Picture of Richardson, Christopher

Richardson, Christopher

Assistant Chief Counsel for Legislation, Regulations, and General Law

Chris Richardson was appointed to the position of Assistant Chief Counsel for Legislation, Regulations, and General Law in August 2016.  In this position, he is responsible for overseeing legal services related to delivering FHWA's legislative program, developing and coordinating regulations, matters concerning appropriations and fiscal law, and matters related to FHWA's internal programs.


Immediately prior to joining FHWA, Chris was the Assistant General Counsel for Legislation at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).  In this role, he advised and provided counsel regarding legislative issues to the Department's senior leadership, including the Secretary and Deputy Secretary, their senior staff, the General Counsel, the Assistant Secretary for Legislative Affairs, and the Assistant Secretary for Policy.  He was responsible for all aspects of the Department's legal responses to pending legislation and general legislative affairs, and overseeing the Department's legislative program. Chris also provided counsel in response to Congressional investigations. 

 

While at DHS, Chris was the principal drafter of numerous laws, including the Border Patrol Agent Pay Reform Act of 2014, and the Visa Waiver Program Improvement and Terrorist Travel Prevention Act of 2015.  As part of a leadership development program, Chris served as the Deputy Federal Security Director at Philadelphia International Airport, where he supported the Federal Security Director by providing day-to-day direction to more than 1000 federal airport security staff and general supervision of TSA's operations at the airport.  While at DHS, Chris received multiple awards from the General Counsel for his work, and a Secretary's award for his work on implementing a significant piece of legislation that responded to the 9/11 Commission recommendations. 

 

Chris began his career as a Legal Honors Intern at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) in 2001. While at HUD, Chris served as program counsel for the RESPA/Interstate Land Sales Division and the Manufactured Housing Office and as a staff attorney in the Office of Legislation and Regulations.  

 

Chris received a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the College of New Jersey.  He received a Juris Doctor from the Wake Forest University School of Law, where he was an Executive Editor of the Wake Forest Law Review.  He is admitted to practice in the State of Maryland.  Chris lives in Severna Park, MD with his wife Lee Ann with their two children, Galen (12) and Celia (10). 




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