MURIEL BOWSER
MAYOR
March 8, 2024
The Honorable Phil Mendelson
Chairman
Council of the District of Columbia
John A. Wilson Building
1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Suite 504
Washington, DC 20004
Dear Chairman Mendelson:
In accordance with section 2 of the Confirmation Act of 1978, effective March 3, 1979 (D.C. Law 2-
142; D.C. Official Code § 1-523.01), and pursuant to section 2214 of the District of Columbia School
Reform Act of 1995, approved April 26, 1996 (110 Stat. 1321; D.C. Official Code § 38-1802.14), I am
pleased to nominate the following individual:
Mr. James Sandman
Pennsylvania Avenue, SE
Washington, DC 20003
(Ward 6)
for reappointment as a member of the Public Charter School Board, for a term to end February 24,
2028.
Enclosed, you will find biographical information detailing the experience of the above-mentioned
nominee, together with a proposed resolution to assist the Council during the confirmation process.
I would appreciate the Council’s earliest consideration of this nomination for confirmation. Please
do not hesitate to contact me, or Steven Walker, Director, Mayor’s Office of Talent and
Appointments, should the Council require additional information.
Sincerely,
Muriel Bowser
Mayor
 1
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at the request of the Mayor
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5
6 A PROPOSED RESOLUTION
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10 IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
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15 To confirm the reappointment of James Sandman to the Public Charter School Board.
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17 RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, that this
18 resolution may be cited as the "Public Charter School Board James Sandman Confirmation
19 Resolution of 2024".
20 Sec. 2. The Council of the District of Columbia confirms the reappointment of:
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22 Mr. James Sandman
23 Pennsylvania Avenue, SE
24 Washington, DC 20003
25 (Ward 6)
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27 as a member of the Public Charter School Board, established by section 2214 of the District of.
28 Columbia School Reform Act of 1995, approved April 26, 1996 (110 Stat. 1321; D.C. Official
29 Code§ 38-1802.14), for a term to end February 24, 2028.
30 Sec. 3. The Council of the District of Columbia shall transmit a copy of this resolution,
31 upon its adoption, to the nominee and to the Office of the Mayor.
32 Sec. 4. This resolution shall take effect immediately.
 JAMES J. SANDMAN
SUMMARY
Broad leadership experience as President of a national non-profit corporation, Managing
Partner of a leading international law firm, General Counsel of a major urban school district
undergoing dramatic transformation, President of the District of Columbia Bar, and
chair/officer/board member of non-profit organizations. Frequent speaker and panelist on
issues involving the administration of justice, the legal profession, diversity, and pro bono
programs.
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
2020 – Distinguished Lecturer and Senior Consultant to the Future of the Profession Initiative
Present University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School
2023 -- Senior Advisor and Chair of the National Leadership Council
Present Frontline Justice
2020 – President Emeritus
Present Legal Services Corporation
2011 – President
2020 Legal Services Corporation
Chief executive officer of the non-profit corporation established by Congress to provide
funding for civil legal services for low-income people. LSC is the largest single funder of
civil legal aid programs in the United States, making grants to 132 programs with more
than 850 offices and almost 5,000 lawyers serving every state and the territories
• Oversaw budget of $440 million and managed staff of 115 employees
• Approved all grants
• Represented LSC in dealing with Members of Congress and their staffs
• Worked closely with eleven-member Board of Directors appointed by the President
of the United States and confirmed by the Senate
2007 – General Counsel
2011 District of Columbia Public Schools
Chief Legal Officer for a 45,000-student, 8,000-employee public school system under the
leadership of Chancellor Michelle Rhee
• Member of Chancellor Rhee's senior management team
• Responsible for all legal issues arising in the school system, including labor and
employment matters, policy development, administrative litigation, and
 compliance with federal and local law
• Managed an office of 18 lawyers and six staff
1977 - Managing Partner, Partner, and Associate
2007 Arnold & Porter LLP
Arnold & Porter is an international law firm based in Washington, DC.
