# Michael A. Hess
**Michael A. Hess** was an American lawyer based in Washington, D.C., who has served as Chief Counsel at the [Republican National Committee](https://www.edgepedia.org/republican-national-committee) and practices in election law, campaign finance law, constitutional law, and voting rights.[1](https://www.martindale.com/attorney/michael-a-hess-380731/) • [6](https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/local/1995/08/19/obituaries/dda2c4ae-431f-4d5d-9d37-401363d5046d/)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Position | Chief Counsel at the Republican National Committee, 310 First St., S.E., Washington, DC 20003[1](https://www.martindale.com/attorney/michael-a-hess-380731/) • [6](https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/local/1995/08/19/obituaries/dda2c4ae-431f-4d5d-9d37-401363d5046d/) |
| Education | B.A., University of Notre Dame; J.D., George Washington University[1](https://www.martindale.com/attorney/michael-a-hess-380731/) |
| Bar admission | First admitted in 1977; ISLN 906512720[1](https://www.martindale.com/attorney/michael-a-hess-380731/) |
| Practice areas | Election law, campaign finance law, constitutional law, and voting rights[1](https://www.martindale.com/attorney/michael-a-hess-380731/) |
| Peer recognition | Martindale-Hubbell peer review score of 4.6/5.0 from two reviews[1](https://www.martindale.com/attorney/michael-a-hess-380731/) |
## Legal practice
Hess's listed responsibilities center on the regulation of political activity: election law, campaign finance law, constitutional law, and voting rights.[1](https://www.martindale.com/attorney/michael-a-hess-380731/) His Martindale-Hubbell profile records a peer review of 4.6 out of 5.0 across legal knowledge, analytical capability, judgment, communication, and legal experience, with legal experience rated 5.0.[1](https://www.martindale.com/attorney/michael-a-hess-380731/) A partner rating from April 2010 in government ethics described him as an excellent attorney with significant experience in the regulation of political activity.[1](https://www.martindale.com/attorney/michael-a-hess-380731/)
He was first admitted to the bar in 1977, indicating a career in law spanning from that year onward.[1](https://www.martindale.com/attorney/michael-a-hess-380731/)
## Other people named Michael Hess
The name Michael Hess is shared by several unrelated figures in American law and public life, and sources should be checked carefully to avoid conflation:
- **Michael D. Hess**, a Yale College graduate with a [Harvard Law School](https://www.edgepedia.org/harvard-law-school) degree, was a federal prosecutor in the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York, co-lead counsel with Whitney North Seymour Jr. in *United States v. New York Times* (the [Pentagon Papers](https://www.edgepedia.org/pentagon-papers) case), and Corporation Counsel of the City of New York under Mayor Rudolph Giuliani from early 1998.[2](https://www.nyc.gov/html/om/html/97/sp699-97.html)
- **Michael Thomas Hess** is a Minnesota-licensed attorney with the firm Seager, Tufte & Wickhem in [Minneapolis](https://www.edgepedia.org/minneapolis).[3](https://apps.calbar.ca.gov/attorney/Licensee/Detail/244980)
- **Michael Donald Hess** is a Lancaster, Pennsylvania, bankruptcy lawyer at Burke & Hess, admitted in Pennsylvania in 1991.[4](https://www.martindale.com/attorney/michael-donald-hess-1536367/?pa=36)
- **Michael R. Hess** appeared as a pro se appellant in consolidated Wisconsin Court of Appeals criminal appeals decided June 15, 2022.[5](https://www.wicourts.gov/ca/smd/DisplayDocument.pdf?content=pdf&seqNo=531557)
## References
1. [Michael A. Hess Profile, Martindale.com](https://www.martindale.com/attorney/michael-a-hess-380731/)
2. [Mayor Giuliani Appoints Michael D. Hess as Corporation Counsel of the City of New York, NYC Mayor's Press Office (November 20, 1997)](https://www.nyc.gov/html/om/html/97/sp699-97.html)
3. [Attorney Profile: Michael Thomas Hess #244980, State Bar of California](https://apps.calbar.ca.gov/attorney/Licensee/Detail/244980)
4. [Michael Donald Hess Profile, Martindale.com](https://www.martindale.com/attorney/michael-donald-hess-1536367/?pa=36)
5. [State of Wisconsin v. Michael R. Hess, Wisconsin Court of Appeals summary disposition order (June 15, 2022)](https://www.wicourts.gov/ca/smd/DisplayDocument.pdf?content=pdf&seqNo=531557)
6. [OBITUARIES, The Washington Post](https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/local/1995/08/19/obituaries/dda2c4ae-431f-4d5d-9d37-401363d5046d/)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Society and history › Law and justice › Courts and legal practice › Legal biographies › Practising lawyers and advocates*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 12, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license