, as well as regulatory matters before the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), US Department of Agriculture (USDA), US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and other federal agencies.
Over the past decade, Mr. Perry has served in a number of prominent and senior positions in the US Government, including at the Department of Justice, the White House and the Department of Homeland Security. Most recently, Mr. Perry served as the General Counsel of the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS), overseeing approximately 1,500 lawyers in the Department's Office of General Counsel and advising the Secretary of Homeland Security and the White House on the Department's legal and policy issues. He has been heavily involved in the development of DHS regulatory policy and has drafted and negotiated a broad cross-section of key legislation.
Mr. Perry has also served as the General Counsel of the White House Office of Management and Budget. In that position, he oversaw White House clearance of significant federal regulations, addressed appropriations and budget issues, mediated interagency disputes, and developed and implemented White House policies.
In addition Mr. Perry has also served in a number of positions at the US Department of Justice, including as acting Associate Attorney General (the third ranking official in the Department) overseeing the Department's Civil, Tax, Environment and Natural Resources, Antitrust and Civil Rights divisions. From 1997 to 1998, Mr. Perry also served as Counsel to the US Senate's Special Investigation of Campaign Finance Abuses.
Since returning from government service to Latham in 2007, Mr. Perry has been involved in several high profile matters, including in litigation before the Supreme Court (Entergy Corp. v. Riverkeeper, Inc., et al.) and in Federal Appellate and District Courts. His practice has included a specific focus on bioengineered crops, on complex government contracting issues, on a variety of environmental issues, and on cutting edge FDA matters. Drawing on his National and Homeland Security expertise, he has also counselled clients in matters involving chemical facility security, on CFIUS issues, on SAFETY Act matters, and a on number of related security questions. Mr. Perry has also represented clients in Congressional investigations and inquiries, and handled internal investigations.
Mr. Perry has been recognized as a leading litigator in the Euromoney Institutional Investor Benchmark: Litigation 2008 guide. He also chairs the firm's Homeland Security and Public Policy Practice groups.