Peter N. Kirsanow

Attorney

Commissioner Peter N. Kirsanow is a member of the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights. President George W. Bush appointed him to the Commission in 2001 and reappointed him in 2007. House Speaker John Boehner reappointed him to the Commission in 2013. Commissioner Kirsanow is also a former member of the National Labor Relations Board, receiving a recess appointment from President Bush in 2006. <br /> <br /> Commissioner Kirsanow is a partner at the Cleveland, Ohio law firm of Bensech, Friedlander, Coplan, and Aronoff, LLP in the Labor and Employment Practice Group. His practice is focused on representing management in employment-related litigation as well as in contract negotiations, NLRB proceedings, EEO matters, and arbitration. <br /> Commissioner Kirsanow frequently testifies before and advises members of the U.S. Congress on various civil rights and labor related issues. He has appeared before the Senate Judiciary Committee to testify regarding the nominations of Chief Justice John Roberts, Justice Samuel Alito, Justice Elena Kagan, and Justice Sonia Sotomayor to the U.S. Supreme Court. Previously, he served as senior labor counsel of Leaseway Transportation Corp. and labor counsel for the city of Cleveland. He has extensive experience in public sector employment matters as well as in industries such as heavy manufacturing, trucking, health care, radio and television, and employee leasing. <br /> <br /> Commissioner Kirsanow is the past Chair of the Board of Directors of the Center for New Black Leadership. He received his B.A. in 1976 from Cornell and his J.D. with honors in 1979 from Cleveland State University, where he served as articles editor of the Cleveland State Law Review. Commissioner Kirsanow is a frequent contributor to National Review Online and regularly appears on Bill Bennett’s radio show Morning in America.