About the Solicitor
Kate S. O'Scannlain
Solicitor of Labor
Kate S. O'Scannlain is the Solicitor of Labor. President Trump announced his intent to nominate Ms. O'Scannlain on September 28, 2017, and her nomination was confirmed by the U.S. Senate on December 21, 2017.
Before joining the U.S. Department of Labor, Ms. O'Scannlain was a partner in the Washington, D.C., office of Kirkland & Ellis LLP, where she worked for 12 years. Her practice focused on employment and labor law, including commercial litigation on behalf of clients in federal and state court, providing regulatory advice, and counseling on mergers, acquisitions, restructuring, and private equity.
Ms. O'Scannlain has wide experience in complex commercial and class-action litigation matters, including contract disputes, insurance disputes, fraud and fiduciary duty claims, defamation claims, securities fraud, bankruptcy, and pension and retirement law. She also provided pro bono representation to a variety of clients on diverse matters ranging from child-custody disputes, to helping Iraq War veterans obtain combat-related special compensation, to employment-related claims and issues. She has served as a regular volunteer with the Catholic Charities Legal Network Clinic.
Ms. O'Scannlain grew up in Portland, Oregon, and received her B.A. from the University of Notre Dame, cum laude, and her J.D. from Notre Dame Law School, where she serves on the Notre Dame Law Association Board.
Ms. O'Scannlain lives in Maryland with her husband and their four children.