Elliott I. Portnoy is Chairman of Sonnenschein Nath & Rosenthal LLP. Since assuming that role in 2007, he has directed Sonnenschein’s successful expansion into new U.S. and global markets and overseen the growth in the firm’s reputation as a leader in key areas of law and business.
Prior to assuming the chairmanship, Mr. Portnoy led Sonnenschein’s Public Law & Policy Strategies Group, a practice which he founded and which is one of the fastest growing law firm public policy practices in the nation. Mr. Portnoy guided this bipartisan team of lawyers and non-lawyer policy professionals to a national profile, with Roll Call placing the group in the national "Top 25," Legal Times’ Influence publication calling it a "Top 10 Lobbying Practice," and Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business designating it one of Sonnenschein's outstanding practices nationally. Mr. Portnoy also is recognized for spearheading that group’s innovative information capital and political intelligence capability, which has become an invaluable resource to clients with an interest in policy developments in Washington, D.C., and in state capitols around the nation.
Mr. Portnoy is widely seen as among the leaders in law firm public policy work. Most recently, he was recognized by the Washington Business Journal as the "Top Washington Lawyer" in the Lobbying Law category (2009), as one of the nation’s top lobbyists by Washingtonian Magazine (2007), and as a prominent public policy lawyer by The Hill (2008), by Super Lawyers (2007–2009) and its Corporate Counsel edition (July 2009) and by various other publications. Mr. Portnoy has been recognized in successive editions of Chambers USA, with the publication’s 2009 edition calling him a “seriously smart tactician,” noting that he “impresses with his levelheaded approach to matters.”
Mr. Portnoy provides strategic advice to corporations, trade associations, creditors' committees, private equity and hedge funds, investment banks, educational institutions, local and foreign governments and nonprofit organizations. His work on behalf of these clients has encompassed a broad array of public policy matters and legislative efforts before Congress, executive branch departments and agencies, state legislatures and other public bodies.
An ability to successfully and seamlessly bridge between Wall Street and K Street has allowed Mr. Portnoy to represent some of Wall Street's biggest names and most legendary players, providing customized political intelligence and analysis of governmental actions that have the potential to move markets and change the earnings outlook for companies and industries.
Mr. Portnoy’s diverse practice also includes substantial work advising clients on political compliance, media relations and crisis communications strategy, and partnership development initiatives.
In addition to serving high-profile clients in policy and strategy matters, Mr. Portnoy has served as vice chair of the ABA Legislative Process and Lobbying Committee and remains engaged in discourse regarding the legal profession and its contributions to the making of public policy.
Mr. Portnoy maintains active engagement in pro bono and community service efforts. In addition to serving on the boards of several national nonprofit organizations, he is the founder of Kids Enjoy Exercise Now (KEEN), an innovative nonprofit that provides sports opportunities to children with severe and profound disabilities. Mr. Portnoy started KEEN while completing his doctorate at Oxford University as a Rhodes Scholar, and replicated the program in Washington, D.C., in 1992; and in Chicago, Kansas City, Los Angeles, New York, Phoenix and San Francisco and St. Louis in recent years. The organization has trained more than 16,000 volunteers and each week serves hundreds of young people with disabilities across the nation.
Mr. Portnoy’s many community service and advocacy efforts have earned him multiple awards, including the S. Robert Cohen Award from the Jewish Foundation for Group Homes (2006) and the Abe Pollin Humanitarian Award from the Jewish Community Center of Greater Washington (2005).