Overview
Scott Sinder represents trade associations and companies, as both a legislative advocate and a litigator, on a wide range of issues in state and federal trial and appellate courts, in state legislatures and Congress, and before regulatory agencies. He also serves as outside general counsel for several prominent trade associations and charities.
Current projects include legislative and regulatory work on a wide range of issues including tax reform and various financial services regulatory reform initiatives. He also represents clients in post-enactment regulatory work related to the implementation of the Patient Protection & Affordable Care Act of 2010 and the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform & Consumer Protection Act and in the on-going re-evaluation of those laws before both Congress and the pertinent federal agencies. In addition, Scott represents multiple trade association clients before the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) and the National Conference of Insurance Legislators (NCOIL), including advocating on their behalf as model legislation is considered.
An experienced commercial and public law litigator, Scott has represented clients in class action, antitrust, copyright, redistricting, and other complex civil litigation cases. His experience includes serving as lead counsel in a series of successful constitutional challenges the Council asserted against state “countersignature” laws.
Scott’s work also includes counseling clients on a wide range of regulatory compliance issues and providing general counseling services to trade associations and other tax exempt organizations.
- District of Columbia
- Supreme Court of the United States
- US District Court, District of Columbia
- US District Court, District of Colorado
- US Court of Appeals, First Circuit
- US Court of Appeals, Fourth Circuit
- US Court of Appeals, Sixth Circuit
- US Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit
- US Court of Appeals, Tenth Circuit
- US Court of Appeals, Eleventh Circuit
- Hon. Zita L. Weinsheink, US District Court, District of Colorado, 1989-1990
- J.D., University of Michigan Law School, 1988, with honors, Campbell Award, Moot Court champion
- University of Michigan Institute of Public Policy, 1987, Masters of Public Policy
- A.B., University of Michigan, 1985, with honors
Areas of Work
Representative Matters
- Lead counsel on a series of Constitutional challenges brought by The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers against state insurance broker laws that discriminate against non-residents. He recently achieved a significant victory in this six year legal battle in which the Ninth Circuit declared Nevada’s countersignature laws unconstitutional.
- Lead counsel on behalf of a coalition of insurance agent trade associations in litigation against the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency over preemption determinations in the First, Fourth, and Sixth Circuits.
- Lead counsel for a coalition of insurance agent associations in IIAA v. Hawke, a case in which the DC Circuit overturned an Office of the Comptroller of the Currency opinion granting national banks the incidental power to sell crop insurance.
- Co-counsel for a coalition of insurance agent associations on the 1996 Supreme Court case Barnett Bank of Marion Co, N.A. v. Nelson.
- Co-counsel for the Florida House of Representatives on the 1993 Supreme Court redistricting case Wetherall v. DeGrandy.
Speaking Engagements
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"Overview of Key Provisions and Issues to Consider," American Land Title Association, February 21, 2018
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"Insurance Coverage for Cyber Risks," CIAB, October 19, 2016
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"DOL Fiduciary Rule: What it Means for NAIFA Members and Their Practices," NAIFA, April 13, 2016
News & Publications
Client Alerts
March 8, 2024
Client Alerts
