Kirk Van Tine

Kirk Van Tine is a partner at Baker Botts, where he heads a practice group focusing on transportation and homeland security issues. Mr. Van Tine joined Baker Botts as an associate in 1978 and became a partner in 1987, concentrating on complex litigation involving business matters and the federal government. He left the firm in 2001 when he was nominated by President Bush to become general counsel of the U.S. Department of Transportation. After the terrorist attacks of September 11, Mr. Van Tine was also responsible for the implementation of the $5 billion emergency airline compensation legislation, and was a member of the Air Transportation Stabilization Board, which was established to provide loan guarantees to air carriers that were unable to access the capital markets as a result of the disruption caused by the attacks. He assisted in the creation of the Transportation Security Administration and was heavily involved in transportation security issues. He served as general counsel until September 2003, when he was nominated by the President to be deputy secretary of the department. Mr. Van Tine served as deputy secretary from December 2003 to December 2004. In that capacity he was the department's chief operating officer, with responsibility for the day-to-day management of DOT's $58 billion budget and approximately 60,000 employees. He was also responsible for the development of major legislative and policy initiatives in the transportation sector, and for coordinating transportation policy issues within the executive branch. He was a member of the Amtrak Board of Directors, and was responsible for drafting the administration's legislative proposal for reforming passenger rail operations in the United States. He also served on the Deputies Committees of the Homeland Security Council and the National Security Council, dealing with major homeland security policy issues. Mr. Van Tine returned to the firm in January 2005. His practice encompasses government relations, administrative proceedings, litigation, and general business counseling in the areas of transportation and homeland security.