Prior to joining Kelley Drye, Mr. Minkiewicz served as senior counsel and staff director of the Subcommittee on Oceans, Atmosphere, Fisheries and Coast Guard of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation under Subcommittee Chair Senator Olympia Snowe (R-ME) and under Senator John McCain (R-AZ) during his full Committee chairmanship. As a senior policy advisor, Mr. Minkiewicz proposed and executed the Subcommittee’s legislative agenda, drafted legislation (including three Coast Guard reauthorizations), requested and secured appropriation requests, and prepared Committee members for legislative hearings. He moved all fishery and Coast Guard-related legislation through the Senate (from introduction to final passage) and served as principal staff person in passing the first major revision of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act in ten years.
Prior to serving on the Subcommittee, he was a Natural Resources Sea Grant Fellow and legislative assistant to former Governor John Kitzhaber of Oregon. In this position, he lobbied Congress for policies and appropriations on federal natural resource issues and helped to pass the first Marine Fisheries Policy for the National Governors' Association.
Representative Experience
Co-litigating matters involving the Regulatory Flexibility Act, Administrative Procedure Act, Endangered Species Act, Marine Mammal Protection Act and Magnuson-Stevens Act.Crafting litigation strategies and drafting summary judgment motions, complaints and opposition briefs, as well as arguing motions involving commercial fisheries clients in federal court and in enforcement actions.
Participating in federal Fisheries Management Council and Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission rulemaking. Providing written comment, live testimony and working with clients to develop regulatory strategies.
