Akin Gump has promoted Valerie Morse White, a government relations professional with more than 30 years of corporate federal advocacy experience, to the role of senior consultant at the firm. The firm will also welcome Casey Higgins as senior policy advisor. Ms. Higgins previously served as Assistant to the Speaker for Policy and Trade Counsel for former Speaker Paul Ryan (R-WI).
Ms. White previously served as a consultant to Akin Gump. Both Ms. White and Ms. Higgins will be in the firm’s public law and policy practice in its Washington, D.C. office.
Ms. White’s practice involves representing clients before Congress and the executive branch on a wide variety of issues, with a particular focus on financial services. She has held a number of senior corporate advocacy positions throughout her career, including vice president of government relations at American Express, and also ran her own consulting firm, where she represented clients in the financial services sector.
While serving in the Speaker’s office, Ms. Higgins focused on matters such as immigration, intellectual property, trade policy, privacy and cybersecurity. She will bring to the firm broad experience with issues before the House Judiciary, Ways and Means and Homeland Security committees.
About Valerie Morse White
As senior vice president of Beneficial Corporation, Ms. White managed all facets of the government relations department, including federal and state legislative and regulatory affairs, and corporate policy formation.
Ms. White also served as vice president of government relations at American Express Corporation, where she was the primary corporate representative for all banking and financial services issues. During her tenure, she accomplished a proactive set of financial services legislative and regulatory goals, collectively established with the corporation’s senior management team and board of directors.
Ms. White commented, “I am excited to continue my career at Akin Gump. The firm is home to the preeminent public policy practice in Washington and is strong in many of the areas I have focused on throughout my career, including financial services and Judiciary Committee matters. I look forward to continuing to put my advocacy skills to work on behalf of Akin Gump’s clients.”
About Casey Higgins
While serving in the Speaker’s office, Ms. Higgins advised Speaker Ryan and Republican leadership on a host of matters under the purview of the Ways and Means, Judiciary, Homeland Security and House Administration committees. She also served as the primary liaison for Speaker Ryan to the Obama administration and, subsequently the Trump administration, House and Senate Leadership and committee offices.
Prior to serving in the Speaker’s office, Ms. Higgins served as Trade Counsel to the House Committee on Ways and Means, and also as Rep. Ryan’s legislative counsel.
Speaking on her move to the firm, Ms. Higgins said, “I was drawn to Akin Gump because of its deep, bipartisan platform and focus on a number of key areas. During my tenure in the House, I was proud to be able to work with both my Republican and Democratic colleagues to advance key legislation, and I look forward to putting the same skills and effort to work on behalf of the firm’s clients.”