O’Melveny Worldwide

Kevin S. Barstow

Partner

Washington, DC Office
Areas of Focus
Areas of Focus
Health Care
Litigation & Investigations
Congressional Investigations
Overview Experience Insights News Credentials

Kevin Barstow brings nearly 20 years of experience in strategic advising and crisis management at the highest levels of government, including the White House, federal agencies, and both chambers of Congress. He advises multinational and domestic companies, boards of directors, officers, investors, and institutions on navigating high-stakes congressional investigations, government inquiries, and other politically sensitive matters across a broad range of industries, with particularly deep expertise in health care.

Kevin most recently served as Senior Counsel and Special Assistant to the President, where he led a team of attorneys in the White House Counsel’s Office responsible for congressional oversight and other investigations at the White House and across the Executive Branch. In that role, he directed responses to complex, high-profile congressional and inspectors general investigations involving matters such as national security, foreign affairs, domestic policy, and ethics. He also counseled on an array of significant issues, including litigation and legal strategy related to executive privilege, the Freedom of Information Act, and other confidentiality protections.

With prior senior roles in the U.S. House of Representatives, U.S. Senate, U.S. Department of Commerce, and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Kevin brings a 360-degree view of the investigative process. At HHS, he served as Senior Counsel to the Deputy Secretary, where he developed strategic responses to congressional and inspector general inquiries, advised on high-impact agency initiatives, and managed cross-agency risk issues.

Over the course of his public service, Kevin managed hundreds of congressional oversight matters, prepared Cabinet and other senior officials for congressional hearings, testimony, and investigative interviews, and led teams through politically charged, high-stakes investigations and inquiries. Known for his strategic foresight, discretion, and deep understanding of government institutions and processes, he helps clients navigate consequential matters with clarity, confidence, and credibility.

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Congressional Investigations

  • Represents the University of California and three of its campuses (UC Berkeley, UCLA, and UCSF) in wide-ranging House Education and Workforce Committee investigations concerning allegations of antisemitism, foreign funding, and medical school curriculum, including preparing university leaders for two congressional hearings.
  • Represents a major media and entertainment company in responding to multiple congressional inquiries, including requests from the Ranking Members of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, House Judiciary Committee, and Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, concerning corporate transactions, editorial independence, and related business matters.
  • Represents Humana in congressional inquiries concerning Medicare Advantage and the use of artificial intelligence, including requests from the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations and the House Ways and Means Committee.
  • Represented a pharmaceutical manufacturer in a Senate HELP Committee investigation concerning mifepristone.
  • Represents senior local government and law enforcement officials in connection with a House Judiciary Committee inquiry concerning immigration enforcement and related policies.
  • Represented UCLA in connection with a House Veterans’ Affairs Committee hearing concerning its activities at the Department of Veterans Affairs’ West Los Angeles campus.
  • Represented the University of California in a Senate HELP Committee inquiry concerning Title IX compliance and collegiate athletics.
  • Counseled multiple entities in connection with a House Homeland Security Committee request concerning federal funding and immigration-related issues.
  • Counseled a public university in connection with a Senate HELP Committee inquiry concerning student math preparedness and college readiness.

Other Investigations

  • Counseled a major pediatric hospital in responding to a request from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services regarding patient care practices.

Admissions

Bar Admissions

  • District of Columbia
  • Michigan
  • Wisconsin

Education

  • The University of Iowa College of Law, J.D., 2006
  • Michigan State University, B.A., General Administration, 2003: with honors

Corporate & Government Experience

Government Experience

  • Special Assistant to the President and Senior Counsel, The White House
  • Senior Counsel to the Deputy Secretary, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
  • Chief Oversight Counsel, U.S. House of Representatives, Committee on Energy and Commerce
  • Chief Counsel, U.S. Senate, U.S. Senator Bob Casey and the Special Committee on Aging
  • Deputy Director for Oversight and Investigations, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
  • Associate Director for Oversight, U.S. Department of Commerce
  • Counselor on Oversight, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
  • Investigative Counsel, U.S. House of Representatives, Committee on Oversight and Government Reform
  • Investigative Counsel, U.S. House of Representatives, Committee on Energy and Commerce
Related Practices
Congressional Investigations
Litigation & Investigations
Related Industries
Health Care
Food, Beverage & Agribusiness