Washington, DC—Feldesman LLP is pleased to announce that Jesi J. Carlson, a seasoned federal litigator with extensive experience handling complex civil matters at the highest levels of government, has joined the firm as Senior Counsel in its Litigation Practice. Ms. Carlson will be based in Feldesman’s Washington, DC office, where she brings more than two decades of experience—including nearly 20 years in federal government roles—handling high-stakes litigation and advising on intricate legal issues.

“Jesi’s arrival significantly strengthens our litigation capabilities and further deepens the bench of government experience we bring to client matters,” said Edward T. Waters, Managing Partner of Feldesman LLP. “She has assisted in shaping federal litigation strategies at the highest levels of government, and her insight and advocacy will be a powerful asset to our clients navigating complex legal issues.”

At Feldesman, Ms. Carlson will focus on federal administrative and homeland security law, constitutional litigation, white-collar criminal defense, internal investigations, and matters arising under the False Claims Act (FCA) and the Federal Tort Claims Act (FTCA). She will also advise on litigation involving federal appellate courts and the U.S. Supreme Court, drawing on her extensive experience preparing cases for review by the nation’s highest courts.

Before joining the firm, Ms. Carlson served as Senior Litigation Counsel in the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) Civil Division, where she litigated significant cases on behalf of the United States in federal courts nationwide. She worked with U.S. Attorney’s Offices, the Office of the Solicitor General, the White House, and multiple federal agencies to develop and execute national litigation strategies. She also served as a Special Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Eastern District of Virginia, where she prosecuted federal criminal cases.

At the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Ms. Carlson was Acting Chief of the District Court Litigation Division in the Office of the Principal Legal Advisor at U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), where she led a team of agency attorneys managing a nationwide docket of high-profile federal litigation.

She has extensive courtroom experience in both district and appellate courts, including more than 15 oral arguments before the U.S. Courts of Appeals, and an en banc appearance before the Ninth Circuit.

Earlier in her career, Ms. Carlson was a litigator at a national law firm and clerked for the Honorable Lynn Leibovitz of the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. While she earning her law degree from Georgetown University Law Center, she worked as a Congressional Liaison for the former U.S. Customs Service (and subsequently for DHS agencies U.S. Customs and Border Protection and ICE), including work on the Homeland Security Act of 2002 and the creation of DHS in response to the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

Ms. Carlson is also a published legal author and frequent instructor, having trained DOJ attorneys, agency counsel, and law students on immigration detention, national security law, judicial deference, and constitutional issues. Her writing includes published works on federal jurisdiction and cybersecurity law. 

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Feldesman LLP is a national law firm with offices in Washington, DC and California. The firm represents mission-driven organizations, government entities, and regulated businesses across a wide range of practice areas, including health care, federal grants, government contracts, litigation, and regulatory compliance.