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Danielle Conley is a trusted adviser and seasoned legal strategist who has represented companies, universities, and large organizations as they navigate their most significant regulatory, enforcement, and reputational challenges. She is a go-to counsel for corporations and educational institutions facing high-stakes internal investigations, government enforcement actions, and congressional scrutiny. Conley’s clients describe her as “brilliant, but also incredibly easy to work with,” a “strategic, thoughtful partner and great litigator”, and “very good at tackling really challenging issues and breaking them down.”
Lawdragon Honors
| Honor | Year | Practice |
|---|---|---|
| The 2027 Lawdragon 500 Leading Litigators in America | 2027 | Investigations, Government and Regulatory Litigation |
| The 2026 Lawdragon 500 Leading Global Investigations Lawyers | 2026 | Investigations, Enforcement, Congressional Inquiries, Litigation |
| The 2026 Lawdragon 500 Global Leaders in Crisis Management | 2026 | Investigations, Litigation, White Collar |
| The 2026 Lawdragon 500 Leading Lawyers in America | 2026 | Government Investigations & Regulation |
| The 2026 Lawdragon 500 Leading Litigators in America | 2026 | Investigations, Government and Regulatory Litigation |
| The 2025 Lawdragon 500 Leading Lawyers in America | 2025 | Government Investigations & Regulation |
| The 2025 Lawdragon 500 Leading Litigators in America | 2025 | Investigations, Government and Regulatory Litigation |
| The 2024 Lawdragon 500 Leading Lawyers in America | 2024 | Government Investigations & Regulation |
| The 2024 Lawdragon 500 Leading Litigators in America | 2024 | Investigations, Government and Regulatory Litigation |
With deep experience in both government and the private sector, Conley leads sensitive internal investigations and responses to government enforcement actions. She also provides strategic counsel to boards, senior executives, and general counsel on their most sensitive matters—including allegations of misconduct by senior leaders, guiding clients through Department of Justice, Department of Education, Department of Health and Human Services, and other federal government investigations, navigating congressional inquiries and proceedings, and defending universities and companies in civil litigation involving discrimination and workplace conduct claims. Conley also routinely counsels clients on DEI-related policies and initiatives and compliance with federal and state civil rights laws. Her practice is commercially grounded, with a focus on managing legal and reputational risk at every stage of a matter.
Conley previously served as Deputy Counsel to the President in the Office of White House Counsel, advising the President, Vice President, and senior White House officials on a broad range of legal issues. In that role, she established and led the first-ever White House Counsel's Office team dedicated to civil rights and equity, working closely with the DOJ and agency general counsels on policy, regulatory, and litigation matters. Before that, she served as the deputy on the Biden-Harris Transition's DOJ Agency Review Team, and during the Obama administration served as Associate Deputy Attorney General at the DOJ, managing some of the agency's most significant civil rights enforcement matters.
Conley has been consistently recognized for her achievements across the public and private sectors, with honors from the National Law Journal, the Washington Business Journal, the Diversity Journal, The Root, and Essence Magazine. She is a Director of Graham Holdings Company and has served on nonprofit boards, including the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law. Earlier in her career, she was a fellow at the NAACP Legal Defense Fund.