Pablo E. Carrillo

Prior to joining the firm, Pablo served as Chief of Staff to US Senator John McCain, then Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee and former presidential nominee. In that role, Pablo managed the Senator's offices in Washington, Phoenix, Tucson, and Prescott, and a multimillion-dollar budget, furthering the Senator’s legislative and oversight agenda and his constituency service and community outreach obligations. Previously, he previously served as Minority General Counsel to the Senate Armed Services Committee with then-Ranking Member McCain, where he supported the Committee’s Republican members on the annual defense authorization bill, presidential nominations, ethics matters, and key oversight initiatives—especially those involving major defense acquisition programs.

During his tenure on Capitol Hill, Pablo was the principal Republican negotiator of landmark legislation, including the Weapon Systems Acquisition Reform Act of 2009 and reforms to the national security space launch program, both aimed at modernizing how the Department of Defense engages with commercial industry. His work with the Senator helped positively influence the Pentagon’s approach to procurement, accountability, and competitive access.

Today, Pablo advises high-profile individuals and companies subject to congressional investigations—often in politically charged environments—with a particular focus on matters involving the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party, the House Oversight & Reform Committee, and the House Energy & Commerce Committee. In Congress, his oversight experience, which Pablo brings to bear on the needs of the firm's clients, includes leading two of the most consequential congressional investigations in recent decades: the Air Force tanker leasing scandal, which resulted in multiple federal convictions, and the Abramoff lobbying investigation, which led to more than 20 guilty pleas and convictions, including those of a US Congressman and a senior Executive Branch official.

In his broader policy practice, Pablo represents corporate and sovereign clients on national security and international trade matters before the Departments of Defense, Commerce, and Treasury, as well as the Export-Import Bank of the United States. He advises technology firms on navigating federal policy, regulatory, enforcement, and procurement frameworks, and plays a central role in the firm’s S3 (S-cubed) program, an innovative growth platform for promising middle-market technology companies. He also maintains a strong pro bono commitment to climate change and human rights advocacy.

Pablo is a frequent author on the firm’s Capital Thinking – Global Public Policy Insights blog and contributes regularly to Chips Chatter, in trade, investment, and technology policy.

A native of New Orleans, Pablo began his legal career in admiralty law, representing a range of commercial maritime interests across all stages of litigation. He also served as a judicial extern to the late Chief Judge Morey Sear of the US District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana.