Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck is pleased to announce that Brian T. McGuire will return to the firm as a policy director in its Government Relations Department. He will be based in the firm’s Washington, D.C., office.
“Brian is a trusted, longtime advisor on public policy and political strategy and we are pleased to welcome him back,” said Marc Lampkin, managing partner of the firm’s Washington, D.C., office. “He brings expansive senior level executive and legislative branch experience and has a remarkable understanding of the people, policies, political nuances and messages that drive results in many industries, from financial services and energy to infrastructure and health care.”
Most recently, McGuire served as the top legislative affairs official at the Department of the Treasury and, prior to that role, as a longtime senior aide to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY). At Treasury, he advised Sec. Steven Mnuchin and other departmental offices and bureaus on all legislative matters from the beginning of 2019 through early 2020, first as counselor to the secretary and most recently as assistant secretary for legislative affairs. He was nominated for the latter position by President Trump and confirmed by the Senate by a vote of 88-6.
During his tenure at Treasury, McGuire guided the confirmation of numerous senior Treasury officials. On the policy front, he helped guide implementation of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017, successfully pushed for Senate approval and ratification of five long-stalled treaty protocols, provided consultation on key sanctions activities, oversaw the rollout of new regulations under the Foreign Investment Risk Review Modernization Act, and helped manage Treasury’s congressional consultation on Phase II of the administration’s coronavirus response, the Families First Coronavirus Response (CARES) Act. He also managed hearing preparation for 12 cabinet-level congressional hearings.
Prior to his work at the Treasury, he served as chief of staff to Sen. McConnell, where he was responsible for guiding home-state priorities and advising on strategic communications, politics and policy. He also served for eight years in a variety of senior communications roles in Sen. McConnell’s Senate Leadership Office. He has advised several winning U.S. Senate campaigns, and worked as a consultant for the National Republican Senatorial Committee. During the Bush administration, McGuire served as chief speechwriter for the secretary of the Department of Housing and Urban Development.
McGuire earned his master’s degree from Columbia University and his bachelor’s degree at St. John’s College.