Jenner & Block Expands Congressional Investigations, Crisis Management Capabilities with Arrival of Former DOJ and Senate Chief of Staff Matthew Klapper

Jenner & Block is pleased to announce that Matthew B. Klapper has joined as a Partner in its Washington, DC office, where he will serve as co-chair of the Congressional Investigations Practice and play a key role in the Government Controversies and Public Policy Litigation Practice. He will also serve as a founding co-chair of the Global Crisis Management and Strategic Risk Practice.  
 
Known for his strategic insight, bipartisan relationships, and steady leadership, Matt most recently served as Chief of Staff at the United States Department of Justice (DOJ), where he oversaw the Attorney General’s office, led crisis management and congressional strategy, served as a senior counselor on major civil, criminal, and national security matters, and helped manage the Department’s 115,000-person workforce. As one of the longest-serving Chiefs of Staff in Department history, Matt was instrumental in steering the Department through complex matters and congressional scrutiny. Matt is a recipient of the Edmund J. Randoph Award, the Department’s highest honor, which recognizes individuals who have made an “outstanding contribution” to the DOJ’s mission. 
 
Before joining DOJ, Matt was a long-serving Chief of Staff in the United States Senate, where he led oversight, policy, and communications strategy for United States Senator Cory A. Booker (D-NJ). He also served as Chief Policy Advisor for the City of Newark, New Jersey and worked on local, statewide, and national campaigns.

During his tenure in the US Senate and Department of Justice, Matt has gained extensive experience both conducting and defending against government oversight efforts. He has prepared multiple senior officials for high-stakes Congressional hearings and media appearances, including the Senate confirmation hearing for Attorney General Merrick B. Garland and Senator Booker’s preparation for five nationally televised debates during the 2020 US presidential Democratic primaries. 
 
“Matt is one of Washington’s most trusted strategists,” said Co-Managing Partners Ishan Bhabha and Randy Mehrberg. “With a background that spans legislative and legal strategy, investigations, and crisis response, Matt brings sharp judgment and calm under pressure. He understands how law, policy, politics, and reputation intersect—and how the players at the highest levels of Congress and the Executive Branch operate. And his insight and steady leadership have earned him deep respect across the political spectrum.” 

Matt joins a bipartisan Congressional Investigations Practice leadership team that includes Emily Loeb, former Associate Deputy Attorney General and Associate White House Counsel, and Ashley Callen, who recently joined the firm having served as General Counsel to Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (R-LA) and Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-LA).  
 
“Matt’s deep experience in the Senate and at the Department of Justice adds a powerful dimension to our team,” said Congressional Investigations Co-Chairs Emily and Ashley. “Combined with our Legislative and Executive Branch backgrounds, we offer clients a rare, full-spectrum perspective on congressional investigations and crisis response. Our team has been carefully built to help clients navigate the legal uncertainty, regulatory intensity, and reputational scrutiny that define today’s landscape. Matt’s political savvy and sound judgment strengthens our ability to guide clients through their most challenging business crises with confidence and clarity.” 
 
Matt will also co-lead Jenner & Block’s newly launched Global Crisis Management and Strategic Risk Practice, alongside Partners Joanna Ludlam and Wade Thomson. The practice is designed to address the increasingly complex and multijurisdictional crises confronting clients, integrating legal, regulatory, political, and reputational considerations into cohesive and strategic risk mitigation efforts and crisis response. Drawing on the firm’s deep bench of experienced litigators, crisis advisors, and former senior government officials, the team crafts tailored solutions that reflect each client’s specific risk profile. The practice helps clients cut through complexity, respond with clarity, and emerge stronger and more resilient.  
 
“Matt brings not only experience but a clear vision for how to help clients emerge stronger from moments of crisis,” said Global Crisis Management and Strategic Risk Co-Chairs Jo and Wade. “We are proud to be launching this new practice at a critical moment for clients seeking problem solvers and trusted counselors to strategically navigate immediate crises and long-term risks. Matt’s ability to align legal strategy with reputational and geopolitical dynamics sets him apart and will help support clients from across the globe facing an increasingly unpredictable future.” 
 
“I’m honored to join Jenner & Block,” said Matt. “The firm’s reputation for fearlessly and ably handling the most complex and consequential matters is unmatched. I look forward to partnering with my colleagues across the firm to help clients manage investigations, risk, and crisis—both in Washington and in the increasingly complex and interconnected global environment.” 
 
Matt holds a JD from Yale Law School and a BA from the University of Pennsylvania.