Elliot Kaye, the former chair of the US Consumer Product Safety Commission, has joined Cooley LLP’s litigation practice in Washington, D.C. Kaye’s appointment strengthens Cooley’s strategy to bolster their litigation capabilities, particularly in dealing with federal agencies and state attorneys general.
Kaye, who served as a commissioner from 2014 and spent nearly three years as chairman, is known for his work on high-profile issues including the recall of Samsung Galaxy Note 7 phones and brain injuries in youth sports. Cooley has been actively expanding its white collar, litigation, and investigation practices, most recently adding Elizabeth Holmes prosecutor John Bostic in Palo Alto and Teresa Michaud from Baker McKenzie in Los Angeles.
Before joining the US Consumer Product Safety Commission, Kaye was senior counsel at Hogan Lovells. He was later appointed chief of staff and chief counsel before being nominated as a commissioner by President Barack Obama. Kaye’s new role at Cooley will focus on regulatory and enforcement challenges faced by companies, covering areas from household goods to artificial intelligence.
In a recent [Bloomberg Law report](https://news.bloomberglaw.com/business-and-practice/cooley-adds-ex-consumer-product-safety-commission-chair-in-dc), Kaye highlighted his enthusiasm for tackling emerging regulatory issues, matching his past experience with current industry needs. His collaboration with former colleagues, such as Matt Howsare, chair of Cooley’s North American product safety practice and a former chief of staff at the commission, played a significant role in his decision to join the firm.
After his tenure at the commission, Kaye served as senior vice president for policy at the World Central Kitchen and contributed to relief efforts following the Russian invasion of Ukraine. He took a brief hiatus from the nonprofit world in late 2022 to focus on his health after undergoing a kidney transplant in January 2022.
Michael Attanasio, chair of Cooley’s litigation department, expressed that Kaye’s addition represents a significant enhancement not only for the consumer product safety practice but for all litigation services at the firm.