Mark A. Patterson is an American lobbyist, former vice president and managing director of Goldman Sachs, and former Chief of Staff to the United States Secretary of the Treasury. In 2018, he was hired as general counsel for Senator Chuck Schumer, overseeing investigations and appropriations and leaving his position at law firm Perkins Coie.[2]

Mark Patterson
Chief of Staff to the Secretary of the Treasury
In office
February 2009 – May 2015
PresidentBarack Obama
Succeeded byChristian Weideman
Personal details
Born1961 or 1962 (age 62–63)[1]
New York City, New York, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
SpouseJennifer Leete
EducationUniversity at Albany (BA)
Catholic University (JD)

Early life and education

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Patterson was born in New York City. His mother was a librarian while his father was a high school English teacher.[3] He graduated from the University at Albany in 1984. He received his J.D. degree from The Catholic University of America in 1990.[4]

Career

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Patterson was the special assistant of Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan from 1984 to 1988 before entering law school.[4]

Patterson later served as Moynihan's legislative director (1993-1995), and as Democratic staff director and chief counsel of the Senate Finance Committee (1995-1999). From 1999 to 2004 Patterson was the policy director for Senate Democratic Leader Tom Daschle.

In 2004 Patterson became a lobbyist for Goldman Sachs, with the position of vice president (2004-2007), and managing director (2007-2008). Patterson left Goldman Sachs in April 2008, after which time he served as a volunteer for the Obama-Biden presidential campaign, and as the Senate confirmation coordinator for the Obama-Biden Presidential Transition Project.[citation needed] Upon the inauguration of Barack Obama as President, Patterson was in February 2009 appointed chief of staff to the Secretary of the Treasury.[5] In 2013, after the long-anticipated departure of secretary Tim Geithner, secretary Jack Lew announced Patterson's replacement.[6] Patterson worked as a partner in Perkins Coie's Washington, D.C. office [7] before joining Senator Schumer's team in May 2018.[2]

Personal life

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Patterson is married to Jennifer S. Leete, a former assistant director in the Enforcement Division of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission[1] and, as of 2022, a partner in the start-up Washington, D.C. office of New York law firm Cravath, Swaine & Moore. The start-up was being led by Jelena McWilliams, former chair of the FDIC, and also included Elad Roisman, former commissioner and acting chair of the SEC.[8] Patterson is a member of the bar of the District of Columbia and of the Supreme Court of the United States.[citation needed]

References

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  1. ^ a b "Weddings/Celebrations; Jennifer Leete, Mark Patterson". The New York Times. September 7, 2003.
  2. ^ a b Dayen, David (May 9, 2018). "Why Did Chuck Schumer Hire an Ex–Goldman Sachs Lobbyist?". The Nation. Retrieved May 9, 2018.
  3. ^ "Mark Patterson". Washington Post. 25 July 2012. Archived from the original on 6 April 2012. Retrieved 8 August 2013.
  4. ^ a b "Mark A. Patterson". United States Department of the Treasury. Archived from the original on 2 November 2013. Retrieved 8 August 2013.
  5. ^ Rood, Justin; Emma Schwartz (January 29, 2009). "Another Lobbyist Headed Into Obama Administration". ABC News. Retrieved 9 August 2013.
  6. ^ Lowrey, Annie (April 29, 2009). "Lew Names Chief of Staff at Treasury". The New York Times. Retrieved 13 January 2016.
  7. ^ "Mark Patterson, Partner". Perkins Coie. Retrieved 13 January 2016.
  8. ^ Williams, Claire, "Former FDIC regulator lands at Cravath to set up D.C. operations", American Banker, June 6, 2022. Retrieved 2023-12-19.