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James Edmund Datri is a partner in the law firm of McDermott Will & Emery LLP based in the Washington, D.C. office. As a member of the Government Strategies Group, Jim provides lobbying and strategic counseling services for businesses, associations and institutions in a wide range of industries and fields. He focuses his practice on developing and executing strategies that integrate legislative, communications/public relations and business components to move government policy and advance client interests.
Jim formerly served as Executive Director of the Democratic Caucus in the U.S. House of Representatives, a post he was appointed to by then-Democratic Caucus Chairman (now United States Senator) Bob Menendez. Among other responsibilities, Jim organized the private annual Democratic Issues Conferences, held at a different location outside of Washington each year, where House Democratic leaders plan their legislative and communications strategies for the year ahead.
Jim served for more than a decade in senior positions in the U.S. Congress, including for Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney of New York City (currently the 4th most senior Democrat on the Financial Services Committee), and Congressman Sander Levin of Michigan (currently the 3rd most senior Democrat on the Ways and Means Committee).
Jim was named five consecutive times to Roll Call's "Fabulous Fifty" list of the 50 most influential advisers and strategists on Capitol Hill.
During his time on Capitol Hill, Jim earned a well-deserved reputation as an effective problem solver and coalition builder. National Journal reported in a June 21, 2003, profile: "When a problem arises in the...ranks of the House Democratic Caucus, Datri is the staffer to whom [Chairman] Menendez and other lawmakers turn first," and "Datri directed a series of policy forums on economic and security issues that helped forge consensus among ideologically diverse House Democrats."
Today he puts those same problem-solving skills to work for his clients.
Jim, a New York City native, is also an experienced public speaker and speechwriter. Among the hundreds of speeches he has written, Jim has written speeches given in prime-time at the 2000 and 2004 Democratic National Conventions.
Jim is admitted to practice in the District of Columbia.
Education:
Harvard Law School, J.D., 1992
University of California-Santa Cruz, B.A. (with honors), 1989 | 