Nia A. Phillips is the Deputy General Counsel for Departmental and Legislative Services in the Office of the General Counsel at the U.S. Department of Education. In this post, she oversees legal services to the Department relating to business and administrative law and proposed or pending legislation. Prior to joining the Department, Ms. Phillips served as State Constituency Director and Deputy Political Director for Barack Obama’s Campaign for Change in Georgia. She taught first grade in Brooklyn, New York before working on the Obama campaign. Prior to teaching, Ms. Phillips worked as in-house counsel for Viacom Inc., and as an attorney at Debevoise & Plimpton. She also served as a legal staff assistant in the Department of Energy’s Office of Legislation.

Ms. Phillips holds a Bachelor of Arts from Spelman College, a Juris Doctorate from New York University School of Law, and a Master of Science in Education from Brooklyn College. She is a native Washingtonian and a proud graduate of DC public schools.