Eminent Litigator and Public Servant: Philip Richard Perry

Basic Information

Biographical and Family Profile

Philip Richard Perry was born Philip Jonathan Perry in San Diego on October 16, 1964, and reared in Orinda, a San Francisco Bay Area suburb. After graduating from Miramonte High School in 1982, he got a BA in English from Colorado College in 1986 and a JD from Cornell Law School in 1990. Perry was a proud Republican who worked in government before entering private practice.

In 1993, he married Elizabeth “Liz” Cheney, daughter of former Vice President Dick Cheney and Lynne Cheney. The couple has five children:

His extended family includes father-in-law Dick Cheney, mother-in-law Lynne Cheney, and sister-in-law Mary Cheney (married to Heather Poe), whose children Samuel David Cheney (b. 2007) and Sarah Lynne Cheney (b. 2009) are Perry’s nieces and nephew.

Career Trajectory and Roles

Philip Perry’s career spans significant roles in both public service and private practice. The following timeline summarizes his major positions:

Early Government Service

• Senate Counsel (1997–1998): Advised Senate investigations into campaign finance abuses during the 1996 presidential campaigns.
• Transition Policy Advisor (2000): Assisted in preparing the Bush–Cheney transition, including debate preparations and policy planning.
• Associate Attorney General (2001): Temporarily oversaw the civil litigating divisions of the Department of Justice, including Antitrust and Civil Rights.

OMB and DHS Tenure

• OMB General Counsel (2002): Supervised federal regulatory clearance, mediated interagency disputes, and advised the President on legal matters affecting all executive agencies.
• DHS General Counsel (2005–2007): Confirmed unanimously by the U.S. Senate, he shaped foundational legislation and policies for the newly formed Department of Homeland Security following its 2003 creation.

Private Practice

Perry, a partner with Latham & Watkins in Washington, D.C., specializes in complicated litigation, regulatory compliance, and constitutional law since 2007. He has appeared before the U.S. US Supreme Court, numerous. Appeal courts and federal district courts worldwide. His work covers biotechnology regulation, antitrust, and administrative law.

Public Profile and Controversies

Although known primarily among legal and policy circles, Philip Perry has attracted scrutiny over several high-profile decisions favoring industry interests:

• Chemical Security Legislation (2003): As OMB General Counsel, he challenged EPA regulatory power over chemical plant security, delaying post-9/11 safety steps for over 700 plants and threatening public safety.
• Microsoft Antitrust Settlement (2001): In his DOJ role, Perry was involved when the department abandoned efforts to break up Microsoft, leading to a settlement widely criticized by members of both parties as too lenient.
• DHS Chemical Security Authority (2006): Drafted amendments that limited DHS’s power to enforce stricter security standards or allow citizen suits, effectively preempting stronger state laws and favoring industry priorities.
• Post-Government Lobbying: After departing DHS, he lobbied for major corporations, reportedly earning over $700,000 representing clients such as Lockheed Martin, General Electric, and the American Chemistry Council, continuing a pattern of industry advocacy.

Despite these controversies, Perry receives recognition for client service and litigation excellence, including being named a Litigation Trailblazer by The National Law Journal in 2018 and earning multiple BTI Client Service All-Star awards.

Net Worth and Recognition

Many prominent private-practice lawyers, like Philip Perry, don’t reveal their net worth. However, being a partner at one of the world’s leading legal firms and a former senior government official, his personal net worth is likely high. His professional honors include:

• Litigation Trailblazer (2018) by a leading legal publication
• BTI Client Service All-Star on multiple occasions
• High-profile case appearances and media features in Bloomberg, Reuters, and Law360

FAQ

When and where was Philip Richard Perry born?

He was born on October 16, 1964, in San Diego, California, and raised in Orinda, California.

Who is Philip Perry married to and how many children does he have?

He has been married to Elizabeth “Liz” Cheney since 1993, and they have five children born between 1994 and 2006.

What high-level government roles has he held?

He served as General Counsel for the Office of Management and Budget (2002) and for the Department of Homeland Security (2005–2007), among other senior Justice Department and Senate counsel positions.

What controversies are associated with his career?

He has been criticized for delaying chemical security regulations, influencing the Microsoft antitrust settlement, and drafting industry-friendly DHS security legislation.

What is his current position and area of specialization?

He is a partner at Latham & Watkins in Washington, D.C., specializing in complex litigation, regulatory matters, biotechnology, and constitutional issues.

Is Philip Perry’s net worth publicly known?

No public disclosures exist, but his senior partnership and government service suggest a significant personal net worth.

References