• Elected by the partnership to five two-year terms as Managing Partner
• Firm revenue tripled during tenure as Managing Partner
• Opened and served as Managing Partner of Los Angeles office
• Practice areas: risk management and avoidance, product liability litigation, complex
litigation, antitrust counseling and litigation
• Elected member of the firm's Policy and Partner Compensation Committees
• Appointed member of the firm's Management, Hiring, New Partners, Diversity, and
Charitable Contributions Committees
• Resident in the firm's Washington (1977-82, 1992-2007), Denver (1982-91), and Los
Angeles (1991-92) offices
1976 – Law Clerk to the Honorable Max Rosenn, United States Court of Appeals for the Third
1977 Circuit
EDUCATION
1973 - University of Pennsylvania Law School
1976 J.D., cum laude
• Order of the Coif (top ten percent of class)
• Executive Editor, Volume 124, University of Pennsylvania Law Review
• Associate Editor, Volume 123, University of Pennsylvania Law Review
1969 - Boston College, College of Arts and Sciences
1973 Bachelor of Arts (History), summa cum laude
• Phi Beta Kappa
• Durcan Commencement Award (top history student)
• Honors Program
• Four-Year Presidential Scholarship
PROFESSIONAL, CIVIC, AND CHARITABLE ACTIVITIES
Albany Law School
• Member, Board of Trustees, 2015-present
American Bar Association
• Vice Chair, Task Force on Law and Artificial Intelligence, 2023-present
• Chair, Task Force on Legal Needs Arising from the COVID-19 Pandemic, 2020-21
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 • Member, House of Delegates, 2005-07
• Member, Standing Committee on Pro Bono and Public Service, 2007-08
• Member, Commission on the Future of Legal Services, 2014-16
• Member, Advisory Council, ABA Center for Innovation, 2016-19
California State Bar
• Member, Closing the Justice Gap Working Group, 2021-22
Chevy Chase Presbyterian Church
• Elder/Trustee, 2011-14
Christ Church – Washington Parish (Episcopal)
• Member of the Vestry (board of directors), 2021-present
• Senior Warden, 2022-present
College of Saint Rose, Albany, NY
• Member, Board of Trustees, 2014-present
• Chair, Audit Committee, 2019-present
• Chair, Legal Affairs Committee, 2021-present
Colorado Lawyers Committee
• Member, Board of Directors, 1984-1991
D.C. Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy
• Chairman of the Board and member of the Board of Directors, 2012 –2021
District of Columbia Access to Justice Commission
• Vice Chair, 2020-present
• Member, appointed by the District of Columbia Court of Appeals, 2014-present
District of Columbia Bar
• President, 2006-07 (elected by the Bar membership)
• Board of Governors, 2003-08 (elected by the Bar membership)
• Pro Bono Committee, Chair, 2009-2014; Vice Chair, 2008-09; Member, 2018-present
• Chair, Pro Bono Program Strategic Assessment Task Force, 2014-15
• Chair, Pro Bono Initiative Working Group, 2007-08
• Chair, Committee on Multijurisdictional Practice, 2001-05
• Chair, Screening Committee, 2004-05
• Co-Chair, Law Practice Management Section, 1998-2000, 2001-02; member, Section
Steering Committee, 1998-2003
• Pro Bono Initiative Working Group, 2000-01
• Special Committee on Multi-Disciplinary Practice, 1999-2005
• Task Force on Sexual Orientation and the Legal Workplace, 1995-99
District of Columbia Circuit Judicial Conference Standing Committee on Pro Bono Legal
Services
• Chair, 2013-18; Co-Chair, 2010-13; member, 2007-18
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District of Columbia Government
• Facilitator (unpaid volunteer), Deputy Mayor’s Cross-Sector Collaboration Task Force
(on collaboration between District of Columbia Public Schools and charter schools),
2015-18
District of Columbia Public Charter School Board
• Vice Chair, 2021-present
• Member (by appointment of the Mayor of the District of Columbia), 2019-present
Diversity Lab
• Consultant on improving diversity in large law firms, 2020-present
Institute for the Advancement of the American Legal System
• Chair, Executive Committee, and Chair, Advisory Board, 2022-present
• Member, Advisory Board, 2020-present
International Senior Lawyers Project
• Board of Directors, 2007-11, 2021-present
The Meyer Foundation
• Chair of the Board, 2018-19
• Vice Chair, 2017-18
• Member, Board of Directors, 2007-19
• Audit Committee, 2008-18; Chair, 2015-18
• Governance Committee, 2016-18
Minority Corporate Counsel Association
• Lloyd M. Johnson, Jr., Scholarship Selection Committee, 2005-07
NALP Foundation for Law Career Research and Education
• Board of Trustees, 2005-08
• National Advisory Board, 2003-05
Neighborhood Legal Services Program, Washington, DC
• Board of Directors, 2000-05
• Secretary, 2001-05
Pro Bono Institute
• Member, Board of Directors, 2020-present
• Law Firm Pro Bono Project Advisory Committee, 1998-2020
Steptoe & Johnson LLP
• Diversity Advisory Board, Chair, 2015-18; member, 2011-18
Tahirih Justice Center
• Board of Directors, 2014-19
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 Tzedek DC
• Advisory Council, 2017-present
United States Civil Rights Commission
• District of Columbia State Advisory Committee, Chair, 2014-16; member, 2008-16
University of Pennsylvania Law School
• Board of Advisors, Penn Law Center on the Future of the Profession, 2019-2020
• Board of Overseers, 1998-2007
• Capital Campaign Executive Committee, 2004-12
Washington Council of Lawyers
• Honorary Board, 2016-present
Washington Performing Arts
• Member, Board of Directors, 2003-22
• Executive Committee, 2008-22
• Vice Chair, 2008-18
• Chair, Audit Committee, 2010-18, 2019-22
