Jennifer Brosnahan McIntyre Named Smithsonian Chief Legal Officer

Jennifer Brosnahan McIntyre, the current chief counsel for strategy and policy at Boeing Defense Space and Security, has been named chief legal officer for the Smithsonian Institution, effective March 11, 2024.

McIntyre will serve as the principal legal advisor to the Secretary; the Board of Regents, the Smithsonian’s governing body; and other Smithsonian senior officials. The Smithsonian’s chief legal officer advises on legal issues arising from the broad scope of operations of the Institution, is responsible for overseeing representation of the Smithsonian in litigation and administrative matters, serves as the Smithsonian’s chief ethics officer and leads the Office of the General Counsel, which consists of 14 lawyers and six support staff. As a member of the Smithsonian’s senior leadership team, the chief legal officer also works in collaboration with the Institution’s senior leaders and other museum, research center and educational program directors to further the Smithsonian’s mission and strategic plan and to improve its policies and operations.

Since 2010, McIntyre has served in various roles in the Law Department of The Boeing Company. As chief counsel for strategy and policy at Boeing Defense Space and Security, McIntyre advises Boeing’s defense business on legal and policy matters of strategic importance to the future of the business, particularly those related to government contracting. In a prior role as chief counsel for autonomous systems, McIntyre led a team of attorneys as principal legal advisor to the division and was responsible for legal matters ranging from government and commercial contracting to intellectual property, litigation and governance. As chief counsel for government operations before that, she advised company leadership on legal, policy and compliance matters related to advocacy before Congress, the executive branch and state and local governments; legislation; and regulatory affairs. She also serves on the advisory board for Boeing Global Engagement, the company’s philanthropic organization.

“Jennifer’s leadership in legal matters, as shown by her work in the public and private sectors, will bring great benefit to the Smithsonian,” said Smithsonian Secretary Lonnie Bunch. “We look forward to welcoming her to the team.”

Prior to her work at Boeing, McIntyre served in various federal government positions and in private practice. From 2007–2009, she served as deputy general counsel for the U.S. Department of Transportation, where she advised senior officials on significant litigation, regulation, legislation and policy matters and assisted in the management of the Department’s approximately 300 lawyers. She served in the White House as associate counsel to the President from 2003–2007, providing legal advice to President George W. Bush and White House officials on matters including judicial nominations, executive privilege, ethics, proposed legislation and the legal activities of various federal departments and agencies. McIntyre also served as counsel to the associate attorney general at the U.S. Department of Justice, as an associate in the Washington, D.C., office of Kirkland & Ellis and as a law clerk to Judge Kenneth F. Ripple of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit.

“I am truly honored to be joining the Smithsonian’s team of remarkable and dedicated public servants in their pursuit of James Smithson’s original objective­—the increase and diffusion of knowledge,” McIntyre said. “It is hard to think of a more worthwhile professional purpose, and I look forward with great enthusiasm to supporting the Institution in its efforts to educate and inspire the American people.”

McIntyre serves on the board of directors for the Foundation for the Catholic Diocese of Arlington and is a board member of the St. Thomas More Cathedral School PTO. She earned her Juris Doctor degree magna cum laude from Harvard Law School and a Bachelor of Arts degree in economics magna cum laude from Harvard College. She is a member of the District of Columbia Bar and the Maryland Bar.

McIntyre succeeds Judith Leonard, who retired from the Institution in March 2023. Farleigh Earhart, associate general counsel, has served as acting general counsel.

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SI-367-2023