Denver, CO (July 10, 2025) — Kaplan Kirsch LLP is proud to announce that Subash Iyer, former Acting General Counsel of the U.S. Department of Transportation and former Chief Counsel of the Federal Transit Administration (FTA), has joined the firm as a partner. His arrival marks a significant addition to the firm’s leading national infrastructure, transportation, and public law practice, building on the return of John Putnam and Allison Ishihara Fultz, two nationally respected attorneys who also held senior roles at the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT). These recent hires signal Kaplan Kirsch’s continued commitment to supporting transit, rail, and other agencies, airports, and state departments of transportation, with the experienced strategic counsel they need to successfully complete capital projects, capture funding opportunities, address fiscal challenges, and navigate unprecedented policy and regulatory changes. Subash will be based in Kaplan Kirsch’s New York office.
Subash brings a significant depth of legal and public policy experience to the firm. As Acting General Counsel of USDOT, he served as Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg’s top legal advisor, overseeing a 500-person legal team, leading the Department’s rulemaking agenda, streamlining processes to expedite project delivery, and defending landmark transportation and environmental policies. As Chief Counsel at the Federal Transit Administration (FTA), Subash worked to implement the historic Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and oversaw all FTA legal matters, including on Buy America compliance and safety and labor regulations. Prior to joining USDOT, Subash served as Special Counsel for Ethics, Risk, and Compliance at the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) in New York. Subash, a former Supreme Court clerk to Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, also brings a strong litigation background from private practice in Washington, D.C., where he helped deliver multiple Supreme Court and court of appeals victories for his clients.
“Subash is a remarkable lawyer and public servant, and we’re thrilled to have him join our growing team,” said Bob Randall, Managing Partner of the firm. “This is shaping up to be a strong hiring year for Kaplan Kirsch. Subash adds a strategic federal perspective that will be invaluable to our clients – and he’s one of several talented attorneys joining us this summer.”
“The best teams deliver the best results,” said John Putnam, a Partner at the Firm and the General Counsel of USDOT prior to Subash. “Subash Iyer and Allison Ishihara Fultz are proven players who achieved big wins as part of the USDOT; they now expand our Firm’s capabilities, and their passion, experience, and knowledge will make our clients’ teams that much stronger.”
A graduate of NYU School of Law and Columbia University, Subash began his legal career with three prestigious clerkships – serving at the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, and the U.S. Supreme Court for Justice Ginsburg.
“I’ve long admired Kaplan Kirsch’s thoughtful, mission-driven work and their national leadership in the transportation, infrastructure, and climate space,” said Subash Iyer. “Clients trust Kaplan Kirsch on some of the most pressing legal, regulatory, and project delivery issues in our industry, and I’m excited to bring my experiences from federal service and a transit agency to help transportation providers capture the opportunities and tackle the challenges ahead.”
With Subash’s arrival, Kaplan Kirsch will count among its ranks three former DOT confirmed or acting General Counsels, a former FRA chief counsel, and a former FTA chief counsel, as well as an assistant chief counsel of the Transportation Security Administration (TSA). The firm welcomed three additional attorneys over the past six weeks: Caitlin McCusker, Casey Morris, and Caroline G. Jaschke. With the experience they bring from the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), USDOT, and FRA, Kaplan Kirsch continues to deepen its bench and expand its capacity to serve developers and operators of transportation infrastructure across the nation.