April 21, 2021—Barclay Damon LLP announces Jack Quinn, the law firm’s senior advisor for public and community relations, has been elected to the board of directors of The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research (MJFF). The appointment was announced by MJFF yesterday in a press release available here.
In addition to his role with Barclay Damon, Quinn is a former US congressman for New York State and past president of Erie Community College. Quinn, who was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 2014, approximately a decade after his younger brother was diagnosed, will bring his Washington DC experience and network to position the foundation’s public policy efforts in front of lawmakers.
“Jack’s legislative expertise coupled with his personal experience living with PD will help amplify our research mission and support policy priorities that matter for our community,” said Debi Brooks, co-founder and executive vice chairman of MJFF. “We are grateful for every member of our board of directors who lend their talents and passion to supporting our ultimate goal—curing Parkinson’s and closing our doors.”
Ted Thompson, MJFF’s senior vice president for public policy, said, “Jack has worked with me on trying to get appropriations increased for the PD research program at the Department of Defense, funding for the CDC surveillance system, and now he and his son (who himself is a former NYS assemblymember) and I are working on getting a PD registry established in New York State.”
Connie Cahill, Barclay Damon’s managing partner, added, “We are thrilled about Jack’s appointment to MJFF’s board. His dedication to raising funding and awareness around this disease while utilizing his extensive government experience and relationships to affect policy is inspiring. It’s an example to all of us at the firm about using each of our unique skills and talents to create positive change in the world, and it fits perfectly with our core values of diversity, equity, and inclusion—which includes bringing all of our gifts to bear to help those dealing with disabling diseases.”
“I am grateful,” Quinn said, “and deeply appreciative to my friends at Barclay Damon who help me deal with my personal battle against PD and provide me with the time and tools to assist MJFF on a national level to find a cure.”
Quinn added, “I’m humbled and excited to join the team at MJFF, a very talented and devoted group of professionals who likely lead the world in funding and research to find a cure for PD. I look forward to adding my contributions soon.”
Barclay Damon attorneys team across offices and practices to provide customized, targeted solutions grounded in industry knowledge and a deep understanding of our clients’ businesses. With nearly 300 attorneys, Barclay Damon is a leading law firm that operates from a strategic platform of offices located in the Northeastern United States and Toronto. For more information, visit our award-winning website at barclaydamon.com.