WASHINGTON, D.C. — The National Association of Wholesaler-Distributors (NAW) today announced six appointments to the NAW Legal Policy Center (LPC) Advisory Board of constitutional attorneys. Established in 2024, the LPC serves as the voice of the wholesale distribution industry in precedent-setting litigation to support free enterprise and our industry in the increasingly active judicial system.
As members of the NAW LPC Advisory Board, these attorneys serve as a valuable resource as the LPC engages in litigation pushing back against administrative overreach, protecting the rule of law, and ensuring our nation’s legal system does not impose illegal restrictions on America’s $8 trillion wholesale distribution industry.
Advisory Board Members include:
Megan Brown, Partner, Wiley Rein LLP
Co-chair of the Wiley’s Privacy, Cyber & Data Governance practice, Megan has a strong background in federal contracting, administrative law, and advising on cybersecurity, supply chain, and software security. Megan is leading a challenge in the Seventh Circuit to an agency’s misuse of emergency power to impose new cyber requirements without notice and comment.
Michael Connolly, Partner, Consovoy & McCarthy PLLC
An experienced litigator specializing in constitutional and administrative law, Michael argued Brown v. U.S. Department of Education at the U.S. Supreme Court, a constitutional challenge to President Biden’s student-loan forgiveness program.
Andrew Grossman, Partner, BakerHostetler
Leader of BakerHostetler’s Appellate and Major Motions practice, Andrew is known for litigating high-profile regulatory and constitutional cases, including West Virginia v. EPA and Moore v. United States.
Allyson Ho, Partner, Gibson Dunn
Co-chair of Gibson Dunn’s nationwide Appellate and Constitutional Law practice group, Allyson has presented over one hundred oral arguments in federal and state courts nationwide, including arguing six high-stakes business cases in the U.S. Supreme Court.
James A. Paretti, Jr., Shareholder, Littler Mendelson
An experienced management-side employment and labor relations attorney with expertise in labor, employment, and administrative law, regulations, and legislation, Jim is Co-Chair of Littler’s Workplace Policy Institute, the firm’s government relations and advocacy arm. Previously, Jim has served as an advisor to the Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, Chairmen of the U.S. House Committee on Education and the Workforce, and senior level administration officials.
Gordon Todd, Partner, Sidley & Austin|
Founder and Co-Leader of Sidley Austin’s Regulatory Litigation practice, Gordon has a long history of successfully challenging overreach by federal and state governments and protecting economic and civil liberties.
“By appointing these six distinguished constitutional attorneys, we are ensuring our industry’s voice is powerfully represented in precedent-setting litigation,” said Eric Hoplin, President & CEO of NAW. “The NAW Legal Policy Center is committed to safeguarding our constitutional rights and proactively navigating the complex legal landscape impacting wholesaler-distributors.”
The NAW LPC achieved several early successes in the U.S. Supreme Court and Federal District Courts, including acting as plaintiff challenging the Department of Labor over its costly and burdensome Overtime Rule, and joining a lawsuit against OSHA’s recent Worker Walkaround Rule, as well as, filing an amicus brief against the SEC’s overreaching Climate-Risk Disclosure Act, and in support of a lawsuit challenging the FTC’s ban on non-compete clauses. They also presented a brief cited by the Supreme Court in support of E.M.D. Sales v. Carrera.
Karen Harned, President of Harned Strategies LLC, serves as Director of Litigation and Legal Policy for the NAW LPC. She brings over 35 years of experience in legal policy and small business advocacy to the role.
The National Association of Wholesaler-Distributors (NAW) is one of America’s leading trade associations, representing the $8.2 trillion wholesale distribution industry. Founded in 1946, NAW comprises national, regional, and state employers of all sizes, industry trade associations, partners, and stakeholders spanning all distribution sectors. Our industry employs more than 6 million workers throughout the United States, accounting for 1/3 of the U.S. GDP.
