Sheila Walcoff, J.D., Partner, McDermott, Will & Emery, LLP

Sheila D. Walcoff is a partner in the Washington, D.C. office of the law firm of McDermott Will & Emery LLP where she focuses her practice on genomics and personalized medicine, FDA regulatory advice, medical product reimbursement policies, CLIA requirements, and legislative strategy and advocacy on medical products and related science issues.  Her clients include innovative diagnostic companies, clinical laboratories, coalitions and associations, a diagnostic standards entity, pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies.

Ms. Walcoff served as health and science policy counselor to HHS Secretary Leavitt, Associate Commissioner for External Affairs at the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and the health policy team leader/senior health policy advisor to a 2008 presidential campaign.  She also served as the majority counsel to the U.S. House of Representatives Armed Services Committee.   Her ongoing pro bono work includes legislative and policy counsel to a national eating disorder association. 

Ms. Walcoff served  on the HHS Secretary’s Advisory Committee on Genetics, Health and Society (SACGHS) from 2008- 2010,  and is a member of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Center for Biomedical Innovation (CBI) Strategy and Policy Council and  the Board of the Friends of the National Zoo (FONZ) in Washington, D.C.  She is a frequent speaker on genomics, personalized medicine and related medical product and laboratory regulation and reimbursement issues.  She recently published an article on evidentiary standards for comparative effectiveness research and a chapter on recent development in FDA law and policy. 

Outside of her law practice, Ms. Walcoff is a life-long entrepreneur who co-owns several veterinary hospitals.