Jerry L. Malone was born and raised in the fertile Mississippi Delta Region of east Arkansas. He graduated from Earle High School as the Salutatorian of his class and attended the University of Central Arkansas in Conway, where he graduated as the Outstanding Student in the College of Science and Humanities. Malone moved on to graduate with High Honors (3rd in the full-time day division) from the UALR Bowen School of Law in Little Rock and joined the prestigious law firm of Friday, Eldredge & Clark (the largest in the state of Arkansas), where he practiced and became a partner before moving to Washington, DC.
Malone loves and knows Arkansas, its people, its values, its needs and its promising future, having served (among other things) as co-lead attorney for the Little Rock School District during the hay-day of its modern desegregation efforts and as an appointed (by then Governor Clinton) Board Trustee for the University of Central Arkansas. He is a life member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. He served two terms as a member of the Board of Directors of the Delta Research and Educational Foundation (serving as Board Secretary during his second term), the national charitable arm of the Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., and two terms as a member of the UALR Bowen Law School Alumni Board of Directors.
Malone now practices law and provides consulting, government relations and public policy services in Washington, DC and Little Rock, AR. Malone’s practice is primarily focused on transportation (all modes), infrastructure development and financing (including TIFIA, P3s,SIBs, GARVEES, etc.), WRAPS a/k/a OCIPs a/k/a CIPS (Owner Controlled Insurance Programs or Controlled Insurance Programs), water and power, crisis management/resolution, banking and financial services, education and other government relations needs.
From a consulting standpoint, Malone served as Chief Operating Officer of Toyota Motor North America’s Quality and Safety Advisory Panel (“Transportation Safety Panel”) to render advice to Toyota’s leadership both in North America and Japan (Toyota Motor Corporation) regarding quality and safety best practices. Malone’s service as COO of Toyota’s Transportation Safety Panel allowed him to use his keen knowledge of the U.S. Department of Transportation, along with the practical, regulatory and legal implications of safety being the Department’s top priority, to lead and guide the Panel’s multi-faceted day-to-day operations as the Panel interfaced with Toyota officials, government regulators (especially those with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (“NHTSA”)), safety advocates representing differing components of the safety community (IIHS, Consumers Union, etc.), U.S. Congressional oversight members and staff.
Malone is a transportation professional who has helped to shape public policy. He has a clear understanding of how public policy and its attendant regulatory considerations impact a company’s bottom line. He understands the role that transportation plays in fostering a strong and vibrant economy that produces jobs for growth, competitiveness and prosperity.
Prior to returning to private practice, Malone served almost six (6) years as General Counsel to the Chief Financial Officer for the Government of the District of Columbia. In this capacity, Malone counseled and advised the District’s CFO on all legal matters such as municipal finance, baseball stadium financing and construction, state and local governmental operations, congressional appropriations, revenue, accounting, budgeting, auditing, income and real property tax administration, lottery and charitable games, bonding and contracting.
Before serving as General Counsel to the DC CFO, Malone served in the federal government as an appointee in President Bill Clinton’s Administration. Initially, Malone was appointed Chief Counsel of the U. S. Federal Highway Administration to serve as the chief legal advisor to the Federal Highway Administrator. Upon the Highway Administrator’s appointment as U.S. Secretary of Transportation, Malone first served as Deputy Chief of Staff of the U.S. Department of Transportation and later became the Chief of Staff of the Cabinet-level agency (which at the time had an annual budget in the range of $60 billion and over 100,000 employees).
Before joining the U.S. Department of Transportation, Malone practiced law for over 13 years at the Little Rock law firm of Friday, Eldredge and Clark as a law clerk, associate attorney and partner. In these capacities, Malone was a commercial litigator representing clients such as Union Pacific Railroad (formerly Missouri Pacific Railroad), Sears, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, the Resolution Trust Corporation, the Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department, First National Bank, First Commercial Bank, the Little Rock School District, construction companies, insurance and bonding companies (i.e. Fireman’s Fund, St. Paul Fire and Marine, etc.) and the like.
He is licensed to practice law in the state of Arkansas as well as in Washington, DC and is admitted to U. S. Federal District Court in D.C. and Arkansas (Eastern and Western Districts), the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals and the U.S. Supreme Court.
Malone is the proud father of two beautiful teenage daughters, Michaela Rose and Hannah Elise. Michaela will be returning to Arkansas State University in Jonesboro, Arkansas in the fall of 2018 for her second year of college and Hannah will be returning for her senior year of high school as a member of the class of 2019 at Sylvan Hills High School in the Pulaski County Special School District.
