With a distinguished career spanning more than 20 years in public service and private practice, Brian is a go-to problem solver who provides clients with strong crisis management and environmental compliance and regulatory counseling, including enforcement defense work and associated litigation. He counsels on transportation-related issues, such as US Department of Transportation (DOT) regulatory compliance and enforcement matters and National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigations. He has also advised diverse global clients-related to the transportation, manufacturing, and financial services industries, and more-on a range of environmental matters, such as Congressional and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) engagement strategies, EPA and California Air Resources Board (CARB) compliance programs, and Clean Air Act litigation. He acquired a unique perspective working as a leader at DOT and uses that experience to deliver measured insight to clients.

Prior to joining Hunton, Brian served in several roles at DOT including, most recently, Deputy General Counsel for the Office of the Secretary (OST), as well as Special Counsel for the OST and Chief Counsel for the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA). At DOT, Brian demonstrated leadership in managing pivotal enforcement actions and advising on regulatory challenges. He served as lead negotiator and deal maker for the agency in enforcement actions involving safety, consumer protection, and mergers, with a particular focus on aviation and surface transportation. In the aftermath of the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse, Brian managed DOT's role in "the all of government response," including the Patapsco River dredging, which was critical to restoring the Port of Baltimore to service. He also routinely briefed members of Congress and their staff and prepared a former US Secretary of Transportation and modal administrators for Congressional testimony.

Before his tenure at DOT, Brian was a partner in private practice focused on commercial litigation and regulatory counseling for automotive and non-road engine manufacturers and representing them in compliance and enforcement actions involving emissions issues and product safety before the EPA, CARB, and the Department of Justice (DOJ). Those "emissions issues" could include helping a client that is seeking to certify an engine family for production, obtaining approval to change the composition of a gas tank, or responding to complex inquiries or enforcement from EPA or CARB that could result in recalls, penalties, criminal sanctions, and private and state attorneys general litigation. He also counseled on subject matters such as Congressional and EPA engagement strategies, toxic torts, battery storage disputes, off-road recreational vehicle safety requirements, and the Clean Air Act and advised clients in litigation funding, incident response, and product stewardship matters.

Bar Admissions

Education

JD, University of Virginia School of Law

BA, Government and History, The University of Texas at Austin