Fiduciary Rule Client Advisory
November 3, 2023
By: Melanie Nussdorf, Paul J. Ondrasik, Jr., Eric G. Serron, Scott A. Sinder, Nick Sutter, Raisa M. Daigneault
Press Releases
Steptoe Receives 25 Practice, 72 Individual Mentions in Chambers USA 2023
June 1, 2023
Publications
Leader’s Edge Magazine
January 17, 2023
Press Releases
Steptoe Receives 27 Practice, 72 Individual Mentions in Chambers USA 2022
June 3, 2022
Client Alerts
SEC Releases Proposed Rule on Climate Disclosure Requirements for Public Companies
March 23, 2022
Client Alerts
White House Releases Executive Order on Ensuring Responsible Development of Digital Assets
March 11, 2022
By: Alan Cohn, Scott A. Sinder, Micah S. Green, Jason Abel, Evan T. Abrams
Client Alerts
DOJ Seeks Comments on Changes to the Foreign Agents Registration Act Regulations
December 13, 2021
By: Jason Abel, Adie J. Olson, Scott A. Sinder, Jennifer M. Jackson, Amanda Powell
Client Alerts
Steptoe Executive Order on Competition (EOC) Tracker
July 21, 2021
By: Michael L. Weiner, Micah S. Green, Leslie A. Belcher, Christopher Bjornson, David H. Coburn, John J. Kavanagh, Douglas G. Green, Pantelis Michalopoulos, Scott A. Sinder, Bill Toth, Travis West, Peter W. Denton, Dane Jaques
Resources
Financial Services Group Advisory
Previewing Gary Gensler's SEC Confirmation Hearing
March 1, 2021
By: Alan Cohn, John T. Collins, Christopher R. Conte, Scott D. Fisher, Micah S. Green, Scott A. Sinder
Financial Services Group Advisory
How to Access Treasury Department Funding Under the CARES Act
March 29, 2020
By: Micah S. Green, John T. Collins, Scott A. Sinder, Jason Abel, Kate Jensen
Financial Services Group Advisory
Federal Reserve Establishes, Expands Emergency Capital Liquidity Facilities
March 25, 2020
By: Micah S. Green, John T. Collins, Scott A. Sinder, Jason Abel, N. Hunter Johnston, Kate Jensen
Financial Services Group Advisory
US Financial Regulatory Response to COVID-19
March 24, 2020
By: Micah S. Green, John T. Collins, Scott A. Sinder, Jason Abel, Kate Jensen
Client Alerts
CFIUS Proposes Dramatic Expansion of US Foreign Investment Review, Seeks Public Input
October 2, 2019
By: Stewart A. Baker, Scott A. Sinder, Evan T. Abrams, Martin Willner
Financial Services Group Advisory
June 12, 2019
By: Micah S. Green, Scott A. Sinder, Kate Jensen, Paul J. Ondrasik, Jr., Melanie Nussdorf, Eric G. Serron
Events
Seminars & Events
Post-Election Recap - Policymaking Agenda for 2023
November 10, 2022
Speakers: Jason Abel, Leslie A. Belcher, Elizabeth Hurley Burks, Darryl Nirenberg, Scott A. Sinder
Webinars
Post-Election Recap: The First 48 Hours
November 5, 2020
Speakers: Jason Abel, Leslie A. Belcher, Elizabeth Hurley Burks, Darryl Nirenberg, Scott A. Sinder
Webinars
November 8, 2018
Speakers: Jason Abel, Leslie A. Belcher, Elizabeth Hurley Burks, John T. Collins, Micah S. Green, Kate Jensen, N. Hunter Johnston, Darryl Nirenberg, Scott A. Sinder
Seminars & Events
Tax Reform: How Exempt Organizations Could Be Affected
January 31, 2017
Speakers: Jason Abel, Scott A. Sinder, Lisa M. Zarlenga
The Dupont Circle Hotel
1500 New Hampshire Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20036
Webinars
November 10, 2016
Speakers: Jason Abel, Leslie A. Belcher, Elizabeth Hurley Burks, David H. Coburn, John T. Collins, Micah S. Green, N. Hunter Johnston, Darryl Nirenberg, Scott A. Sinder, Amanda Pedvin Varma
Noteworthy
- Chambers USA, Government: Government Relations, Nationwide (2011-2023)
- Legal 500 US, Government: Government Relations (2016-2019)
- Author of the Legal Ease column of Leader’s Edge magazine, a cutting-edge, award-winning publication on the insurance industry
Professional Affiliations
- General Counsel and Board Member, Foundation to Eradicate Duchenne (2002-present)
- General Counsel, Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers
- General Counsel, Commercial Real Estate Finance Council
- Deputy General Counsel for delegate selection and other senior roles, Kerry for President Campaign (2004)