Philip J. Perry

Phil Perry retired from the partnership in June 2026, following a unique career. He served in private practice as lead trial court and appellate counsel on matters of national importance, as the General Counsel for two federal agencies, and in multiple high-ranking positions in the US Department of Justice. Mr. Perry’s litigation victories were frequently featured in Law360, Bloomberg, Reuters, American Lawyer, and other national publications. The National Law Journal recognized Mr. Perry for his “remarkable successes” in its Litigation Trailblazers Report. Additionally, Mr. Perry was recognized on multiple occasions in the AmLaw “Litigators of the Week” publication, and as a BTI Client Service All-Star.         

In 2005, Mr. Perry was nominated by the President and confirmed unanimously by the US Senate as General Counsel of the US Department of Homeland Security. In that role, Mr. Perry managed an office of 1,500 lawyers responsible for all components of the department. Prior to his appointment at Homeland, Mr. Perry served as General Counsel of the White House Office of Management and Budget, addressing budgetary, regulatory, and policy issues across the Executive Branch. Mr. Perry also previously served as acting Associate Attorney General for the US Department of Justice (the Department’s third-ranking official), overseeing the Department’s Civil, Civil Rights, Environment and Natural Resources, Tax, and Antitrust Divisions. Earlier in his career, Mr. Perry served as Counsel to the US Senate’s 1997 Special Investigation of Campaign Finance Abuses.

Mr. Perry successfully litigated several of the leading federal cases regarding development of biotechnology.. He also successfully litigated high-profile cases involving the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the US Departments of Agriculture, Health and Human Services, Interior, and Justice (including the Drug Enforcement Administration). He successfully sued to invalidate federal and state regulations and agency actions,  including in cases each year from  2018 to 2025.

Mr. Perry also served as lead counsel in hearings before federal administrative law judges and in federal investigatory matters. Drawing on his prior experience with congressional investigations, Mr. Perry represented national security clients in multiple congressional hearings and inquiries. Drawing on his experience in government following 9/11, Mr. Perry also handled certain matters of homeland and national security.