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As the dogwoods bloom, so did debate in the Capitol — where Governor Glenn Youngkin’s amendments and vetoes took center stage.
A former Virginia Attorney General (AG) and Virginia Secretary of Public Safety, Jerry offers his clients facing State AG and other governmental investigations the benefit of counsel with 360-degree perspective, gained through a combination of private practice, government service, and political involvement. His distinguished political career has afforded Jerry connections at all levels within State AG offices, and bi-partisan respect within the AG community. He has earned a reputation as a trusted legal and policy adviser on both sides of the aisle, and is politically active at the local, state, and federal levels. This diverse experience has honed Jerry’s ability to identify the appropriate route to take in any given circumstance to efficiently advance his clients’ interests.
Jerry advises clients — including market disrupters, companies in transition, industry leaders, and trade associations — in connection with important government investigations and consumer protection matters, and the interplay with Attorneys General and public policy. He is also a seasoned litigator and has significant experience handling multi-state actions. In recent years, Jerry has focused his practice on businesses in higher education (including for-profit colleges and universities), healthcare, cannabis, energy, timeshares, and the hospitality industry. Jerry also has significant experience in the FinTech arena, particularly with respect to products and platforms directed toward consumers, such as payment and loan technologies.
In all matters he handles, Jerry operates from a position of positivity, firm in his conviction that the challenge confronting his client can and will be met. He uses the insider’s perspective he gained from his service as Virginia Attorney General to navigate paths that might elude some — and to blaze new ones where needed — to reach a solution with which all stakeholders are comfortable.
As attorney general of Virginia from 2002-2005, Jerry served on the executive committee of the National Association of Attorneys General and as chairman of the Republican Attorneys General Association. He worked with the federal government, the state legislature, and other stakeholders to promote a business friendly environment. Jerry served as secretary of public safety under Governor George Allen from 1994 to 1998 and as assistant U.S. attorney for the Western District of Virginia from 1987-1992. He also has significant prior experience as a state-level lobbyist.
Jerry donates time to building legislative and executive support for America’s Kids Belong/Virginia Kids Belong, a program to encourage the adoption of children out of foster care. He also serves as chairman of the board of Appalachian School of Law.
News
August 15, 2024
Best Lawyers selected 242 Cozen O’Connor lawyers from 24 of the firm’s U.S. offices for inclusion in the 2025 edition of The Best Lawyers in America and Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in America.
June 10, 2024
Chambers USA rankings are based on an “assessment of a firm’s work and opinions from external market sources, with an emphasis on client feedback.” In order to be ranked in the guide, lawyers and firms must demonstrate “sustained excellence.”
April 22, 2024
Kalani was named the first ever Chief Responsible Gaming Officer at DraftKings, a role that reflects DraftKings’ industry-leading approach to player safety and protection activities and perfectly aligns with Kalani's commitment to the development of a regulatory framework that promotes healthy and mindful participation in gaming activities.
February 15, 2024
The firm announced several new practice group chairs, office managing partners, and leaders of firm committees and initiatives
August 17, 2023
Best Lawyers selected 230 Cozen O’Connor lawyers from 24 of the firm’s U.S. offices for inclusion in the 2024 edition of The Best Lawyers in America.
June 05, 2023
Of the 88 lawyers ranked, 17 lawyers have been recognized nationally, and eighteen were recognized in Band 1. Eight of the firm's practice areas have been recognized nationally, and nine were ranked Band 1.
May 31, 2023
In this Law.com article Jerry Kilgore notes, “most decisions are being pushed back to the states and that’s going to give state AGs a lot of authority to fashion policies. And SCOTUS will say ‘it’s a state issue, let them decide.”
August 22, 2022
210 Cozen O’Connor lawyers from 24 of the firm’s nationwide offices for inclusion in the 2023 edition of The Best Lawyers in America.
June 02, 2022
Chambers USA, the leading annual guide to the top lawyers and law firms in the United States, has ranked 86 Cozen O’Connor lawyers as leaders in their respective fields in the guide’s 2022 edition.
August 19, 2021
Best Lawyers selected 210 Cozen O’Connor lawyers from 23 of the firm’s nationwide offices for inclusion in the 2022 edition of The Best Lawyers in America.
