Andrew Morton is a Partner at Handler Thayer LLP and Chair of the firm's Sports & Entertainment Law Group. Andrew’s innovative practice operates at the intersection of celebrity and philanthropy, comprising all aspects of high-profile nonprofit engagement – from the initial formation of a tax-exempt organization, to the ongoing oversight, compliance, governance and reporting consistent with legal requirements and best practices.
Based in Washington, DC, Andrew also works to develop and execute an effective public policy strategy – which can range from organizing/overseeing highly-visible appearances before congressional committees, to arranging targeted private meetings with key members of Congress and the Administration. Leveraging his depth of experience and relationships within both Hollywood and Washington, Andrew helps clients to navigate and effectively achieve results at the nexus of these two complex worlds. Additionally, Andrew is an academic coach for the STAR EMBA program at The George Washington University School of Business, a specialized Executive MBA for individuals with strong personal brands such as professional athletes, actors, artists, and musicians.
Prior to joining Handler Thayer, Andrew served as General Counsel of Newdea, a software development firm providing the philanthropy sector with innovative technology to measure and manage nonprofit projects. He also practiced with the Political Law and Government Affairs groups of Latham & Watkins LLP, and Foley & Lardner LLP. In those roles, he advised the firm's nonprofit and commercial clients in the areas of corporate governance, compliance and Board oversight, as well as legislative strategy and public policy engagement.
A frequent speaker on international human rights, Andrew has testified before the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives, and he regularly appears in national media outlets including CNN, ABC World News Tonight, National Public Radio, the New York Times and Washington Post. Andrew has served as Pro Bono Counsel to the U.N. Refugee Agency (UNHCR) and the U.N. Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), as well as numerous other international human rights organizations, including FilmAid International, later transitioning into the role of Interim Executive Director. For his extensive advocacy on behalf of nonprofit clients, the D.C. Bar Association honored Andrew as "Pro Bono Lawyer of the Year," and he received the "Outstanding Pro Bono Service Award" from the Legal Aid Society.
Andrew earned his J.D., cum laude, from the University of Pennsylvania Law School, where he was a member of the Board of Editors of the University of Pennsylvania Law Review, Co-Editor in Chief of The Bluebook, and Co-Chair of the Equal Justice Foundation. He received Penn Law's "Alumni Achievement Award" for outstanding contributions to the development of law and the legal profession, as well as the "Benjamin R. Jones Award for Law and Humanity," the Law School's most prestigious public interest recognition. Andrew also attended the University of Maryland, earning an M.P.P. in international security and economic policy from the School of Public Affairs, and a B.A., magna cum laude, in economics and Spanish.
Andrew currently serves on the Boards of Directors for the Giving Back Fund, the Alliance to Stop Slavery & End Trafficking (ASSET), Human Rights USA, and OneBlue, as well as the advisory board for the University of Pennsylvania Law School Public Service Program.