Dawn Sears Callaghan is Vice President and Counsel for Porterfield & Lowenthal, LLC, with a concentration in the firm's financial services practice. Callaghan came to Porterfield & Lowenthal after serving as Director of Government Relations and Counsel for Van Scoyoc Associates, Inc. (VSA) where she was responsible for providing policy and legislative guidance and expertise to VSA’s financial services clients. Callaghan also provided strategic advice at a trade association, serving as legislative counsel for the Independent Community Bankers of America (ICBA). As legislative counsel, Callaghan was responsible for advocating financial services issues on behalf of community banks before Congress, the administration, and federal agencies. Callaghan also worked on Capitol Hill for the Senate Judiciary Committee and served as legislative counsel working on financial services issues for Representative Lee Terry then serving on the House Banking Committee. A native of Rhode Island, Callaghan is a graduate of Roger Williams University and Roger Williams University School of Law in Rhode Island. She is admitted to practice in Connecticut and before the United States Supreme Court.