Rob Leonard

Robert J. Leonard provides legislative and regulatory representation on tax, trade, health, energy, pension and social security issues. For more than three decades, Mr. Leonard has been a distinguished practitioner in the small circle of Federal tax policy advocates. Before joining Akin Gump, he served as chief counsel and staff director of the Committee on Ways and Means of the U.S. House of Representatives (1987-1993), as chief majority tax counsel of the Committee (1981-1986) and as its majority tax counsel (1974-1980). During his 20-year tenure on Capitol Hill, he was centrally involved in all major legislation considered by Congress, including the Tax Reform Act of 1976, the Economic Recovery Tax Act of 1981, the Tax Equity and Fiscal Responsibility Act of 1982, the Deficit Reduction Act of 1984, the Tax Reform Act of 1986, the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1990, the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1993, NAFTA and various fast-track trade initiatives. In addition, Mr. Leonard advised the Committee on budgetary matters and parliamentary practice and procedure. Since leaving the government, Mr. Leonard has been the founding partner of several boutique public policy firms and has represented a wide variety of clients, including global manufacturers, foreign governments and companies in the financial services, technology, health care, energy, transportation, insurance and transportation industries. Mr. Leonard received his B.A. from the University of Pennsylvania in 1968 and his J.D. from Vanderbilt Law School in 1971. He received his M.B.A. from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania in 1972. He is a member of the District of Columbia and New Jersey Bars.