Dana Ann Remus (born 1974/1975) 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.[2]
Dana Remus | |
|---|---|
 Remus in 2021 | |
| White House Counsel | |
| In office January 20, 2021 – July 1, 2022 | |
| President | Joe Biden |
| Preceded by | Pat Cipollone |
| Succeeded by | Stuart Delery |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1974 or 1975 (age 49–50)[1] New Hampshire, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse(s) |
Michael J. Irwin
(m. 2005, divorced) |
| Education | Harvard University (BA) Yale University (JD) |
Early life and education
editDana Remus was born in New Hampshire[2] and raised in the town of Bedford.[3] She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in East Asian studies from Harvard University in 1997[4] and a Juris Doctor from Yale Law School in 2002.[5][6] While at Harvard, Remus rowed as senior heavyweight crew captain and tried out for the United States National Women's Rowing Team.[7]
Career
editAfter 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).[8] In 2008, she clerked for Justice Samuel Alito of the Supreme Court of the United States.[9] She then taught from 2009 to 2013 at the University of New Hampshire School of Law[10] 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.[11]
Biden administration
editRemus was named White House counsel on November 17, 2020.[12] She left her position in July 2022 and was replaced by Stuart F. Delery.[13][14]
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.[15]
Personal life
editDana 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.[16] The couple have one son.[17] Remus was previously married to Michael J. "Mike" Irwin, a rowing coach.[18]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ Madhani, Aamer; Tucker, Eric; Miller, Zeke (October 24, 2021). "To navigate legal quandaries, Biden leans on low-key counsel". Associated Press. Retrieved June 7, 2024.
- ^ 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.
- ^ 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.
- ^ Hochman, Dafna V. (June 4, 1997). "Pulling for the Team". Harvard Crimson.
- ^ 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.
- ^ "Biden for President Campaign Organization - Staff, Advisors and Supporters". www.democracyinaction.us. Retrieved November 17, 2020.
- ^ "Pulling for the Team | News | the Harvard Crimson".
- ^ "Drexel Law lines up faculty - Philadelphia Business Journal". Philadelphia Business Journal. Retrieved November 17, 2020.
- ^ Ollstein, Alice Miranda; Cook, Nancy. "Biden names former Alito clerk to top White House job". POLITICO. Retrieved November 17, 2020.
- ^ "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.
- ^ Shear, Michael D. (November 18, 2020). "Dana Remus Has Taken an Unlikely Path to the White House Counsel's Office". The New York Times.
- ^ Barber, C. Ryan (November 17, 2020). "Former Alito Clerk Dana Remus Is Named Biden White House Counsel". National Law Journal. Retrieved November 17, 2020.
- ^ Samuels, Brett (July 15, 2022). "White House counsel Dana Remus to leave role next month". The Hill. Retrieved July 24, 2022.
- ^ Johnson, Carrie (June 15, 2022). "Dana Remus made legal history in the White House. Now she's moving on". NPR. Retrieved July 24, 2022.
- ^ 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.
- ^ Garrison Phillips, Hayley (January 23, 2018). "President Obama Officiated at a Wedding in DC This Past Weekend". Washingtonian. Retrieved January 27, 2020.
- ^ "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.
- ^ "Mike Irwin - Head Coach - Staff Directory".
External links
edit- Dana Remus profile (Archived 1/11/2021) from the Biden-Harris Transition