Lane McFadden holds a BA in Speech and Communication (with a minor in Theater) from the University of South Carolina Honors College, and a JD from New York University Law School where he graduated cum laude. He served as a judicial law clerk to both the Honorable Andrew J. Kleinfeld on the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals (in Fairbanks, Alaska) and the Honorable Loren A. Smith on the United States Court of Federal Claims (in Washington, D.C.). He now works as an appellate attorney for the United States Department of Justice, in the Environment and Natural Resources Division. In his more than 14 years of practice, he has served as lead counsel for the United States in approximately 75 matters, and presented more than 40 oral arguments to the federal courts of appeals and one state supreme court. He was primary drafter of briefs to the United States Supreme Court in five matters and has advised the Solicitor General in numerous others. His practice addresses a wide range of environmental, aviation, land management, nuclear regulatory, criminal, religious freedom, and Indian gaming issues.

Mr. McFadden's prior teaching experience includes teaching Legal Research and Writing at the American University Washington College of Law, and Introduction to Long-Form Improvisational Comedy at the Washington Improv Theater in Washington, D.C. He lives in Bloomington with his wife and daughter, and if they have their way he will soon have a cat as well.