Biography
Lawton Cummings has a diverse practice that intersects the corporate, litigation, and regulatory industries, and she focuses on advising businesses on the legal issues involved in developing and commercializing artificial intelligence technologies. She brings her strategic, business-minded approach to her litigation clients and applies her litigation experience to advise her business clients. Lawton has built strong relationships in both the business and political communities and works closely with business leaders to bring the necessary skills, resources, and relationships to help businesses navigate a variety of issues, including corporate governance, data security and privacy issues, and government compliance.
Lawton has represented clients in commercial litigation in both state and federal court, and has represented large national banks and other financial institutions in a variety of matters, including multimillion-dollar disputes. In addition, Lawton has successfully represented clients in regulated industries to gain government contracts and provides skilled advice to ensure ongoing compliance with complex regulatory regimes.
Prior to joining Jackson Walker, Lawton practiced at an international law firm in New York where she practiced commercial litigation and white collar criminal defense and in Denver at a litigation boutique where she defended corporate clients against class action product liability claims. In addition, Lawton taught contracts, commercial law, criminal law, and professional responsibility at Washington & Lee School Law, George Washington University School of Law, and the University of Maryland School of Law. Lawton has published extensively and serves as a legal analyst for the Fox News Network.
Following law school, Lawton clerked for the Honorable Peter K. Leisure of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York.
Education
B.S., magna cum laude, Tulane University
J.D., magna cum laude, Georgetown University Law Center
- The Georgetown Law Review
- Primary Editor, Twenty-Ninth Annual Review of Criminal Procedure
Bar Admissions
Colorado, 2006
New York, 2001
Texas, 2017
Court Admissions
U.S. District Court for the Southern and Eastern District of New York, 2001
U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas, 2017
Speeches
- “The Ethics of Web 2.0,” 4th Annual National Institute on E-Discovery, American Bar Association, Washington, D.C. (May 2010)
- “The Attorney’s Professional Obligation to ‘Right the Ship’: A Proposal for a Springing Pro Bono Obligation When the Government Fails to Provide a Functioning Justice System,” 22nd Biennial Admiralty Law Institute Symposium, Tulane University Law School (March 2009)
- Panelist, “Ethics Developments in Antitrust – From the Boardroom to the Outside Lawyers” American Bar Association (December 2008)
- “The War for Talent,” The Council for the United States & Italy 24th Young Leaders Conference, Turin, Italy (October 2008)
- “Dealing with International Differences in Legal Privilege Rules In the New Era of Globalization – An Opportunity to Re-Examine the Privilege as it Applies to In-House Counsel,” Southeastern Association of Law Schools Annual Conference (July 2008); American Bar Association Antitrust Law Annual Spring Meeting, Washington, D.C. (March 2008)
- “The Moral Authority of the President,” Washington and Lee Alumni College Institute for Honor (January 2008)
Publications
- My Brother’s Keeper: An Empirical Study of Attorney Facilitation of Money-Laundering through Commercial Transactions 2011 J. Prof’l Lawyer 1, with Paul Stepnowsky (peer reviewed)
- Can an Ethical Person Be an Ethical Prosecutor? A Social Cognitive Approach to Systemic Reform 31 Cardozo L. Rev. 2139-2159 (2010)
- Globalization and the Evisceration of the Corporate Attorney-Client Privilege: A Re-Examination of the Privilege and a Proposal for Harmonization, 76 Tenn. L. Rev. 1 (Fall, 2008)
- The Ethical Mine Field: Joint Representation of the Employee and the Corporation in Internal Investigations, 109 W. Va. L. Rev. 669 (2007)
- Texas Cultural Trust
- 2018 Texas Young Masters Host Committee
- The Texas Advocacy Project
- Board of Directors
- Gala Committee Member
- The Texas Book Festival
- Gala Committee Member
- American Civil Liberties Union
- Colorado Board of Directors, 2006-2007
- American Constitution Society
- Co-Founder
Lawton has served as a legal contributor for the Fox News Channel since 2006. The following are some of her recent segments:
- Lawton Cummings and Fred Tecce discuss the trial of Zachary Adams, “Happening Now”
- Lawton Cummings discusses Jared Kushner, Paul Manafort, and Ivanka Trump, “Happening Now”