Jim Schultz

James David Schultz (born July 7, 1972) is an American lawyer and corporate executive who currently serves as chairman of the Delaware River Port Authority (DRPA) and as Executive Vice President, Global Legal and Public Policy at Scientific Games. He previously held the position of Associate White House Counsel under President Donald Trump from 2017 to 2018 and contributed to the legal teams for the 2016 Republican National Convention and the first Trump Transition Team.

Early life and education

Schultz was born in Atlantic City and grew up in Galloway Township, New Jersey and graduated from Temple University in 1995 before completing his J.D. in 1998 at Widener University Commonwealth Law School

During law school, Schultz served as a student law clerk for the Honorable Thomas G. Saylor of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, and immediately following law school, he served as a law clerk to the late Honorable Vincent A. Cirillo, President Judge Emeritus of the Superior Court of Pennsylvania.

Career

Government Service

* U.S. Attorney's Office United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania: Schultz served as a senior aide to the U.S. Attorney, focusing on public policy initiatives and liaising with various government and law enforcement entities.
* George W. Bush 2004 presidential campaign: He served as the regional field director for the 2004 Bush-Cheney presidential campaign.
General Counsel (2012-2014): Schultz was the general Counsel for Pennsylvania Governor Tom Corbett. During this time, he provided legal advice on government contracting, procurement, trade, transportation, and infrastructure.
* Senior Associate Counsel and Special Assistant to the President of the United States in the Office of White House Counsel (2017)
** Liaised with the United States Department of Transportation (DOT) and the General Services Administration (GSA).
** Played a role in drafting and reviewing executive orders.
** Participated in the selection process for United States Attorneys and federal judges.
** Served as a White House ethics official, advising on compliance issues related to various acts ( Ethics Act, Hatch Act, STOCK Act, etc.).
** Contributed to the presidential transition team.
** Served on the legal team for the 2016 Republican National Convention.

State and Local Politics

Governor's Office, Pennsylvania (July 2012-November 2014): Schultz served as General Counsel to Governor Tom Corbett, managing a legal team of nearly 500 lawyers. This role encompassed providing legal advice on major procurements, transactions, litigation, legislation, and regulations for the Governor's administration and various Commonwealth agencies. His work covered many areas: agriculture, finance, education, energy, environment, healthcare, labor, municipal finance, pensions, taxation, and transportation. Additionally, he oversaw internal investigations and state agency interactions with the federal government on legal matters.

In November 2017, Schultz returned to Cozen and O'Connor, a Philadelphia-based law firm. He stated that he had always planned to leave the White House before the end of the year and had agreed to these terms with White House Counsel Don McGahn when he started. In September 2020, he left Cozen and O'Connor to lead the Local Government Advocacy Team for the Northeast Region in the Philadelphia and Washington, DC offices of the Holland & Knight law firm.

On June 27, 2019, James Schultz wrote an op-ed that criticized DA Larry Krasner's "Reforms" calling out rising gun-related violent crime in Philadelphia and claiming that the DA's primary goal is releasing criminals rather than prosecuting them.

In February 2020, James Schultz wrote a piece for CNN that supported Bill Barr's belief that the seven to nine years sentencing recommendation for Roger Stone was a ridiculous overreach, calling it "unfair and unjust," and that he was right. It was his duty to insert himself in the process.

On June 20, 2020, along with Sean Carter, a partner with Cozen O'Connor and co-chair of the Plaintiffs Executive Committee in the September 11 attacks Government of Saudi Arabia, James D. Schulz wrote an op-ed calling on China to be held accountable for Covid-19's destruction.

On August 29, 2022, Schultz wrote an Op-ed for Philadelphia (magazine), Philadelphia magazine, in which he was one of the prominent Republicans to endorse Shapiro. In the piece, Schultz dismissed GOP nominee Doug Mastriano as "pushing anti-American rhetoric and conspiracy theories".

In November 2022, he was appointed to the transition team for Pennsylvania Governor-elect Josh Shapiro.

In December 2022, Scientific Games appointed Schultz their Executive Vice President of Global Public Policy and Government Affairs.

Schultz led the company's government affairs, public policy, and advocacy efforts. These efforts aimed to support Scientific Games' global business expansion and solidify the company's position as a preferred partner for government lotteries worldwide. Schultz contributed to maximizing proceeds directed toward lottery beneficiary programs in this role.

In November 2023, Schultz was appointed to Mayoral Elect Cherelle-Parker's transition team, which serves under the 2026 Preparation subcommittee for Philadelphia's 250th Anniversary in 2026.

In February 2024, Schultz became the chairman of the bi-state Delaware River Port Authority (DRPA), which oversees toll bridges and transit rail lines connecting Camden County and Philadelphia. Schultz, appointed by Pennsylvania Governor Shapiro, aims to maintain and expand DRPA's services while prioritizing stewardship of its infrastructure. He also intends to boost ridership on the PATCO Speedline, especially in the post-COVID era.

As chairman, he will oversee an agency with an annual operating budget of $188.6 million and a five-year capital budget of $794.2 million. The agency employs approximately 850 staff members.

In March 2024, Schultz was named to head the Unified Legal and Public Policy Team at Scientific Games. He said the goal of the new department would be to maximize the services of the new department to benefit their government partners.

Media appearances

Since leaving the White House, Schultz has become a regular commentator on CNN's ''Anderson Cooper 360°''. Schultz advised candidate David McCormick in the 2022 United States Senate election in Pennsylvania.

Board memberships

* Delaware River Port Authority, Board of Commissioners, 2024–Present
* Rosemont College, Board of Trustees, 2022–Present
* Visit Philadelphia, Board of Directors, 2020–Present
* The Pennsylvania Society, Board of Councilors, 2019–Present
* International Council of Shopping Centers Political Action Committee (ICSC PAC), Co-Chair, Advocacy Subcommittee, 2019–Present
* Philadelphia Shipyard Development Corporation, Board of Directors, 2019–Present
* Rosemont College, Board of Trustees, 2018–Present
* Philadelphia Freedom Valley YMCA, Board of Directors, 2015-2017
* Drexel University President's Leadership Council, Board of Directors, 2015-2017
* Pennsylvania Legal Aid Network, Board of Directors, 2015-2017
* Steward's Alliance of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, Executive Committee Chairman
* Christian Street YMCA, Executive Committee, 2008-2011
* Athletic Advantage Fund, Founding Member, 2003-2011

Personal life

Schultz lives in Philadelphia with his two daughters.

References

External links

Holland & Knight Profile

{{DEFAULTSORT:Schultz, Jim
1972 births
American lawyers
Living people
New Jersey Republicans
People from Atlantic City, New Jersey
People from Galloway Township, New Jersey
Temple University alumni
First Trump administration personnel
Widener University Commonwealth Law School alumni