August 20, 2020
Best Lawyers selected 200 Cozen O’Connor lawyers from 23 of the firm’s nationwide offices for inclusion in the 2021 edition of The Best Lawyers in America© (Copyright 2020 by Woodward/White, Inc., of Aiken, SC).
Publications
April 04, 2025
As the dogwoods bloom, so did debate in the Capitol — where Governor Glenn Youngkin’s amendments and vetoes took center stage.
March 26, 2025
When the General Assembly reconvenes in Richmond next week, legislators will face a staggeringly full agenda.
February 26, 2025
The Virginia General Assembly officially adjourned sine die on Saturday, wrapping up a short yet frenzied 46-day Regular Session.
January 17, 2025
The 2025 General Assembly commenced its legislative business this week following an unexpected delay due to widespread water outages that impacted the city of Richmond last week.
November 18, 2024
In Law360 State AG Group co-chair Jerry Kilgore comments on Pennsylvania AG-elect Dave Sunday’s environmental regulation priorities.
November 08, 2024
In Pluribus News State AG Group co-chair Jerry Kilgore predicted a surge in litigation by Democratic AGs challenging President-elect Trump’s policy agenda.
May 17, 2024
As the saying goes, “April showers bring May flowers.” In Virginia, they also brought a new budget.
May 13, 2024
In this episode of State AG Pulse, Chris Allen, Jerry Kilgore and Howard Schweitzer consider AGs’ journeys both into the office and after leaving office, and the relational nature of both state and federal politics in an increasingly polarized political environment.
April 22, 2024
There is bipartisan agreement around the importance of protecting the safety of children and teens online. In Episode 4 of State AG Pulse, Jerry Kilgore, Stephen Cobb and Emily Yu look at the efforts of state AGs, legislation and the Supreme Court to achieve this.
April 19, 2024
In bipartisan fashion, Governor Youngkin and legislators have agreed on a fresh start to negotiate a new two-year budget.
April 18, 2024
The State AG Report – 4/18/2024
Here are curated AG and federal regulatory news stories highlighting key areas in which state and federal regulators’ decisions are having an impact across the US.
April 11, 2024
The State AG Report – 4.11.2024
Here are curated AG and federal regulatory news stories highlighting key areas in which state and federal regulators’ decisions are having an impact across the US.
April 05, 2024
With only a few days remaining to act on legislation that passed during the regular session, Governor Youngkin has issued a flurry of vetoes including several that stymie Democratic priorities from this session.
April 04, 2024
The State AG Report – 4.4.2024
Here are curated AG and federal regulatory news stories highlighting key areas in which state and federal regulators’ decisions are having an impact across the US.
March 28, 2024
The State AG Report – 3.28.2024
Here are curated AG and federal regulatory news stories highlighting key areas in which state and federal regulators’ decisions are having an impact across the US.
March 21, 2024
The State AG Report – 3.21.2024
Here are curated AG and federal regulatory news stories highlighting key areas in which state and federal regulators’ decisions are having an impact across the US.
March 12, 2024
The General Assembly has officially adjourned sine die, marking the end of a whirlwind 60-day legislative session while leaving the door open for an extended skirmish over the budget.
March 11, 2024
To kick off Season 4 of State AG Pulse, Stephen Cobb and Jerry Kilgore team up with Howard Schweitzer and the Hon. Rodney Davis of Cozen Public Strategies to debate the key races and issues ahead of the November 2024 general election.
March 07, 2024
The State AG Report – 3.7.2024
Here are curated AG and federal regulatory news stories highlighting key areas in which state and federal regulators’ decisions are having an impact across the US.
February 29, 2024
The State AG Report – 2.29.2024
Here are curated AG and federal regulatory news stories highlighting key areas in which state and federal regulators’ decisions are having an impact across the US.
February 23, 2024
This week, the House and Senate each voted on their changes to the Governor’s introduced budget – with some noticeable differences between the two chambers and omissions that wipe out most the Governor’s top tax priorities. It sets the stage for a potentially lengthy budget gridlock between the Democratic majorities in the General Assembly and Republican Governor Glenn Youngkin.
February 22, 2024
The State AG Report – 2.22.2024
Here are curated AG and federal regulatory news stories highlighting key areas in which state and federal regulators’ decisions are having an impact across the US.
February 13, 2024
Former Virginia AG Jerry Kilgore will share the reins of Cozen O’Connor’s State AG Group.
