LITTLE ROCK, Ark., July 1, 2024 – With attorneys general across the country continuing to grow in prominence, power, and influence, Cozen O’Connor today announced litigator Dustin McDaniel — who served as Arkansas’s attorney general (AG) from 2007 to 2015 after serving a term in the state’s House of Representatives — joins its preeminent State Attorneys General Group as the group’s co-chair alongside former Virginia AG Jerry W. Kilgore. McDaniel will work out of the firm’s new Little Rock, Arkansas, office.
During his eight years as AG, McDaniel was selected by his colleagues around the nation to hold a number of key leadership positions, including chair of the Southern Region of the National Association of Attorneys General (NAAG); co-chair of the Democratic Attorneys General Association for three years; and as the democratic co-chair of the NAAG Tobacco Project, which oversees roughly $7 billion in annual payments between settling tobacco companies and 46 states. Further, he currently serves as co-chair of the Society of Attorneys General Emeritus (SAGE), the professional association for former AGs in the United States. He also served on the Democratic National Committee for 11 years.
Limited by law to only two terms as Arkansas’s AG, McDaniel subsequently formed the law firm McDaniel, Richardson, and Calhoun, PLLC (now McDaniel Wolff, PLLC) and established a successful national attorneys general practice based in Little Rock. In this role, he focused on handling complex litigation, investigations, and general government affairs with AGs and governors, advising and representing clients in issues related to technology, digital privacy, tobacco regulation, health care, administrative law, and casino gaming.
“With 10 state AG seats on the ballot in 2024, it’s vitally important that our clients keep a close eye on who occupies the AG office in states where they do business,” said Michael J. Heller, Cozen O’Connor’s Executive Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. “As a proven leader with connections at all levels within state AG offices across the country, Dustin is ideally suited to help our clients with their engagement strategy with AGs and their staff. He’s a tremendous addition to both the practice and the firm, and I’m thrilled to welcome him aboard.”
“AGs wield broad authority to investigate and take action on virtually any subject and in any industry,” said Jerry W. Kilgore, former Virginia AG and current chair of the Cozen O’Connor’s State Attorneys General practice. “As one of the first firms to establish a practice devoted entirely to state AG work, we are deeply committed to expanding both our network and our footprint — and on both sides of the political aisle. Considering his track record and his strong relationships within the AG community, Dustin’s a big-time add and I’m certain our clients will see it the same way.”
Recognized by Best Lawyers in America in the area of Government Relations Law, McDaniel began his career as a police officer in his hometown of Jonesboro, Arkansas. He was later recognized as a prominent young attorney and was elected to the Arkansas House of Representatives at age 32. He was the only first-term House member named by the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette to its “Top 10 Legislators” list in 2005. In 2006, he was elected as Arkansas’s 55th Attorney General, making him, at the time, the youngest AG in the United States.
McDaniel and his wife Bobbi have three children, and both are active in their community. He is a member of the board of trustees for the Central Arkansas Library System, 50 For the Future, and The UALR William. H. Bowen School of Law Dean’s Advisory Council. He also serves as an adjunct professor of law. Bobbi works as the director of development for Camp Aldersgate, a distinguished nonprofit serving special needs children and adults in Arkansas since 1947.
“I have admired Cozen O’Connor’s State Attorneys General Group for many years. The firm’s reputation among attorneys general and the business community is legendary. I am honored and excited to join Jerry in leading this extraordinary team,” McDaniel said. “I am confident that the team is ready to face the challenges that lie ahead. Cozen O’Connor’s State AG Practice Group is known for its integrity, hard work, and commitment to its clients. The McDaniels have been practicing law in Arkansas for more than a hundred years, embracing those same values.”
McDaniel earned his J.D. cum laude at the Bowen School of Law and a degree in public administration from the Walton College of Business at the University of Arkansas.
About Cozen O’Connor
Established in 1970, Cozen O’Connor has over 925 attorneys who help clients manage risk and make better business decisions. The firm counsels clients on their most sophisticated legal matters in all areas of the law, including litigation, corporate, and regulatory law. Representing a broad array of leading global corporations and middle market companies, Cozen O’Connor serves its clients’ needs through 33 offices across two continents.
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