Brian Hauck co-founded and co-chairs Jenner & Block’s State Attorneys General Practice, which helps companies in technology, health care, financial services, and other consumer-facing and regulated industries navigate both the legal and political dimensions of state AG matters. With experience with State AG offices across the country, from the most aggressive to those with more targeted agendas, Brian brings bipartisan credibility and deep relationships that translate into strategic advice for clients.
Whether through proactive engagement, leading an investigation, or negotiating with the government, Brian develops the narratives that help regulators see conduct from the client’s perspective, deploying factual, legal, and policy arguments in a manner that the government can accept. He is attuned to the reputational dimensions of these matters, recognizing that every interaction with a regulator is an opportunity to advance a client’s long-term brand and relationships.
Brian’s practice regularly involves negotiating complex multistate settlements, crafting engagement strategies with attorneys general across divergent jurisdictions, and advising clients on both the legal and political dimensions of their regulatory exposure across consumer protection, products liability, antitrust, financial services, technology, and ESG-related matters. He has achieved 50-state settlements in numerous industries, persuaded multiple state AGs to close investigations without a finding of liability, and successfully prevented state AGs and city councils from filing suits following active investigations.
Brian started his career at Jenner & Block and later rejoined the firm following his departure from government service. At the Department of Justice, he partnered with state attorneys general on some of the largest settlements in history, including the National Mortgage and Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill resolutions. He regularly navigates multi-state, multi-agency environments and delivers pragmatic solutions that earn the respect of both clients and the regulators he works with every day.
To persuade, the stories we tell have to be simple, compelling, and 100 percent accurate.
Representative Matters
State Attorneys General
- Prevented state AGs and city councils in multiple states from filing suit against a technology company during investigations of alleged misconduct.
- Represented a hospitality company in multi-state, industry-wide consumer protection investigation that did not result finding of liability.
- Persuaded multiple state AGs to close consumer protection investigation into an internet platform.
- Achieved a 48-state settlement and resolved claims of municipal governments for a health care company in multi-state negotiations.
- Experienced in navigating the multistate attorneys general landscape, including settlements on behalf of Chase Bank, General Motors, McKesson, and many others, and on issues ranging from products liability to consumer protection to antitrust.
- Advised clients on their risks and dealings with state attorneys general and city attorneys alleging unfair, deceptive, or abusive practices, in industries ranging from financial services and Fintech to communications, hospitality, and car rentals.
- Represented food producer in state AG investigation regarding disclosures and use of FDA-approved ingredients.
- Persuaded state AG to close investigation of technology company regarding alleged misrepresentations regarding terms of service.
- Represented health care company in settlement resolving claims of 50 states and thousands of local jurisdictions regarding opioid-related issues.
Government Controversies and Public Policy Litigation
- Represented a major technology company in understanding and impacting the policy, legislative, and regulatory landscape for AI in state legislatures, Congress, and legislative and regulatory bodies across the globe to help provide consistency and clarity across emerging regulatory frameworks.
- Provided advice on navigating legislative investigations before city councils and similar bodies on high-profile matters of local interest.
- Represented a social media company that received formal and informal inquiries from multiple states, and crafted an engagement strategy that was successfully utilized consistently across offices with divergent interests and agenda.
ESG: Environmental, Social, and Governance
- Represented multiple companies in investigations by numerous state AGs regarding companies’ ESG-related practices.
- Represented a financial services company in a multistate Attorney General inquiry regarding ESG practices. In that context, we recommended engaging with the Attorneys General, who found the company’s explanations satisfactory and moved on without litigation.
Credentials
Service / Recognition
Overview
Brian Hauck co-founded and co-chairs Jenner & Block’s State Attorneys General Practice, which helps companies in technology, health care, financial services, and other consumer-facing and regulated industries navigate both the legal and political dimensions of state AG matters. With experience with State AG offices across the country, from the most aggressive to those with more targeted agendas, Brian brings bipartisan credibility and deep relationships that translate into strategic advice for clients.
Whether through proactive engagement, leading an investigation, or negotiating with the government, Brian develops the narratives that help regulators see conduct from the client’s perspective, deploying factual, legal, and policy arguments in a manner that the government can accept. He is attuned to the reputational dimensions of these matters, recognizing that every interaction with a regulator is an opportunity to advance a client’s long-term brand and relationships.
Brian’s practice regularly involves negotiating complex multistate settlements, crafting engagement strategies with attorneys general across divergent jurisdictions, and advising clients on both the legal and political dimensions of their regulatory exposure across consumer protection, products liability, antitrust, financial services, technology, and ESG-related matters. He has achieved 50-state settlements in numerous industries, persuaded multiple state AGs to close investigations without a finding of liability, and successfully prevented state AGs and city councils from filing suits following active investigations.
Brian started his career at Jenner & Block and later rejoined the firm following his departure from government service. At the Department of Justice, he partnered with state attorneys general on some of the largest settlements in history, including the National Mortgage and Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill resolutions. He regularly navigates multi-state, multi-agency environments and delivers pragmatic solutions that earn the respect of both clients and the regulators he works with every day.
To persuade, the stories we tell have to be simple, compelling, and 100 percent accurate.
Areas of Focus
Representative Matters
State Attorneys General
- Prevented state AGs and city councils in multiple states from filing suit against a technology company during investigations of alleged misconduct.
- Represented a hospitality company in multi-state, industry-wide consumer protection investigation that did not result finding of liability.
- Persuaded multiple state AGs to close consumer protection investigation into an internet platform.
- Achieved a 48-state settlement and resolved claims of municipal governments for a health care company in multi-state negotiations.
- Experienced in navigating the multistate attorneys general landscape, including settlements on behalf of Chase Bank, General Motors, McKesson, and many others, and on issues ranging from products liability to consumer protection to antitrust.
- Advised clients on their risks and dealings with state attorneys general and city attorneys alleging unfair, deceptive, or abusive practices, in industries ranging from financial services and Fintech to communications, hospitality, and car rentals.
- Represented food producer in state AG investigation regarding disclosures and use of FDA-approved ingredients.
- Persuaded state AG to close investigation of technology company regarding alleged misrepresentations regarding terms of service.
- Represented health care company in settlement resolving claims of 50 states and thousands of local jurisdictions regarding opioid-related issues.
Government Controversies and Public Policy Litigation
- Represented a major technology company in understanding and impacting the policy, legislative, and regulatory landscape for AI in state legislatures, Congress, and legislative and regulatory bodies across the globe to help provide consistency and clarity across emerging regulatory frameworks.
- Provided advice on navigating legislative investigations before city councils and similar bodies on high-profile matters of local interest.
- Represented a social media company that received formal and informal inquiries from multiple states, and crafted an engagement strategy that was successfully utilized consistently across offices with divergent interests and agenda.
ESG: Environmental, Social, and Governance
- Represented multiple companies in investigations by numerous state AGs regarding companies’ ESG-related practices.
- Represented a financial services company in a multistate Attorney General inquiry regarding ESG practices. In that context, we recommended engaging with the Attorneys General, who found the company’s explanations satisfactory and moved on without litigation.
Credentials
Admissions
- California
- District of Columbia
Education
- Harvard Law School, JD, cum laude, 2001
- DePauw University, summa cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa, 1998
Clerkships
- Hon. Karen Nelson Moore, US Court of Appeals, Sixth Circuit, 2002-2003
Service / Recognition
Awards
- Capitol Pro Bono High Honor Roll, 2025