American University Washington College of Law Taps Senior Government
Attorneys to Teach Federal Regulatory Process
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Washington, D.C., May 4, 2016 – American University Washington College of Law (AUWCL) announced today that two senior-level attorneys from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Department of Energy (DOE) will join the law school’s adjunct faculty this summer.
Associate General Counsel for Regulatory Affairs in the Office of the General Counsel at DHS Christina E. McDonald and Assistant General Counsel for Legislation, Regulation and Energy Efficiency at DOE Daniel Cohen will serve as co-instructors for the Federal Regulatory Process course. As new faculty members of the law school’s Program on Law and Government, McDonald and Cohen will work collaboratively to develop the curriculum and identify guest speakers for the course.
“At AUWCL, we encourage students to explore the intersection between theory and practice,” said Professor Amy Tenney, associate director of the Program on Law & Government. “We are thrilled that Cohen and McDonald will be applying their vast knowledge to teach our students about the day-to-day realities of practicing regulatory law.”
McDonald and Cohen bring extensive regulatory and legislative experience from the federal government. In her current role at DHS, McDonald advises the department leadership on legal issues associated with DHS rulemaking actions. She also oversees the DHS regulatory process, coordinates DHS review and clearance of regulatory actions, and manages DHS-wide implementation of government-wide regulatory initiatives. Prior to joining DHS, she served as a trial attorney at the Federal Railroad Administration, where she worked on regulatory as well as enforcement matters.
At the DOE, Cohen oversees an office of 18 attorneys, where he is counsel for the Departments’ efficiency and renewable energy programs, leads the development of DOE views on pending legislation, manages drafting of the agency’s legislative proposals, and provides legal counsel and rulemaking support to programs throughout the department. Prior to joining DOE, he served for thirteen years as an attorney in the Department of Commerce’s Office of the General Counsel.
The course provides an overview of the federal regulatory process and considers the underlying purpose of regulation to solve national problems. “Professor McDonald and I have re-designed the Federal Regulatory Process class to focus on practical concepts,” said Cohen. “We have organized the course in three segments: first addressing the nuts and bolts of regulatory development, then looking at a number of controversial regulatory issues, and finishing with an examination of how the regulatory agencies interact with the Congress and the courts.”
McDonald added, “Our expectation is that students will gain a thorough understanding of how agencies develop regulations. We hope to bring these topics to life through real-world exercises and an array of accomplished practitioners as guest lecturers.”
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In 1896, American University Washington College of Law became the first law school in the country founded by women. More than 100 years since its founding, this law school community is grounded in the values of equality, diversity, and intellectual rigor. The law school's nationally and internationally recognized programs (in clinical legal education, trial advocacy, international law, and intellectual property to name a few) and dedicated faculty provide its JD, LL.M., and SJD students with the critical skills and values to have an immediate impact as students and as graduates, in Washington, D.C., and around the world. For more information, visit wcl.american.edu.