Jenner & Block Adds Jonathan Skladany, a Former Top Advisor to Republicans on Key House Committees, to Congressional Investigations and Government Controversies Practices

Jonathan Skladany has joined Jenner & Block following a year of service at the International Monetary Fund and more than a decade of service to Republicans on key committees in the US House of Representatives.

As a Special Counsel in the firm’s Congressional Investigations and Government Controversies and Public Policy Litigation Practices, Jon adds significant experience to Jenner’s deep bench of former government officials due to his service on the House Committee on Financial Services and the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform. He is the 15^th lawyer with notable government experience to join the Washington, DC, office in the past two years.

“Our bipartisan Congressional Investigations Practice has long been a leader in Washington, helping clients navigate the most critical matters at the intersection of the law, policy, government, and media scrutiny,” said Co-Managing Partners Katya Jestin and Randy Mehrberg. “Jon’s wealth of experience advising House Republicans on high-profile investigations, especially those impacting the financial services industry, will be invaluable to clients as they seek to advance their business priorities while navigating the dynamic landscape in Washington.”

Jon spent more than a decade on the Hill and has held senior positions on both the House Committee on Financial Services and House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform (now called the Committee on Oversight and Accountability). As Chief Counsel for Oversight on the Financial Services Committee from 2019 to 2022, he worked with Speaker Pro-Tempore Patrick McHenry (R-NC), then ranking member of the full committee, and House Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R-MN), then ranking member of the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, to develop and execute an investigative agenda. He played a key role in several high-profile hearings, including the 17-month investigation of the “meme stock” event of January 2021 and the Oversight Committee’s multi-year investigation into risk management and supervision at one of the nation’s largest banks.

Jon also served on the Republican staff for the Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis from 2020 to 2022 under House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-LA), then Minority Whip. Jon advised Republicans on the Select Subcommittee over the course of 42 hearings and public briefings on a broad array of topics, including fraud in pandemic relief programs; the Federal Reserve’s response to the pandemic; and oversight of pandemic evictions. 

While serving as Staff Director to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform in 2017, Jon was the most senior political and policy advisor to the committee’s leadership. He oversaw all aspects of the committee’s operations and represented the committee in engagements with House and Senate leadership. From 2012 to 2016, Jon managed the committee’s process for issuing subpoenas to witnesses for documents and testimony.   

“As Congress continues to focus on issues related to ESG, technology, and financial services, specialized counsel that have seen these issues from a variety of vantage points is increasingly critical for clients,” said Emily Loeb, Chair of the Congressional Investigations Practice and Co-Chair of the Government Controversies and Public Policy Litigation Practice. “Jon’s unique experience and understanding of the landscape on the Hill, paired with his work with the US Treasury Department on behalf of the IMF, is a strong complement to our team and enhances our ability to advise clients on holistic strategies for their most critical matters.”

Having served on House committees from 2009 to 2022, Jon has seen majority control in Congress shift several times. In 2015, he played a critical role in drafting committee rules related to subpoenas and depositions, which subsequently became the standard at most committees with an oversight function in the House of Representatives.

Jon most recently served as Head of US Government Affairs and Senior Communications Officer of the International Monetary Fund (IMF). In that role, he advised the IMF on congressional outreach strategy and coordinated with partners at the White House and Treasury Department. Jon also played a leading role in building coalitions to advance the IMF’s policy objectives and in formulating its response to congressional inquiries.

“I’m thrilled to be joining Jenner’s elite congressional investigations team,” said Jon. “The practice has experienced incredible growth, and the team’s collective experience as congressional staff, in the federal government, and in high-stakes congressional investigations in private practice sets them apart. I’m looking forward to working alongside them.”

Jon’s arrival follows several high-profile hires in less than 12 months, including Emily’s return to Jenner. Most recently, she served on the “Day One” leadership team that joined the Department of Justice after President Biden’s inauguration. Other recent hires from government include:

• Partner Josh Hsu: former Counsel to Vice President Harris, General Counsel and Deputy Chief of Staff to then Senator Harris, Counsel to the Senate Judiciary Committee
• Of Counsel Eric Einhorn: former Chief of Staff for US Senator Brian Schatz (Hawaii), Senior Counsel for Technology and Communications Policy to Senator Schatz, Chief of the FCC’s Telecommunications Access Policy Division, Wireline Competition Bureau
• Associate William Ryan: former Senior Investigative Counsel for House Committee on Oversight and Accountability, Policy Aide to then-Vice President Biden

Jon earned his JD from George Mason University School of Law and BA from the College of William and Mary. He began his legal career as a legal assistant advising the Panel to Review Sexual Misconduct at the US Air Force Academy.