WilmerHale is pleased to announce that Jonathan Blum, a former deputy assistant secretary for legislative affairs at the US Department of the Treasury, with extensive experience in both the Executive and Legislative branches of the US government, has joined the firm’s Public Policy and Legislative Affairs group.

From 2018 to until earlier this year, Mr. Blum served at Treasury where he provided legislative and political strategy for senior Treasury leadership on financial sector issues, including banking regulation, anti-money laundering reform, fintech, cybersecurity, and insurance. During his tenure at Treasury, Mr. Blum helped guide passage and implementation of the CARES Act, in particular, provisions establishing Federal Reserve emergency lending facilities and programs to provide liquidity to the airline industry.

Until joining WilmerHale, Mr. Blum was economic policy advisor for US Sen. Todd Young (R-IN), focusing on financial markets related issues as part of the Senate’s broader efforts to develop legislation to bolster US competitiveness in strategic industries, and curb China's growing economic influence, human rights abuses, and threats to US national security.

Before Treasury, Mr. Blum served in the House of Representatives, including as lead advisor to the House Financial Services Committee’s then-Chairman Jeb Hensarling (R-TX) on a wide range of issues related to federal banking regulations and consumer finance. He also advised then-US Sen. Dean Heller (R-NV), a member of the Senate’s Banking Committee, and worked on the Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee.

“Jon’s a valuable addition to our team” said Rob Lehman, co-chair of the firm’s public policy and legislative affairs team. “We expect that his deep experience in the policymaking branches of government will greatly benefit many WilmerHale clients.”