February 12, 2024
Like a two-minute drill that football fans may see heading toward halftime in the big game this weekend, the Virginia General Assembly is in a similar race against the clock – a deadline colloquially referred to as Crossover.
February 08, 2024
The State AG Report – 2.8.2024
Here are curated AG and federal regulatory news stories highlighting key areas in which state and federal regulators’ decisions are having an impact across the US.
January 31, 2024
In this op-ed in the Washington Examiner Jerry Kilgore calls on the federal government to set national, age-appropriate standards for social media apps to guide and empower parents.
January 29, 2024
Barring a few exceptions where unanimous consent is granted for new bills, legislators in the General Assembly have officially finalized their legislative agendas for the 2024 session.
January 12, 2024
The Virginia General Assembly gaveled the 2024 Legislative Session into order this week with no shortage of significant changes. The first day of session included a landmark moment in the legislature’s 405-year history when Del.
December 20, 2023
Governor Glenn Youngkin presented his 2024 – 2026 biennium budget to the Virginia House Appropriations, House Finance and Senate Finance & Appropriations Committees on Wednesday, December 20.
November 08, 2023
Virginia Democrats sweep the General Assembly, now have majority in both chambers.
August 25, 2023
Jerry Kilgore comments in National Law Journal on legal battles taking place in Missouri and Kentucky over those states’ efforts to bar companies from basing investment decisions on ESG concerns.
June 26, 2023
In the season 2 finale of State AG Pulse, General Rokita of Indiana joins Jerry Kilgore and Chris Allen to talk about the challenges of upholding Indiana’s interests against the federal bureaucracy, and the power of states.
May 15, 2023
In conversation with fellow Midwesterner Meghan Stoppel and former Virginia AG Jerry Kilgore, newly-elected Iowa AG Brenna Bird addresses a wide range of topics, from preparing to enforce Iowa’s new privacy laws to stumping with her six-year-old.
May 03, 2023
Legal Dive listened to our podcast The Broad Sweep of State AGs’ Antitrust Authority and warns consumer goods companies of the risks of ignoring state AGs’ independent antitrust authority.
May 01, 2023
State AGs have a wide range of tools they can use to hold companies accountable. Milton Marquis, Jerry Kilgore and Ann-Marie Luciano explore AGs’ power to prevent anticompetitive business conduct ranging from no-poach agreements and illegal non-competes to collusion and price-fixing.
April 13, 2023
Jerry Kilgore noted State AGs’ consumer protection authority makes them a target for trial attorneys pitching new causes of action in a recent Law.com article.
March 06, 2023
Cozen Public Strategies Managing Director Katie Schwab joins Jerry Kilgore, former VA AG, and Meghan Stoppel, former NE Consumer Chief, to debate the role of state AG as policymaker, and whether the NY model holds for the rest of the country.
January 23, 2023
In the first episode in Season Two, new Virginia AG Jason Miyares dispels the myth that AGs are anti-business. He talks about how he views businesses as victims when it comes to data breaches and seeks to work with them rather than blame them.
October 06, 2022
As election day 2022 approaches, members of the Cozen O’Connor State AG Group share their thoughts on some of the trends and themes that have emerged over the course of the primary season.
July 11, 2022
In Arizona, a crowded field means having money to spend on name recognition and get-out-the-vote efforts will be the key to success. Jerry Kilgore and Paul Connell discuss the candidates that have it… and those that don’t.
May 16, 2022
In this week’s episode, hosts Bernie Nash and Jerry Kilgore talk with Pete Bisbee of the Republican Attorneys General Association about what RAGA is, how it recruits candidates, and how it raises money to fund races. They speculate on election winners and losers, and we hear Pete’s diagnosis of potentially vulnerable Democrats and his “just crazy” prediction.
February 14, 2022
In our second article analyzing the impact of the 2022 state AG elections on corporate America, Jerry Kilgore and Chris Allen look at how an AG’s experience prior to taking office can inform a business’s approach.
October 22, 2020
Jerry Kilgore discusses the state AG races taking place across the country, the outcomes of which will have a profound impact on their states’ constituents and businesses.
July 30, 2020
Jerry Kilgore and Julia Hammond discuss Virginia's workplace safety standards to protect Virginia workers.