Whitman-Walker Clinic
• Chair of the Board of Directors, 2008-09
• Board of Directors, 2003-09
• Co-Chair, “Going the Extra Mile” Benefit, 2002-06
Whitman-Walker Foundation
• Member, Board of Directors, 2023-
Wilkes University, Wilkes-Barre, PA
• Board of Trustees, 2002-08
Women’s Bar Association Foundation, Washington, DC
• Member, Board of Directors, 2011-14
AWARDS AND RECOGNITION
• Wilkes University, Commencement Speaker and Honorary Doctor of Laws Recipient, 2023
• American Lawyer Lifetime Achievement Award, 2022
• Fayette County (Kentucky) Bar Association, Access to Justice Award, 2022
• Albany Law School, Commencement Speaker and Honorary Doctor of Laws Recipient, 2021
• American Academy of Arts and Sciences, Elected Fellow, 2021
• Fellows of the American Bar Foundation, Distinguished Life Fellow Award, 2021
• Neighborhood Legal Services Program (Washington, DC), Pioneer of Justice Award, 2021
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 • American Bar Association, Presidential Citation, 2020
• Legal Services NYC, Visionary Leadership Award, 2020
• American Law Institute, Member, 2019-present
• Legal Aid Society of Cleveland, Louis Stokes Paragon Award, 2017
• Rutgers Law School, Commencement Speaker, 2017
• University of the District of Columbia David A. Clarke School of Law, Commencement Speaker,
2017
• District of Columbia Commission on Human Rights, Cornelius Alexander Humanitarian Award,
2016
• Hispanic Bar Association of the District of Columbia, Hugh M. Johnson Award, 2016
• District of Columbia Bar, Justice William J. Brennan Jr. Award, 2015
• Washington Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights & Urban Affairs, Wiley A. Branton Award, 2014
• Villanova University, Medallion Award and Law School Commencement Speaker, 2014
• McGlothlin Leadership Fellow, College of William & Mary, 2014
• Quotation of the Day, The New York Times, March 16, 2013
• College of Saint Rose, Commencement Speaker and Honorary D.H.L. Recipient, 2013
• Council for Court Excellence, Justice Potter Stewart Award, 2013
• Washington Council of Lawyers, Presidents’ Award, 2012
• College of Law Practice Management, Fellow, 2012-present
• University of Pennsylvania Law School, Howard Lesnick Pro Bono Award, 2011
• Tahirih Justice Center, Wings of Justice Award, 2011
• DC Law Students in Court, first annual Celebration of Service Award, 2011
• “90 Greatest Washington Lawyers of the Last 30 Years,” Legal Times, 2008
• University of Pennsylvania Law School, Alumni Award of Merit, 2007
• “Star of the Bar,” Women’s Bar Association of the District of Columbia, 2006
BAR ADMISSIONS
• Colorado (inactive)
• District of Columbia
• Pennsylvania (inactive)
• Supreme Court of the United States
• United States Courts of Appeals for the Third, Fifth, Tenth, and District of Columbia
Circuits
• United States District Courts for the Districts of Columbia and Colorado
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 Executive Office of the Mayor – Mayor’s Office of Talent and Appointments
John A. Wilson Building | 1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, Suite 600 | Washington, DC 20004
James Sandman
Mr. James Sandman is an accomplished attorney and a current
member of the Public Charter School Board.
Mr. Sandman served as President of the Legal Services Corporation
from 2011 to 2020. The Legal Services Corporation has a budget of
$415 million and is the largest funder of civil legal aid programs in
the United States, supporting 132 programs with more than 840
offices serving every state and territory.
Mr. Sandman practiced law for 30 years with the international,
Washington-based law firm of Arnold & Porter. He served as the
firm’s Managing Partner for ten years. Immediately prior to joining
the Legal Services Corporation, he served for three years as General Counsel of the District of
Columbia Public Schools. He is a past President of the 100,000-member District of Columbia Bar.
Mr. Sandman is very involved in his community in Washington, DC. He previously served as
Chairman of the Boards of the Meyer Foundation and of the DC Campaign to Prevent Teen
Pregnancy. He also served on the District of Columbia Access to Justice Commission, the
Washington Performing Arts Board of Directors, and of the Tahirih Justice Center Board of
Directors, which provides legal assistance to immigrant women and girls fleeing violence.
A Ward 6 resident, Mr. Sandman earned his Bachelor of Arts in History from Boston College and
his Juris Doctor from the University of Pennsylvania Law School, where he served as Executive
Editor of the Law Review and was elected to the Order of the Coif.
 GOVERNMENT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
Executive Office of Mayor Muriel Bowser
Office of the General Counsel to the Mayor
To: Tomas Talamante, Steve Walker
From: Betsy Cavendish
Date: February 1, 2024
Subject: Legal sufficiency review of Resolution nominating James Sandman as a member
of the Public Charter School Board
This is to Certify that this office has reviewed the above-referenced resolution and
found it to be legally unobjectionable. If you have any questions in this regard, please do not
hesitate to call Erika Satterlee, Deputy General Counsel, Executive Office of the Mayor, at 202-
724-1303, or me at 202-724-7681.
______________________________
Elizabeth A. (Betsy) Cavendish
______________________________________________________________________________
The John A. Wilson Building • 1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW • Suite 300 • Washington, D.C. 20004 • Office (202) 724-7681