Professional Experience

Mr. Ray is a former member of Manatt, Phelps & Phillip, LLP’s Board of Directors and former Administrative Partner of the Washington, D.C. Office.  Mr. Ray’s law practice concentrates on advising clients in zoning and land use, public policy and regulatory, business and municipal representation.  Mr. Ray draws upon his expertise in public policy with the federal and municipal governments and in the private sector to help clients resolve complex matters.

He also provides legal counsel in healthcare, banking and real estate.

Mr. Ray's involvement in local, national and international affairs and the political processes of Washington, DC spans the past 27 years. He has a long record of leadership in Democratic Party activities, and was chairman of the District of Columbia delegation to the 1980 Democratic National Convention and is presently a member of the Democratic National Committee, Mid-Atlantic Finance Committee. He served as counsel to the United States Senate Antitrust & Monopolies Subcommittee and as an attorney-advisor with the Office of Legal Counsel of the United States Department of Justice.

Mr. Ray served as an at-large member of the District of Columbia City Council for eighteen years. During that period, he served as Acting Chairman, Chairman Pro Tempore of the Council, and Chairman of the Committee on Consumer and Regulatory Affairs. In those positions he dealt with consumer protection, business licensing and regulation, insurance and health care licensing and regulation, housing regulation, public utilities and some aspects of banking. He wrote and guided legislation through the City Council that established the Department of Insurance, Securities and Banking as a cabinet-level agency. He also served on the Judiciary, Economic Development, Housing and Human Services Committees.

As a legislator, he authored and won Council approval of some of the District’s most progressive and wide-ranging reform legislation including: a major overhaul of the District’s system of licensing and regulating health care professionals and health maintenance organizations; significant revisions to the District laws governing corporations and partnerships; and, revisions to laws affecting government regulation of corporations, rental housing and the insurance industry.

Mr. Ray served as law clerk to Judge Spottswood W. Robinson, III of the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit.  While attending law school, Mr. Ray clerked for two and one-half years for former Supreme Court Justice Abe Fortas.

Education

George Washington University Law School, J.D., with honors, 1973.

George Washington University, B.A., 1970.

Memberships & Activities

Admitted to practice before the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, the United States District Court of the District of Columbia and the Superior Court of the District of Columbia.

Member, District of Columbia Bar Association.

Member, Washington Bar Association.

Member, Board of Directors, Alliance for Responsible Cuba Policy.

Member, Federal City Council.

Member, District of Columbia Chamber of Commerce.

Member, Greater Washington Board of Trade.

Member, Board of Directors, DC Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy

Member, Board of Directors, University of the District of Columbia Foundation, Inc.

Former Member Virginia Board of Directors, First Union Corporation

Former Member, Mid-Atlantic Board and Advisory Board, Wachovia Corporation.

Former Member, National Board of Directors, YMCA of the USA.

Former Member, Board of Directors, Washington Ballet.

Former Member, Board of Directors, YMCA of Metropolitan Washington. 

Military

Served five and one-half years in the United States Air Force.

Honors & Awards

The Best Lawyers in America, 2005-2012.

Publications

Mr. Ray regularly publishes articles on public policy issues in the commentary sections of The Washington Post, The Washington Times and other publications.