Jess Blakemore

Principal Deputy General Counsel 

Jess Blakemore is the Principal Deputy General Counsel at Democracy Forward.

Jess joins Democracy Forward after four years in the Biden White House, where she most recently served as Special Assistant to the President and Senior Associate Counsel in the White House Counsel’s Office. In that role, she provided legal and strategic counsel on ethics, compliance, operations, communications, and personnel matters. She worked closely with senior staff to ensure adherence to federal ethics rules and helped shape policies and processes that promoted transparency, integrity, and sound governance at the highest levels of government.  Previously, Jess practiced at Linklaters LLP in New York, focusing on corporate transactions, restructurings, and governance. Prior to attending law school, she held a variety of roles in the Obama White House and on political campaigns, gaining experience in government operations, policy development, and political strategy.  That work served to deepen her understanding of how legal frameworks, policymaking, and public engagement intersect to drive meaningful change.  Guided by a deep commitment to equity and democratic values, Jess has built a career at the intersection of law, public service, and advocacy.

Jess holds a J.D. from Georgetown Law and a B.A. in political science and medieval history from Barnard College.