Blake Hall, General Counsel

Tom Josefiak, Of Counsel
Tom Josefiak has held various positions with the Republican National Committee Counsel’s Office since February 1992; currently he serves as Of Counsel.

In May of 2003, Josefiak was asked to serve as General Counsel for Bush-Cheney 04’, Inc. Following the election, he served as General Counsel to the 55th Presidential Inaugural Committee.

In 1985 President Ronald Reagan appointed Josefiak to a six-year term as Commissioner on the Federal Election Commission (FEC). He served as FEC Chairman during the 1988 presidential election and as Vice Chairman of the FEC and Chairman of the Finance Committee in 1987.

Prior to his appointment as FEC Commissioner, Josefiak was Special Deputy to the Secretary of the Senate from 1981 to 1985, representing the Secretary as a full-time, Ex-Officio Commissioner at the FEC. As Special Counsel to the Minority of the Committee on House Administration from 1977 to 1979, he assisted Republican members in proposing and amending election law legislation, resulting in the passage of the 1979 amendments to the Federal Election Campaign Act. He was Counsel to the National Republican Congressional Committee from 1977 to 1980, and served as a Legislative Assistant to U.S. Rep. Silvio Conte (R-Mass).

Josefiak, a native of Adams, MA, is a graduate of Fairfield University in Connecticut and Georgetown University Law School in Washington D.C.

Sean Cairncross, Chief Counsel
Sean Cairncross serves as Chief Counsel for the Republican National Committee, where he oversees the day-to-day operations of the RNC Counsel’s Office, including ensuring all activities of the RNC, its officers, and its employees are in compliance with applicable federal and state election laws. Cairncross served as the RNC’s Deputy Counsel from 2004-2007. Prior to that, he was a litigation association at the Washington D.C. law firm, Covington & Burling. Cairncross received his J.D. from NYU in 2001, his M.Phil from Cambridge University in 1998, and his B.A. from American University in 1997.

Heather Sidwell, Deputy Counsel
Heather Sidwell is Deputy Counsel for the Republican National Committee, where she focuses on policy and litigation issues involving election law reform, and federal and state election law compliance for the national party. Prior to joining the RNC, Heather was an Associate in the Washington, D.C. office of McDermott Will & Emery LLP. While at the firm, she practiced complex litigation, and advised clients on compliance with federal and state election laws. She also previously served as a Legislative Specialist and Law Clerk at Covington & Burling LLP, supporting the firm’s legislative practice group and working with clients to develop state legislative strategies. Sidwell is the author of “Taming the Wild West: The FEC's Proposed Regulations to Bridle ‘527’ Political Groups,” 56 Admin L. Rev. 939 (2004). Sidwell received her J.D. from American University in 2005, and her B.A. from Denison University in 1996.

Jennifer Sheehan, Associate Counsel
Jennifer Sheehan serves as Associate Counsel for the Republican National Committee, where her primary focus is on internal RNC issues, including the Rules of the Republican Party and the Republican National Convention. She also assists on federal and state election law matters. Prior to joining the RNC, Sheehan served as Deputy Chief of Staff for the Commonwealth of Kentucky’s Finance and Administration Cabinet. Sheehan received her J.D. from the University of Kentucky in 2005 and her B.A. from Centre College in 2000.