On August 4, 2025, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) appointed Sean Keveney as its new Chief Counsel, entrusting him with the oversight of all legal matters at the agency. ([fda.gov](https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/fda-names-top-hhs-lawyer-chief-counsel?utm_source=openai))
Prior to this appointment, Keveney served as Acting General Counsel at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), where he led the department’s legal team in advancing key administration priorities and ensuring rigorous legal standards across public health programs. ([fda.gov](https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/fda-names-top-hhs-lawyer-chief-counsel?utm_source=openai)) His tenure at HHS included significant legal efforts to implement the “Make America Healthy Again” agenda, focusing on regulatory reforms and civil rights enforcement. ([fda.gov](https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/fda-names-top-hhs-lawyer-chief-counsel?utm_source=openai))
Before his role at HHS, Keveney spent nearly 16 years at the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division, where he held senior positions. ([fda.gov](https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/fda-names-top-hhs-lawyer-chief-counsel?utm_source=openai)) He also clerked for Judge William Garwood on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. ([fda.gov](https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/fda-names-top-hhs-lawyer-chief-counsel?utm_source=openai))
Keveney succeeds Robert Foster, who served as interim Chief Counsel following the abrupt resignation of Hilary Perkins. ([fda.gov](https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/fda-names-top-hhs-lawyer-chief-counsel?utm_source=openai)) Perkins stepped down just two days after her appointment, following criticism from Senator Josh Hawley, who described her as “pro-abortion” and supportive of vaccine mandates. ([fda.gov](https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/fda-names-top-hhs-lawyer-chief-counsel?utm_source=openai)) Foster will now return to HHS to serve as Acting General Counsel, where he has previously advised Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on vaccine policy. ([fda.gov](https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/fda-names-top-hhs-lawyer-chief-counsel?utm_source=openai))
FDA Commissioner Dr. Marty Makary commented on the appointment, stating, “America is in a golden age of food and drug regulation… Sean Keveney’s appointment as our Chief Counsel reflects the talent and experience we have brought to FDA for the mission to Make America Healthy Again.” ([fda.gov](https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/fda-names-top-hhs-lawyer-chief-counsel?utm_source=openai))
Keveney’s extensive experience in public health law and civil rights positions him to navigate the complex legal landscape of the FDA, particularly as the agency continues to implement significant regulatory reforms under the current administration.